This may have been discussed before, but I have found a terrific mic holder at http://www.malloymodernmagic.com. It hangs around the neck and will hold any hand held mic. Very well made!

I've been looking around for one for sometime and finally found a good one.

Ron Reid

People are always asking me where to get a mic holder like that. Now I have somewhere to send them. Thanks Ron.

I use Gimcrac mike holders for my show. They work great if you have an excellent mike to use with it. They're available from http://www.wizardcraft.com/default.htm

Another one at a great price.
Thanks Alan

In a pinch, use the shower curtain holder from your hotel room - although I try to travel with my own mic and accessories, I have been in a pinch before -

Just out of interest sake, why do you prefer to have a big, honking microphone hanging around your neck as opposed to a tiny lavalier microphone?

That's an excellent question, Tantrik! Some magicians do a lot of audience-member-on-stage stuff, so they use a handheld mic the way an interviewer would, cueing the volunteer to speak only when the mic is pointed toward them. Sometimes, though, this performer needs both hands free, and a mic holder like the Malloy will allow him/her to use the same mic.

It's also possible that you're promised a lav by your employer, but you're given a hadheld instead. Well, in such a case, the Malloy (or similar) can be a God-send!

My friend Steve Kline (Hi, Steve!) makes an excellent point. Take whatever you can, so that you can meet your own requirements if the employer/promoter/venue doesn't live up to their end of the bargain!

Here's yet another thought: Many perfromers already have a handheld mic, and are not yet ready to buy a good wireless lav. Buying a Malloy-type neck adapter will allow for some hand-free work without dipping too far into your "wireless mic fund".

Cheers from Toronto!
Dan McLean Jr
http://www.MagicRoadie.com
"Taking the mystery out of stage technology!"

I agree, the intention is as a lifesaver.

The most amazing part is the this positional device actually works and makes you sound good (depending on the handheld, better than many lavs).

Carry one in your case with your bandaids, pain pills, hand sanitizers, duck tape, and Imodium.

I would certainly agree that a good hand held will sound better than a cheap lav...in fact, it will sound better than some expensive lavs. But I carry a dual channel wireless system. One channel is for a good quality lav, the other is for a wireless hand held.

It's been my experience that a hand held back and forth between myself and another person can often miss something funny from the volunteer. That's why I prefer a two microphone system. By having my own receiver with a single output, I don't have to worry about a venue with only one microphone input.

Even so, there have been some situations where the wireless didn't work well. So I always have wired back-ups.

I've never been satisfied with the sound quality from a lavaliere. There just wasn't enough gain before feedback. I use a Sennheisser Evolution 845s - the best mike I've ever used. I can finally hear how my voice sounds over the PA, with no feedback.

You can get them at Radio Shack!