6 replies to this topic

[Brett - Kalisia]

Hello, I'm new here and I already need help

I'm lucky enough to have recently been offered a Crown CM311A microphone by a friend, but the windscreen is beyond repair so I need to get a new one and I can't find any place to buy it in Europe (I am from France). So do you know where I could find this or is it possible to buy it directly from Crown US?

Also I'm still a bit hesitant as to what windscreen I should get when I'll find a place to. It seemed to me that the included windscreen was way too thin when I tried it (lots of breathing and poping noise) and was considering getting the WS14 to better reduce breath noises and/or plosives problems, but would it be too dark in the end?

And while I'm bothering you, I noticed that I can't totally lock the (checking out the manual to give the right words) boom no matter how hard I turn the thumbscrew. It's "vertically" perfectly fixed (mic is not moving in or out) but it still can rotate inside the block (mic moving up or down). Is that normal or should it be totally locked? And if it's not normal, what can I do about it?

Thanks a lot for your answers in advance,

Cheers

Brett

[brubart]

Replacement parts are available in Crown's Parts Dept., and its link is below. Ask for a WS-6 foam windscreen for the CM-311A. Sorry, the WS-14 windscreen is no longer available.

Crown's Parts Dept.

You can still move the mic up or down after the thumbscrew has been tightened. This is normal operation so that you can get "off-mic" when needed without having to loosen the thumbscrew.

Regarding the breath popping, you might have tested the mic with a worn-out windscreen, or you might not have pressed the foam windscreen lightly against your lips. The mic pops very little with a new windscreen and with lips touching the windscreen, as the mic was designed to be used.

Bonne chance,
brubart

[Brett - Kalisia]

Merci Brubart,

I just sent an email to Sheila
I did indeed test the mic with the windscreen my friend provided me, and it wasn't in the best conditions ever so I'll just go for the WS-6. Is it the only available windscreen now?

Thanks also for the thumbscrew problem which wasn't actually one

Cheers,

Brett

[brubart]

The WS-6 is the only windscreen available for the CM-311A. It's the one supplied with the mic. Actually, a bigger windscreen degrades the mic's isolation and gain before feedback because it forces the user to sing farther from the microphone. The CM-311A is a noise-cancelling microphone -- it cancels sounds at a distance, such as monitor speakers. If a singer's mouth is too far from the mic due to a large windscreen, their voice will get partly cancelled too.

We originally designed the CM-311A for country star Garth Brooks. He used up to 40 floor monitors hidden under the stage, and wanted to perform anywhere on stage without feedback. He also wanted his voice to sound great over the PA speakers. The CM-311A did the job for him (as well as Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, The Back Street Boys, and many others).

J'espère que le CM-311A va bien fonctionner pour vous.

brubart

[Brett - Kalisia]

Thanks again for your answer and your French, do you use an online translator or do you speak French?

I've heard nothing but great things about the Crown CM-311A that's why I didn't consider my test to be faithful. I'm waiting for Sheila to answer my mail about prices and shipping and am thinking about buying two WS-6 (don't know how often those get torn out, but it's always good to have a spare one, especially with a foam that's nearly in-your-mouth so very close to moisture).

About Britney using it, it's funny (I read your post about the modifications they did to the mic to allow it to work under "falling rain") because I always thought she was doing playback and not singing live anyway (that was clearly the case on the show in Vegas that I saw on TV)

I'm thinking about something maybe you can help. Unfortunately for me I am bald (well not quite but I shave my head) so the headband wire and earpiece are quite exposed and visible. So I thought about maybe customizing it, to make it look cooler, but I'm lacking ideas. Have you ever seen or heard about people doing it, or have examples or ideas of what can be achieved?

Merci beaucoup, à bientôt

Brett

[brubart]

Bon jour, Brett,

I've had French classes but I cheated with a translator on words that I forgot.

You could paint the headband to match your skin color. Maybe add battery-powered LEDs, a kerchief or even a ballcap. ;>)

Amusez-vous,

Monsieur brubart

[Brett - Kalisia]

Hello again.

Just a quick message to say that I ordered the parts from your International Export Parts Agent, Sheila, and I'm very pleased. The service is excellent and I received my order very quickly.

Thank you very much

Brett