User's Manual

Countryman Associates, Inc. 195 Constitution Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 US: [phone] Intl: 650-364-9988 F: [phone]
[e-mail] For more information and warranty registration visit www.countryman.com Made in the United States.
B3 Lavalier: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the right color for my skin tone?
Tan works very well for Caucasian skin tones as well as olive complexions. Light beige works
well for light and pink tones. Cocoa is the ideal choice for very light brown to chocolate
tones. Choose black for deep brown skin, or on other tones when you want the mic to be
visible. When in doubt, choose the darker option. That’s because a mic that’s too light can
resemble a scar or blemish, while a mic that’s slightly darker than the background resembles
a shadow and draws less attention.
What are other popular applications for the B3?
0.220”
45˚
0.125”
BEVELED
TABLE
EDGE
105˚
0.250”
STRAIGHT
TABLE
EDGE
0.220”
TABLE, WALL,
CEILING,
STAGE
Installation Mic Hair Mic Concealed in Clothing
The protective cap of the B3 shields it
from moisture and dust and reduces
vibrations, making it an excellent installation
microphone.
The B3 is a popular choice on
Broadway as a hair microphone. This
placement (extended here for visibility)
provides good gain before feedback
and natural sound that doesn’t
change when the head moves.
Positioned in the knot of a tie or behind
a shirt button, the B3 delivers flawless
audio and hides in plain sight. When
placed completely under clothing use
the +4 dB or +8 dB protective cap to
boost high frequencies.
Flat
0 dB
Bright
+4 dB
Very Bright
+8 dB
Which sensitivity should I choose?
Making a microphone more sensitive to catch soft sounds means it will overload sooner for
loud sounds. Because sound pressure levels vary between individuals and applications, we
provide two sensitivities with two different overload or clipping characteristics.
• The most sensitive (W4, no band) is appropriate for positioning on the chest or lapel and is a
good choice for most lavalier uses.
• The less sensitive version (W5, red band) is ideal for instruments or as a hair mic in theater.
Which cap should I use?
The B3 Lavalier should always be used with a protective cap in place to keep sweat,
makeup, and other foreign material out of the microphone. The caps make the B3 very
water resistant. The three omni caps each have a different high-frequency response
characteristic that controls the amount of “crispness” or “sibilance” (response at 15 kHz).
The B3 ships with the +0 dB (Flat) protective cap fitted to the mic. Switch to the +4 dB or +8
dB cap to boost the perceived amount of presence in your sound, while leaving the lower
frequencies unchanged. If you experience problems with high-frequency feedback, you
should switch to the +0 dB cap.
B3 Lavalier in cola.