What is the best mic for open air?

[mikehende]

Hey guys, I am new here seeking some ideas. I wish to control my music via speech commands when I'm hanging out with my buds. I will need a mic for both when I'm in a closed room and also one for outdoors.
I am leaning towards a lapel mic like what is used for live TV which is pinned to your shirt so it's always close to you mouth and you can speak your commands from anywhere within range of the wireless receiver. Would this be the best option for me or is there something better please? Thanks.

[jitterjames]

Hi mikehende.

Welcome to the forum.

If you have an Android phone I would first consider VoxWav.

Otherwise a lapel mic is an option in which case you would need a wireless transmitter. I think there is an option on our microphone matrix that does this but you'll be struggling with batteries if you go that route.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x2_zh8qYDdu0q_-5O8qPvSiwpjMoe7ZBZCoKiqp-WeI/htmlview#gid=0

[jitterjames]

Actually the solution I was thinking of is not on the matrix, but if you hunt around you can find a wireless device you wear on your belt that you can plug any mic into using a headphone sized jack. It wouldn't be my first choice but it suits what you want to do.

[mikehende]

Thanks for the welcome and the link, I am not seeing a lapel mic in that link but would the android phone option be the best option and if so does it work problem free?

[jitterjames]

Try the free version. "Problem free" is a matter of opinion.

There is no lapel mic in the matrix. I thought there was a wireless transmitter that you could plug a lapel mic into but I was wrong. Such things do exist though, but they use AAA batteries most of the time and are "always on" so replacing or charging batteries is a challenge.

[jitterjames]

Example

https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-NW-3301-Lavalier-Wireless-Microphone/dp/B019RHMVIA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483399869&sr=8-2&keywords=microphone+wireless+transmitter

[Kalle]

This solution does works also fine, but not the cheapest 
Maybe this was the missing mic solution in the Microphone Matrix

http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=800.msg6423#msg6423

[mikehende]

Thanks for the links guys. Battery lie won't be an issue for me as I will have my playlist with my fav tunes running, only every now and then I will call up a specific tune so I can turn on the mic only as needed. I think that means I will need one with a battery pack with an on/off switch?

[Kalle]

If you want wear a microphone, yes - you need one with a battery. My link is only one solution, my other tip is: search for a DECT headset on ebay, some times you will find a bargain on ebay
A DECT headset has a huge range and a is perfect for speech recognition.

This is one which I use my self:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sennheiser-DW-10-Phone-UK-DW-Office-Pro-1-Pro-2-Phone-/332040091303?hash=item4d4f21b6a7:g:ufIAAOSw3xJXoJm8

or this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jabra-GN9350e-Wireless-Headset-/132052726212?hash=item1ebef4b1c4:g:dlAAAOSwZQRYawwS

both headset are in the Microphone Matrix which James suggest - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x2_zh8qYDdu0q_-5O8qPvSiwpjMoe7ZBZCoKiqp-WeI/htmlview#gid=0

[mikehende]

Strange, I was now about to ask a couple of questions in your other thread linked to then got this notif. Kalle, I don't with to wear a headset so only 2 options going the mic route would me a lapel mic which would be pinned to my shirt or an earpiece like a bluetooth.

What's the best thing you can recommend please keeping in mind that there will be loud music playing plus friends around me talking loudly?

[Kalle]

Hard to say which is the best 


If you have really loud music in the background or a lot of talking people around, a lapel mic won't work at all.
Both DECT headsets can be wear like a bluetooth mic without a headband.

So I have not really a other suggestions for you - sorry.

[mikehende]

Understood, would you be able to tell me why a DECT headset would work for my purpose but not a lapel mic which will be located close to your mouth please?

[Kalle]

I can try it 


A DECT headset has a noise canceling built-in function and is made for a call center (a lot of talking people near by near). Also the mic is really near to the mouth and you can have feedback over the ear-speaker.
A lapel mic, connected to a "body pack", is made to pick up raw voice which shall normally sound processed in other hardware (limiter, exciter, ...), but maybe it will work for you.
I have also a AKG Wireless system which works great (with a ear mic, relative invisible), but not tested in a very loud environment - and the mic sound quality is absolute top in normal circumstances.
The "body pack" has a mic mute switch and one AA-Battery holds 30 hours of use.
You can order such a system from a lot of music stores and if it does not your expectations you can return it.


How we said - VoxWav is also great, because you can also execute all commands by taping the command from a list on the phone screen if the environment is to loud to give a speech command - and it is cheap.


http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=VoxWav

[jitterjames]

Just to clarify, as far as I know DECT refers only to the carrier radio frequency band employed and does not guarantee a large range or noise cancelling or high quality sound.

However, many of the headsets that feature DECT also include these features and the specific models that Kalle mentioned which are in the Matrix are tested and work well in all these areas.

Only a headset can have truly effective noise cancelling abilities. It's just physics. Even if you hold a lapel mic as close to your mouth as a headset mic would normally go (about an inch from the corner of your mouth) it is not designed to be used that way and does not use active noise cancellation.

Given the scenario you describe it may be that no solution is going to work reliably.

I suggest you try a cheaper wired headset with active noise cancellation and try to simulate the environment you describe to get an idea of what is even possible before you plunk down a lot of money.

[mikehende]

Thanks for the advice and info guys. Ok so I guess that rules out lapel. So next I would need to be looking at over the ear pieces. I did some research Kalle and the reviews on it are not good at all, they are saying the Sennheiser DW10 is more designed for "phone" applications and not suitable for pc use?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-Wireless-Over-Ear-Headset-Office/dp/B00BQZCIQC

Also, since a mic seems to be a questionable option for my purpose, I am looking into the possibility of using my android phone as you' had suggested in the first reply [thanks]. I have created a separate thread for that in the appropriate forum here: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=2690.0