I use this:
Idk if that helps or hurts the situation?
Check to see which bands work best in the spots you do. Theres a site online where you can see what band signals are optimal for where you live.
If I’m unsure or if I run into issues, I just use a wired microphone.
It’s a great mic, but condenser. Which makes it great for performing artists (i.e. singers) but less for those that are not used to using mics. Condensers are more sensitive, but that means also much easier to feedback and more handling noise. The other thing is that they are pretty vulnerable physically. While not quite as touchy as large diaphragm studio condensers, it’s never a good idea to drop one or treat it roughly. Something that most dynamic stage mics will handle without too much fuss could hurt your condenser.
If I am correct you can get separate “capsules” for these mics. Or a second mic, not sure which in this case. My bet would then be a Beta 58A for all those moments you have to trust your mic in the hands of a non-singer. If there’s a real singer, then the Beta 87A is a great mic.
The best mic for DJs to be quite honest are Super Cardioid Dynamic mics.
Also, if your mic is good enough, you should need to ice cream it. You should be able to talk into a microphone with a decent amount of distance away from your mouth. I was taught 4-6 inches but it can vary from person to person in practical experience.
I also try to avoid instructing people how to use my mics. I give them the quick rundown when I hand it to them which is basically “Close the mic but its not an ice cream cone”. I’ve seen some DJs go up and readjust the speaker on the fly, which is really poor practice.
+1 for not trying to correct the speaker as he/she is speaking. +1 for super cardioid.
I can’t agree with the 4-6 inches though. Most of the time you will need to turn up the gain and inevitably hit feedback. Dynamic mics need higher speech volumes to operate correctly, so close-micing remains my advice. Also the turning of the head (with the mic 4-6 inches away) will usually lead to volumes going up and down rather strongly, and compensating for that with gain (again) raises the chance of feedback.
While I agree that it is better to have 1-3 fingers width between mouth and mic, this is not something you can expect a non-experienced speaker to maintain. In practice they will slowly let the mic slip not only away but also down ending up looking like ventriloquists trying to speak out of their belly button (familiar anyone?). Giving them a fixed position (there is nothing arbitrary about “AGAINST your chin!”) might not be the optimum position, but it will give you the best option under the circumstances.
If you have a proper sound engineering board, and know your stuff, you can use some of it’s features to improve on things and such, but on average a normal DJ will have limited options on his/her controller/DJ mixer to work the mic channels properly.
Proper mic handling takes up quite a bit of a sound engineering course. And while it is true that in a stage/band situation (where the PA speakers are usually far to the side of the stage) with people familiar with mic use, you might get away with a bit further from the mouth, but even in those cases I prefer close-micing, because the other thing is that the ratio (difference) between the surrounding sound/noise and the level of the voice coming in becomes smaller if you move the mic further away. So if you then amplify the voice by putting in more gain, you amplify the surrounding sound/noise too.
Everyone should of course do as he/she sees fit. And clearly experiences, best-practices will vary. And that is fine. I can only give what I think based on my training and 40 years in audio/DJ/recording business is a recipe for reasonable success working with non-professionals.
As for yourself, that is a different story. You should practice with your own mic, different positions, different EQs, different mics even (borrow, rent). Let people familiar with your voice help you by listening and giving you (verbal) feedback. Record stuff and play it back over the same setup (preferably in the same space) so you can hear what you sound like. Do it with and without music playing in the background.
Here is a youtube vid I just found, where the guy demonstrates the difference between speaking from 4 inches or 1 finger width away (it is big and exactly the difference between a speaker at a wedding being inaudible and one being well heard). While I’d gladly have a discussion with him on the tonal qualities of the Shure SM58 he is using (he IS right about it being extremely durable - you can run a car over it, dip it in beer, it’ll just keep playing), the points he is making I agree with. Also notice that he speaks over the top (at an angle) of the mic rather than talk straight into it. The microphone body is almost parallel to his chest rather than pointing at him from directly in front. The bit I mean starts about the 1:15 mark.
I use a shure Beta 57a with my Mcx8000, if you can live without a switch on the mic that is, personally it has never bothered me as switch on/ off via the controller.
More important than anything else for a DJ is that he/she uses a mic he/she feels totally comfortable with. Unbiased, rational results are less important.
Talking through a mic for a living is harrowing enough, but gets worth if you don’t “thrust” your mic. So whatever you feel works for you best, use it!
Can someone help me. I have a wireless mic from Sennheiser where i can put the Output Level down in the Receiver to -24db. But also have cable mic also from Sennheiser where i cant put the Output down in the mic so. My Problem is that i allways have the master at 1/2 then i have Problems at the second Point at miclevel. It´s not praticable to put the masterpout down always when i use the mic and when i Need Music i have to put the mic down and the master higher. Can i somewhere reduce the mic Level???
You need a line to mic adapter.
Buy or build your own like this: http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/line_to_mic.html
Denon makes sensitive mic inputs on it’s controllers so users can succesfully use even the lower output mics. Only problem is when you have hi quality mic that gives a strong signal and makes gain staging a problem. Solution is a in line mic attenuattor.
