The term “pulpit mic” is spoken and heard these days much less frequently than it used to be. The pulpit mic was once the principal means by which clergy voices were amplified and/or recorded, but now it accounts for a tiny sliver of the workload compared with decades past. Over the years, we have provided both wired and wireless handheld mics to our pastors, and some still prefer them. Technology has advanced, capsules have become smaller (and better), and it has become plausible to use mics that require no handling. Lavalier mics have been worthy of consideration, but the reduction in gain resulting from a turning head can be sufficient enough to distract or even render a syllable or two unintelligible. Now more often than ever, we deploy headworn mics to position the capsule at a fixed distance from the mouth in an unchanging orientation. We can have near-perfect consistency in the physical positioning of the mic and we can present nearly every single syllable clearly to the congregation.
Headworn — Sounds Good, But Which One?
Over the years, headworn mic capsules have shrunk while sound quality has improved. We’re (mostly) well past the days of the giant black capsules that blocked half of Madonna or Garth Brooks’ face. Modern headworn mics are slender and nearly invisible to all but those in the front few rows. They’re available in a couple of different structural topologies, and both omnidirectional and cardioid polar patterns can be had. They may or may not feature earbuds, and they come in a variety of colors. And it seems as if every single manufacturer of headworn mics has their own proprietary connector, which may present a challenge if you seek to use a competitor’s transmitter. Let’s look at all the factors and sort it out.
Omnidirectional vs. Cardioid
While it’s not always the case, the open sound of an omnidirectional mic tends to be more natural and pleasing to the ear than that of a directional mic. But indeed there are uses for which we’re better off with a cardioid. Certain environments may require us to achieve more gain before feedback. Or we may want to avoid acoustical bleed from other sound sources close to the pastor. But it’s important to be mindful of proximity effect, increased susceptibility to wind, along with “p”-pops and other plosive sounds. Another challenge posed by mics with a directional pickup pattern is keeping them pointed in the right direction. Omnis are much more forgiving to pastors who are oblivious to their mic placement. True story — I’ve had one pastor for whom the headworn mic usually ended up bobbing around near his Adam’s apple or bouncing around dangerously close to his left shoulder by the end of the Sunday message. There are scenarios that call for both types of mics, but most of the time we’ll lean toward the omni capsule.
Shapes of Things
Head-mounted microphones come primarily in two topologies: single-ear (earworn) or two-ear (headworn). Less commonly, a mic can be concealed in a hat or headband or other adornment, but we’ll keep our focus on the more conventional types. The two major considerations here are comfort and aesthetics. Comfort is a key consideration for a lot of pastors. Some people are never going to be comfortable or happy, but most are willing to make the sacrifice necessary to ensure that the congregation can hear their words clearly.
I typically lean toward a nice, soft one-ear unit that’s gentle on the ear, but firm enough to keep the mic in a consistent location relative to the speaker’s mouth. Some pastors can become pretty animated, however, and a single-ear mount may not be sufficient to keep the mic stable. For such cases, two-ear systems that either wrap over the top of the head or around the back of the head can keep the mic in the right position. There is a trade-off in terms of both comfort and aesthetics, however. A single, soft rubber ear surround is much more pleasant to wear than a stiff wire (or multiple stiff wires) wrapping around one’s noggin. Moreover, the former may go largely unnoticed, while the latter may call to mind a teenager wearing orthodontic headgear to help correct an overbite.
Boom Boom
The length of the mic’s boom is another consideration worthy of some thought. Most headworn mics employ a long boom that emanates from under (or over) the ear and suspends the mic capsule in close proximity to the corner of the speaker’s mouth, but there are also models with much shorter booms, intended to reduce the amount of physical hardware impeding the view of the speaker’s face. This design works fine with an omnidirectional capsule only, as directional capsules must be placed close the speaker’s mouth.
Are We Compatible?
Another major consideration in headworn mics is the topology of the mic’s connector. A handful of different connector types are employed by the various mic manufacturers, and while a couple of these types are used by multiple manufacturers, there are also proprietary topologies as well. You will want to be aware of these — you may need an adapter if you’re planning on using a new mic with your current wireless system.
Any Color You Like
Beyond all the aforementioned distinctions between the various headworn mics is color. Most manufacturers make their mics available in at least a couple of colors — with names like “beige,” “coffee,” and the more pedestrian “black” and “white” as well. It does indeed make sense to choose a mic that most closely mimics the skin tone of its user — anything we can do to make the mic more aesthetically pleasing (unobtrusive) is a positive.
Take Some Time
I recommend doing a little homework before committing to the acquisition of a headworn mic. With all these variable attributes, you’ll want to consider your specific needs in terms of comfort, aesthetics and technical requirements. If you’re careful about it, you can make the pastor happy with a high-quality mic that delivers excellent sound quality and is comfortable for them to wear.
John McJunkin is the chief engineer and staff producer in the studio at Grand Canyon University.
