Lavalier vs. Headset Mics for Theatre
Short answer: choose earset (headset) mics if your cast is young, your show is loud, or you are new to wireless. Choose hairline lavaliers if your team has experience placing mics and the look matters more than raw volume.
Earset mics
An earset hooks over the ear and places the mic near the corner of the mouth. Because the mic stays close to the voice, it gives a strong, consistent level and is less likely to feed back when the band is loud.
Best for: big musicals, dancers, young performers, first-time sound teams.
Trade-off: the boom is visible from the audience. Choose a color close to the performer’s skin tone.
Lavalier mics
A lavalier is a small mic taped at the hairline, forehead or cheek. Placed at the hairline, it is nearly invisible and sounds natural. Placed on the chest, it picks up costume rustle and gives much less level, so theatre teams rarely use that position.
Best for: plays, period pieces, experienced crews, productions where the look matters.
Trade-off: placement takes practice, and wigs, hats and sweat all affect it.
What our systems include
Every wireless system comes with Broadway lavs.
Economy: handheld, lavalier and cardioid headset mic options.
Standard Better: cream and brown/black lavaliers plus earsets.
Premium: 16 cream hairline lavaliers and 4 brown/black lavaliers.
Need extra mics or a mix of styles? Extra microphones start at $195/week, and the Microphone Accessory Kit ($70) adds clips and mic tape. See wireless systems →
