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Archive for January 13th, 2009

Countryman ISOMAX Headset Microphone

 

2009-01-13Where in the world am I today?: Vancouver, BC, Canada

As a juggler I need to have my hands free to manipulate what ever prop I happen to be holding. Over the years I’ve worked with a variety of microphone options and by far my favorite has been the Countryman ISOMAX Headset Microphone.

Now the thing to remember is that this is just the microphone and has nothing to do with the transmitter and receiver. I opted for a Sennheiser system when I purchased my system because I liked the robustness of the metal shells used on the transmitter and receiver at the time, but Countryman will include the appropriate adaptor for what ever body pack you end up selecting making this microphone a simple plug and play operation.

Why do I like this microphone so much? 

  1. It’s robust. I’ve had the one I purchased for eight years and it’s never crapped out on me. Sure there are smaller, less visible alternatives, but I don’t mind the look of this thing and the fact that I can bang it around a bit with out it breaking is a huge huge plus!
  2. It doesn’t sweat out.’ I’m very active in my show and sweat a lot during my performance. I have in the past used microphones that seemed to jam out on me if they got in contact with the slightest amount of moisture. Sweat happens and the fact that the Countryman microphone can handle a little bit of moisture (don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to go swimming with it on) has been a huge plus.
  3. The fit is adjustable, yet secure. Initially I bent the microphone arm a bit so that it was positioned where I wanted it, but with the adjustable band that goes around the back of my head I can keep the microphone snugly in place and not bouncing around.

Apparently I’m not the only one for whom these features are a plus as just about every Princess Cruise I’ve worked on hands me one of these microphones when I ask for a headset. So, if its good enough for Princess Cruises and “The Checkerboard Guy” it might be worth considering if/when you decide to go shopping for your next microphone.

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