Countryman’s Tiny B6 Lav Mic

The latest entry in the already crowded field of lavalier microphones is the Countryman B6. With a diameter of approximately one tenth of an inch (2.5 mm), it is the smallest microphone available. If you’re mathematically challenged, by comparison the head of the microphone with the protective cap installed is only slightly larger than the cable of a TRAM TR-50. Although this is a microphone designed with concealment in mind, I feel that Countryman is somewhat misleading in their statement that you can “choose a protective cap near the color of a shirt and poke the B6 out through a button hole”. The protective caps come in black, white, gray, light skin tone, and cocoa. As long as the shirt in question is one of those “colors” the B6 will blend in easily, however if the wardrobe leans toward some wacky color like red or blue it won’t conceal quite as easily. In all fairness to Countryman, the B6 is so small that it wouldn’t be noticed in a shot wide enough to require RF microphones instead of a boom. As the microphone gains in popularity, perhaps more wardrobe friendly colors will become available. The protective cap not only keeps sweat and make up out of the element but is also used to alter the frequency response of the microphone. With the Flat cap, the frequency response curve is +/-3db from 30 Hz to 20 kHz. There is a slight low frequency roll off starting at approximately 60 Hz. The element is so small, I was surprised at the fullness of the lows. One complaint I’ve heard from the field is that the low frequency response makes the microphone overly susceptible to wind noise and breath pops, especially when used exposed. The first time I listened with the Flat cap, I thought the B6 was a little dull or lifeless, but that was because I’m accustomed to the 5 or 6 kHz peak of the TRAM, the Sanken COS-11, and the Sonotrim.

The Bright cap has a +4db peak at 15 kHz. The curve starts at approximately 3 kHz. In a side by side comparison with the Sanken COS-11, the two microphones are comparable. The Very Bright cap is has a +8db peak at 15 kHz and starts its stratospheric climb at approximately 1.5 kHz. This response curve was entirely too “crisp” for my taste, although it may have some usefulness buried beneath heavy clothing. The caps are small, less than one eighth of an inch in length, and when dropped are not easily found. I recommend putting some kind of small tray in your sound kit and ALWAYS work over the tray when changing caps. A few spare caps would be advisable, too. In my opinion, the Countryman B6 is an excellent microphone system with very few sonic limitations. A microphone designed to be concealed should come with a few more color options, but that is probably just wishful thinking. With the exception of windscreens, most lavalier microphones are only available in basic colors. My biggest concerns are the fragility of the cable and the noise when concealed under clothing. Fortunately, the B6 is so small that in many situations it can be exposed but not noticeable.

Give the Countryman B6 a serious listen. While this may not be the right microphone in all lavalier situations, it is a good “tool” to add to your sound package. For some problems, the B6 will be the perfect solution.