# Clear-Com headset ?



## weldingdude (Dec 8, 2009)

Hello all, 

just wondering why it is you can't find clear-com/telex headsets that have throat mics? 
seems to me that a headset with a throat mic would be perfect for a lot of backstage applications, and yet I can't find a clear com compatible headset with a throat mic.


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## Footer (Dec 8, 2009)

You won't find one. The purpose of a throat mic is to hide that you have a communications system. There is no reason why you would need to hide a com backstage. Also, the audio quality is not nearly as good as a real mic. Stick to what works, not what makes you look like a government agent.


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## weldingdude (Dec 8, 2009)

My initial question didn't explain the purpose of my interest in throat mics.

I have long felt there must be a better way to hear designer's comments when they are working in the house. It is often difficult to pick out their voices from the ambient noise picked up by standard headsets. 
Clear-Com headsets are good for most theatre applications but leave something to be desired when there is an over abundance of ambient sound.


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## Stookeybrd (Dec 8, 2009)

Hmm, interesting. I have never heard of that being an issue.

theBoom - the Best Noise Canceling Headset: Welcome to theBoom.com! are a possible solution.

A very common use is the 'phones' instead of headsets for designers. Pro Audio Gear: Clear-Com HS-6 Telephone-Style Handset


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## weldingdude (Dec 8, 2009)

I have primarily had this issue while working on musicals during tech when the Lighting designer and Stage Management are working and running the show from the house.


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## cprted (Dec 8, 2009)

weldingdude said:


> I have long felt there must be a better way to hear designer's comments when they are working in the house. It is often difficult to pick out their voices from the ambient noise picked up by standard headsets.
> Clear-Com headsets are good for most theatre applications but leave something to be desired when there is an over abundance of ambient sound.


Sounds more like everyone need to unlatch their mics if they aren't talking. Once four or five mics are open, no once can hear anything on com. Just the nature of the beast.


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## museav (Dec 8, 2009)

And maybe they need to get the mics a bit closer to their mouths. Inverse square law works for sources too, halve the distance from mouth to mic and get 6dB more level on their voice. When you're talking inches it sometimes doesn't take much change to get a noticeable difference. If it is a cardioid mic then having it aimed properly may also help.

One issue I can see in why this is not common is that throat mics are usually used with earphones rather than headphones, a throat mic attached to headphones or a breakout cable to both seems to likely be more potential maintenance.


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## kitsune (Dec 5, 2012)

I've been looking for an answer to this one as well. Many throat mic sets use condenser mics, which cannot work with clear-com. You need a dynamic mic, or else you have to build a little 9v power supply doodad taped to the XLR connector. There are tutorials on how to do so out in the google-verse.
My interest is more in a sense of "can it be done." Truth be told, I haven't had much issue with traditional clear-com mics other than the normal "painful to wear for 3+ hours" or the obnoxious problem of the stage manager's expensive lightweight having a mic 30x hotter than everyone else's (I like hearing the SM, but I'd rather not go deaf).


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## Andy Ibbetson (Apr 4, 2016)

I have never heard of a throat mic being used to "hide" a mic... Throat mics are great in high noise areas or when wearing respiratory protection face masks etc.... Dynamic throat mics are available but are more expensive than the junk coming out of China that use electret elements and require a bias voltage.


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## brin831 (Apr 4, 2016)

high noise environments require specialized headset mics and more importantly better noise canceling headphones ... telex, bose, clear com, and david clark all make excellent products ... can also look at a few of the over the ear solutions http://www.point-sourceaudio.com/intercom_headset/CM-i3.html ... i've worked for situations where people must wear cowboy hats and had to wear headsets in high noise environments and we made something similar ... if you have money to spend look at getting everyone ear molds or at least some type of in ear phone shure iem type ... see here https://www.racingradios.com/collections/driver/racers ... basically just single driver iem's. 

also thats why they put that "mic Kill" button on the base station ;-)


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## gafftaper (Apr 5, 2016)

FYI this thread started in 2009. Although we always encourage new developments, new questions, and new information to be added to old topics, the original poster hasn't been around CB in over 6 years.


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