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ISOMAX E6 DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE
Thanks for choosing the Countryman ISOMAX E6 Directional EarSet Microphone. We're
sure you'll find it the finest, most natural sounding, and most unobtrusive head-worn
directional mic available.
The EarSet directional mic provides high quality pickup while rejecting noise, bleed from
stage monitors, and feedback. It sounds like a world-class vocal mic, with far better
isolation than an omnidirectional mic can provide. The ultra-miniature condenser element is
held close to the mouth by a thin boom and comfortable earclip. The entire assembly
weighs less than one-tenth ounce and almost disappears against the skin, so performers
can forget it's there and audiences barely see it.
Changeable end caps let you select a cardioid pickup pattern for ease of placement, or a
hypercardioid pattern when more isolation is needed.
We use innovative engineering to pack this great a sound into such a tiny mic. For this
reason, getting the best results requires some simple techniques that might not be
immediately intuitive. This booklet will help you get the most out of your E6 Directional
EarSet.
1
Handling the E6 Directional EarSet
Your EarSet is designed for durability, moisture-resistance and flexibility. Follow these simple
rules to maintain peak performance:
·
To prevent damage, never bend the boom to a radius of less than 1/2" diameter. Do
not bend the boom within 1/2" of the mic element, or the earpiece within 1/2" of the connector.
·
Always store and use the EarSet with an end cap in place. The end cap not only
controls the pickup pattern; it also protects the mic element from makeup, moisture, and dust.
·
If you must handle an EarSet without its cap, make sure your hands are clean and
don't let anything touch the mic element.
·
The earpiece, boom, and end cap can be cleaned with alcohol wipes, spirit gum
remover, or acetone. Do not let cleaning chemicals enter the front or back ports of the end
cap.
2
Getting the Most From Your Directional EarSet EarSet
Head-worn mics provide isolation by keeping the element near the mouth, often requiring a
headband and thick plastic boom or blocking sightlines. Our approach is to use a thin, skin-toned
stainless steel boom that gently clips around one ear. It holds an ultra-miniature mic element at
the corner of the mouth, where it picks up voice perfectly and is virtually invisible.
The ideal place for a directional EarSet is with the tip of the element at the mouth's corner, about
1/4" from the face. Since every performer's face is slightly different, we've made it easy to
custom-fit an EarSet to keep things in the right position, while avoiding sharp turns that can
damage the boom. Instructions are on the next few pages.
Directional mics can be fairly large, to accommodate extension tubes or multiple ports. We use a
different technology, combining tiny slots around the element with specially-shaped ports in the
end caps. The result is more than 20 dB of off-axis rejection-with a mic assembly about the size of
a grain of rice.
·
All directional mics are sensitive to air movement. With a mic this tiny, even a quick turn of
the head may set up a breeze that can be heard through the system. A windscreen is provided to
prevent this.
·
The EarSet's directional ports are so small they can be clogged by makeup. The end
caps protect them and should be left on at all times. Follow the precautions on page 2.
3
Choosing a Pickup Pattern
The end caps modify your EarSet's directionality, so you can use it as either a cardioid or a
hypercardioid microphone.
·
Hypercardioid mode provides the best isolation from all directions, with a null facing
toward the floor where "wedge" monitors are often placed. We recommend this mode for most
applications. Being more directional than cardioid, it's slightly more sensitive to air movement
and the windscreen should always be used.
·
Cardioid mode is slightly less directional, with a null toward the performer's back. It's
most useful for trade-show presenters or other performers who have a monitor speaker over
their shoulder or behind them. Cardioid mode is slightly less sensitive to air movement and
handling noise.
4
Step 1: Fit the Earpiece
Even if the EarSet will be used on someone else,
practice on your own face: the procedure is the same.
A properly adjusted earpiece holds the mic in a stable
position, preventing it from slipping or rotating around
the ear even during active performances.
Place the C-shaped, silicone sheathed part of the
EarSet around your left ear. The bend nearest the
connector should fit into the pocket between your
earlobe and your head. Hold that bend in place with
your thumb. Now sweep your left index finger along the
earpiece, in the direction of the blue arrow, to press it
into the notch between your ear and your head.
5
When your index finger reaches the front edge of your
ear, grasp the earpiece between your index finger and
thumb to mark the place. Keep grasping the earpiece
there while you take it off your head.
6
Continue holding the earpiece between the index
finger and thumb of your left hand. With your right
hand, form a gentle 45° angle in the direction of the
curve.
Then form a similar angle in the other direction,
about 3/8" from where the boom joins the
silicone-covered earpiece.
7
The curve of the earpiece should now look like this.
The straight portion between the two bends will point
down, in front of the ear. This locks the EarSet in
place, preventing it from rotating around the ear when
you move, without putting annoying pressure on the
ear itself.
The space between the two bends will vary, and you
may need to adjust the angles, depending on the
distance between your ear and mouth. Instructions for
fine-tuning these details are in the next section.
8
Straight Section
~ Equal Angles 1
/2 i
n.
Squeeze the curved part of the earpiece about 1/2"
to 3/4" smaller, so there's a slight tension when the
EarSet is on your ear.
Then clip the EarSet back around your ear. It should
be loose enough that you forget it's there after a few
seconds, but tight enough that it doesn't move when
you shake your head. If necessary, take the EarSet
off and open or close the curved part of the
earpiece to adjust the fit.
9
Step 2: Adjust the boom
The urethane-covered stainless steel boom is easily
shaped by curving it with your fingers. Bend it to
match the curve of your face, so the end of the mic
element is at the corner of your mouth. The boom
should be very close to your face, or gently touching it,
along most of its length.