Thanks for your answer it was very helpful for me because my dealer dosent know this part. But can it be real that an profi mixer is not able to handle a 200€ cable mic, and my headset from beyerdynamic has the same Problem because its only able to put it to -18db and thats not enough. And now i have to pay 70€ for a part that when its in the Controller costs ca 50 Cent - thats bad-
But thankyou very much for your help Greetings Jörn Hartmann
This is common within not only the DJ marketplace, but also in PA and stage/Band usage.
Indeed the microphone attenuators, or Pads, as they are sometimes known are made by the microphone manufacturers themselves, rather than by the DJ equipment manufacturers. The pad which you’ve mentioned is one of the highest price units which I’ve seen, however there’s also pads like this one https://www.ramelectronics.net/10-99.aspx. Perhaps what you’re after might be one of the many units priced/featured between the two pads mentioned. Indeed, even on the link which you provided above, there was a tagline mentioning “Similar product at a lower price” with a link to a $19.99 version, stick with switchable attenuation. Shure are great mic and mic accessory makers, but not the only solution providers.
It’s worth checking the manual and website for your particular microphone however as some mics have a switch or button inside their battery compartment or under the head shell/dome for switching the microphones output between High impedance and low impedance. Most radio mics now commonly offer a level output control on their receiver packs.
Having used a lot of different mics, I can safely say that dynamic mics are generally not generating enough signal to mess up mic pre-amps. While there might be some variation in level (due to impedance difference for example or just a higher output capsule), with 20dB of headroom I don’t think you should normally run into any problems gaining the mic channel and with both channels having their own mic gain, using two different mics should also not be a problem.
I own both DDJ-SX and MCX8000 (guess which one I am phasing out? LOL) and I can safely say that the SX is giving me more mic headaches than the 8000.
As Gee stated, most all wireless mic receivers allow for a healthy dose of attenuation on the receiver, again making it relatively easy to match mic and mic pre-amp. Sometimes they will have a (extra) option on the back to set output signal level.
Finally you can use wired mics with condenser technology that have batteries to power them. These too should not output levels so high the pre-amp can’t handle them (built-in pads and other options).
Also I am assuming that the problem you mention is that of feedback. This is a problem that has very little to do with the output level of the microphone, but more with type of mic and sensitivity, as well as where you place yourself.
Without going into a full workshop on feedback (prevention), unless you need vocals to sing through a mic as a DJ (I would opt for a small PA mixer to add to your setup - more on this further on), these are the main guidelines when it comes to mics:
Well, quite a wall of text and I hope it helps you and/or others, so I’ll finish up now with my final advice.
Sometimes it is good to acknowledge that you need specific gear if you have specific needs, rather than expect that what gear you have will do the trick. I do believe (and know from experience) that the MCX8000 is pretty good at handling mics that are good for DJs. As soon as you need more functionality, it is worth adding a small PA mixer. My current favorite for two mic use is the Yamaha AG06. This will give you professional level mic control (including FX and EQ that you can set on your laptop once and then use with simple on/off button) with built-in pad, phantom power (if you insist on using condenser mics), both gain and level. Hook your mixer/controller output on the stereo (RCA) channel and the mics to the mic channel and you will have plenty of control over all your signal levels. It is also great to hook up iphone/ipad/ipad or something with a pre-recorded mix for backup purposes.
Oh, and at a price of about 125 euro they are very reasonably priced (did I mention you can connect through USB and use them as your desktop sound card and/or record the master out signal?). If you don’t want the bells and whistles and USB-sound card, the MG06 is a great alternative at around 80 euro.
Long read (if you made it to here), so I hope it was helpful in some way.
As always, just my two cents worth.
hi guys just a quick one, bit of an issue with the mic channel being too sensitive! i generally use a sennheisr ew155 wired mic on an xlr-xlr cable. on my mc6000 mk 2 i usually have to set the mic volume to around 2pm to get the level right. however on the mcx-8000 with the same mic & same volume level on the active speakers i find the mic level only has to be at 7/8 o’clock on the volume and 1mm either way is either booming loud or way to quiet at this level the mic led does not even light. it’s the same on both mic channels, and using radio mics i need to tweek the volumes quite low. i use mackie srm 450 & evox 8 (not both at the same time)
if i set the evox to 12 on the volume everything is ok, but it means i don’t have any headroom as i hit 0db on the mixer at a fairly low volume.
i’m thinking of putting an attenuator in line to try and help with the mic volume levels. anybody else had same issue?
I always use attenuator for my wireless mic. Works perfect then.
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hi guys just a quick one, bit of an issue with the mic channel being too sensitive! i generally use a sennheisr ew155 wired mic on an xlr-xlr cable. on my mc6000 mk 2 i usually have to set the mic volume to around 2pm to get the level right. however on the mcx-8000 with the same mic & same volume level on the active speakers i find the mic level only has to be at 7/8 o’clock on the volume and 1mm either way is either booming loud or way to quiet at this level the mic led does not even light. it’s the same on both mic channels, and using radio mics i need to tweek the volumes quite low. i use mackie srm 450 & evox 8 (not both at the same time)
if i set the evox to 12 on the volume everything is ok, but it means i don’t have any headroom as i hit 0db on the mixer at a fairly low volume.
i’m thinking of putting an attenuator in line to try and help with the mic volume levels. anybody else had same issue?