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  • Need ideas for unrulely lavaliere cable…

    Posted by Bob Mark on June 27, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    Hello everyone. I have one lavaliere (Sennheiser) that has a very “springy” cable. When I try to mount it in a normal manner, the cable causes the mic head to dive back into the shirt. Even with strain relief by gaff taping it, it wants to do the “nose dive.” I love the sound of this mic, but this crazy cable gives it a mind of its own. Any mounting tips you can share?
    Thanks!

    Bob

    Bob Mark replied 9 years, 10 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Bruce Watson

    June 27, 2016 at 8:21 pm

    Have you been coiling it up using the “normal” over/under technique you’d use with your good XLR cables? If not, you might have “set” the cable with a twist. What works with some XLR cables that have been mistreated (coiled “over the elbow” style, which is a bad thing to do) is to stretch them out in the sun to heat them up and “relax” them. I’ve read of people draping them across their roof for a few days and letting them “bake” in the sun. Then you coil them over/under to “train them” and they can be deployed flat again without the spiral looping (foot grabbers) that “over the elbow” creates.

    The same may work with your lav. cable, IDK. Might be worth a try. I do over/under with my OST lavs (which feels silly for a meter of cable, but it can’t hurt) and I don’t have the problem you’re describing.

    As to mounting, you could try making a (strain relief) loop underneath the mic, and twist the cable in the loop to make the mic head go where you want. Then tape that loop with your twist down with gaff tape or micropore medical tape (if to skin) to hold that twist in place.

    Another alternative might be to tape the mic head itself, using something like the Rycote Undercovers. This might preserve the orientation you want, IDK.

  • Bob Mark

    June 27, 2016 at 10:02 pm

    Thank you. I will try your ideas. The cable is a witch! It is an old lav, so that might be the problem, the cable has no elasticity left. I’ll stretch it in the sun. :>) Thanks for responding to my dilemma.

    Cheers!

    Bob

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