·
Do not bend the boom tighter than 1/2"
diameter.
·
Do not bend the boom within 1/2" of the mic
10
Sound quality will suffer if the end of the element is
too far forward or back. The distance between ear
and mouth varies depending on the person, so you'll
have to adjust the boom to compensate.
In this drawing, the element is too far forward and
may catch pops. Move it back by bending more of
the boom around the front of the ear, as shown on
the next page.
Too Far Forward
11
This position is perfect. The end of the mic element is
at the corner of the mouth, and the element is
standing about 1/4" out from the face and pointed
slightly inward.
Tip: The goal of adjusting the boom is to put the tip of
the mic element in the right place, not to achieve a
particular curve on the boom itself. Any of the curves
illustrated in this section may be acceptable,
depending on the distance between ear and mouth.
12
In this drawing, too much of the boom is wrapped
around the ear for this particular face. This puts the
mic element too far behind the mouth, and bass
response and isolation will suffer.
Tip: While you're learning how to fit the EarSet,
plug the mic into a mixer and listen on good
isolating headphones. (There's no reason you can't
wear an EarSet and headphones at the same time.)
Pay attention to the effect of different positions on
the sound.
Too Far Back
13
Changing the Cable
The EarSet cable is removable by unplugging it
behind the earpiece. This lets you switch wireless
transmitters or use an XLR connection, change
cable colors, or replace damaged cables in the field.
The cable connector is designed to rotate freely and
does not unscrew. To disconnect a cable, grab the
middle of each of the two rubber sleeves and pull
straight apart. To re-connect, push them together
until you hear a click.
·
Do not grab where the sleeves overlap, in
the middle of the connector. Pulling here can
weaken the moisture-resistant seal.
·
Do not pull on the cable, boom, or earpiece.
14
About the End Caps
Directional EarSets are supplied with two end caps to
switch between cardioid and hypercardioid. The caps
also protect the mic element from sweat, makeup, and
moisture, and protect the back ports from
contamination.
Hypercardioid and cardioid end caps look almost
identical. To tell them apart, place the cap that's not in
use next to the one on the mic element-you can do
this while the unused cap is still in its protective plastic
bag-and compare their lengths. This is easiest if you
line the back of the caps up with each other. The
longer cap is the hypercardioid.
Line up back ends of caps
Hypercardioid
Cardioid
15
To remove an end cap, grab the EarSet's boom
about 3/4" from the mic element. With the other
hand, hold the cap firmly by its sides and pull
straight off. To replace a cap, push straight on until
you feel a gentle click.
·
Make sure your hands and the
surroundings are clean and dry before starting.
·
Never touch the sides or end of an
uncapped mic element. Do not let your fingers slide
across the element while removing the cap.
When the end cap is properly installed, the mic
element is protected.
16
Cleaning the Directional EarSet
The EarSet's urethane and silicone covering is impervious to alcohol wipes, spirit gum
remover, acetone, and most other chemicals found on a stage or set. Feel free to clean the
boom and earpiece as required.
·
Be careful not to let cleaners or other foreign matter enter the ports at the front or
back of the end cap. It's designed to protect against perspiration and clean water only.
·
Never submerge the mic element.
·
Do not subject the EarSet to high heat.
·
You may remove the end cap to clean it separately. But be careful: if the bare mic
element gets dirty or is exposed to liquids, it may need to be replaced
17
Emergency Back Port Cleaning Procedure
This procedure is rarely necessary. But it may help if frequency response and directionality
have deteriorated because the tiny grooves on the element are contaminated with dust or
makeup.
Make sure your hands, the work area, the EarSet's boom and end cap are clean. Take a 6" 8" piece of clean gaffer tape and form it into a circle, sticky side out. Stick it down on the top of
a table, near the edge. Do not use tapes that may leave adhesive on the mic.
Remove the end cap. Hold the EarSet by its boom, about an inch from the bare mic element.
Lay the element down on the adhesive, with the earpiece hanging off the edge of the table.
Gently roll the mic a full 360° along the adhesive to remove dust or debris. Replace the end
cap and cable.
18
Specifications:
The E6 EarSet is available in three models for
different performance styles:
Frequency Response : 30 Hz to 15 kHz
Operating Current : 400 uA
Operating Voltage : 1 to 2 Volts
Power Supply Voltage : +3 V with 2.7 k Ohm Load
+5 V with 5.6 k Ohm Load
+9 V with 15 k Ohm Load
Weight : .07 oz (2 grams)
Supplied Accessories : Carrying case, cable clip, wind
screen, hypercardioid and
cardioid protective caps.
Detailed information on how to connect EarSets to
wireless transmitters can be found at
WWW.COUNTRYMAN.COM
E6DW5 (normal conversational levels)
Sensitivity: 7.0 mV/Pascal
Equivalent Acoustic Noise: 24 dB SPL A-Weighted
Overload Sound Level: 125 dB SPL
E6DW6 (projected voices, sermons, most theatrical)
Sensitivity: 2.0 mV/Pascal
Equivalent Acoustic Noise: 29 dB SPL A-Weighted
Overload Sound Level: 135 dB SPL
E6DW7 (very loud voices, high monitor levels)
Sensitivity: 0.7 mV/Pascal
Equivalent Acoustic Noise: 39 dB SPL A-Weighted
Overload Sound Level: 145 dB SPL
19
Hypercardioid
Cardioid
Frequency Response
.25 in.
10dB
1 in.
Front
Null
24 in.
24 in.
20 30
1 kHz Polar Response
5 dB /Division
50
100
200
Response matches
reinforcement.
20
500
popular
1k
2k
hand-held
5k
mics
10k
for
20k
sound