LOS ANGELES, CA – The ability to project effectively and with a high level of speech intelligibility – without appearing to speak – has helped Kevin Johnson get appearances on NBC's America's Got Talent, and CBS' The Late Show with David Letterman, and other high-profile gigs. Since 2007, when he started performing at Legoland in California, he's relied upon an E6 Directional Earset microphone from Countryman Associates.
Johnson now works seven nights a week, split between Anaheim, CA-based Battle of the Dance dinner theater and the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido, CA. Travel is a big part of his business and he said that, through it all, his E6 earset mic never lets him down.
"My E6 goes everywhere I do," Johnson noted. "Although I keep my earset in its case, it still travels in my carry-on bag, which has been shoved in cargo holds of all types. This mic has been twisted and bent in so many shapes and handled by technicians of all skill levels and yet it still works like the day I bought it. In four years of use, I've only replaced the Snap-on cable once."
In addition to its sturdy build quality, the E6's sound quality and its practically invisible, comfortable design are vitally important factors in Johnson's line of work.
"The number one reason I prefer the Countryman E6 earset over anything else is its consistently high quality sound that is respected throughout the industry" he said. "Everywhere I go, I hear technicians say, ‘Wow, that's an E6. That's an awesome microphone.' I just smile and nod. Not only does the E6 sound better than any other wireless microphone I've used, it picks up my voice(s) with great clarity, which is critical to the success of my performance.
"I love the E6 because of its non-obtrusive style," he continued. "As a ventriloquist, I can't hide behind a microphone. I need the audience to see that my mouth isn't moving. In this regard, the E6 is the perfect tool for my craft. To achieve the highest level of invisibility, I use the 1mm, low-profile ‘Theatrical Wire', which is the thinner option for the E6. With a small wire clip attached to the back of my collar and a tiny piece of clear tape behind my ear, I forget I'm even wearing the microphone. Equally significant, the microphone's flexible earpiece is unbelievably comfortable and I'm certain its flexibility is yet another factor that results in the mic's durability."
The ability to adapt to a variety of wireless microphone systems is another factor that makes the Countryman E6 well-suited for Johnson's needs. "I use a Shure wireless system when I travel," he said, "unless the house already uses Shure; then I plug right into their beltpack transmitter. I also carry a Sennheiser wireless transmitter connector that is easily interchangeable with the earset. This way, I'm covered.
"For me, this is the perfect microphone," Johnson concluded. "It's so good that it speaks for itself, which is critical in my line of work."
For more information, please visit www.countryman.com.
