Crown CM-311A Headworn Microphone Reviews

The best sound, outstanding clarity, and easy and comfortable fit!

Ordered a Crown brand mic but received an AKG brand mic that looks just like the Crown brand. GREAT hands free microphone!! I'm a drummer & mic stands get in the way so glad I got this one!

This is an excellent microphone with very good response and clarity.

I bought this Crown Cm311A Headset microphone and im soo impressive because when you try to sing loud enough it basically the microphone doesn't distorted etc....also the build quality of this microphone its soo perfect....

This version of the Crown CM311 is great for a hard-wired configuration. You must use a standard XLR microphone cable to connect the headset to a mixer that can provide phantom power. But it can not be used in a wireless configuration.

If you want the flexibility of both hard-wired and wireless options, buy the Crown CM311-AESH version and a Shure RPM626 in-line amplifier. The AESH version's cable terminates with a TA4F connector compatible with Shure, Line 6, and other belt-worn wireless transmitters. The RPM626 takes the TA4F as an input, provides a male XLR output connector, and uses phantom power via a standard XLR cable to power the CM311.

I play in a very busy cover band. I was using another big name headset mic which was good, but the mic sat at the corner of my mouth and sounded muffled, both in the mains and monitor mix. And I was constantly adjusting the flexable mic arm. My requirements for a new headset were met with the Crown CM-311A.

Absolutely a great microphone. If you need hands free this is your solution. Once adjusted (and just for you) it works perfectly. And I have to add that once again the performance of Sweetwater staff is great. I received excellent support and help from Dylan, thanks, Dylan, and from Jessie in tech support. Thanks, Jessie. You just can't beat Sweetwater.

I was expecting a good headset, but this Crown CM-311A blew my mind!! Easy to fit, no feedback at all, no drummers interfere with my singing even if we're side by side... Amazing silent on and off button, sturdy and comfortable. Highly recommended!!!

I have used this headset for the last 7 - 8 years. Absolutely love it.. By far the best mic I have ever owned. It is true the mic is delicate and should be handled with care.. I've gone through a few windscreens and have replaced the tightening screw once. I am happy to perform a little maintenance on it from time to time.. The thought of using another mic is not an option.
This mic IS that good.

This mic is great and just what I have been looking for. I have a soft voice and tried using hand held mics but couldn't get the volume up without worrying about feedback. With this mic I was able to turn it up so loud with no feedback at all that my band said that it may be too loud. My Drummer bought a wireless head mic that he had to return because it would feedback before we could get the volume up as needed. I sat behind his drums with his drums miked and NO feedback at all. I'm sure he will be buying one of these also.
The on/off mute button on the belt pack comes from the factory as a temporary off, like for a cough but it can be changed to a temporary on or as an on/off switch which I prefer. It was VERY simple to change.
The headset could not be any more sturdy or it would be too heavy to wear. I give it a Five Stars because it works for me and my soft voice. No more worrying about feedback or getting it loud enough to hear me.
It is GREAT for a Rock Drummer who needs to be loud without feedback from his other mics or monitors and for anyone with a soft voice that needs a lot of volume from a mic. Someone did it right with this one and now they need a handheld mic with the same Cardioid Condenser mic. Thank You for a Great Product. I also recommend this headset with a Shure wireless System for anyone who needs to move around such as a singing lead Guitarist.

I purchased this headset after reading many reviews off the internet. I am more than satisfied with this headset.I have been a drummer for years and started singing with the group and was using a Shure SM-58 with a boom stand. As a drummer ,this setup was nothing short of torture because of always having inconsistant sound levels coming out of the speakers while singing and the stand in close proximity to my arm limited my freedom of playing . I found the quality of this set is very good and the voice coming out of the speakers sounds as good or better than the SM-58 due to the fact that the microphone is always at the same distance and there is no boomstand to carry around or get in your way. I have played 4 gigs and 4 three to four hour practice sessions with this headset so far and am very impressed with the 9V battery life with a good alkaline battery. I am still using the same battery that I originally put in to the pack.The only problem I had was shutting the headset off by the toggle switch on the battery pack..It would thump the speakers every time I turned it off. Fortunately, there is a fix for that . There is a switch inside the box that allows for the use of an on/off button which is on the power pack. Once you change it to the on/off button, the turn off speaker thumping problem disappears and it is a silent turn off .
Headset is adjustable to most all head sizes and is light enough to not be a burden while playing . To make a long story short, I love this headset and would recommend to all drummers who have problems with boomstands and drummer freedom while playing .

The CM-311A is a very very clear sounding microphone. I was impressed with the clarity with very little EQ'ing. The one thing that I thought was strange about the construction was how to program the push button. You have to take apart the body pack and important tip, remove the battery cap before, else it will spring off. There is a switch inside the pack to program the push button on the outside of the pack. I don't understand why they designed it that way, kind of clunky approach, but here we are. Despite that, once I molded it to my head, it stayed pretty snug as a drummer and vocalist.

Pros:
Outstanding mic for voice fidelity; the mic itself is five stars.

Cons:
The headset is robust and requires patience to get a good fit. You are bending/shaping flexible metal. (Think tweaking prescription eyeglasses, only this is sturdy stuff.) Even formed for best possible fit, not sure how someone who moves around a lot would solve mic bouncing up & down. To avoid bounce, might need padding at back of head for more secure fit. Was able to do work-around, but you'd think the designers would've realized one size doesn't fit all.

Possible HS Workaround:

Took HS to local tailor/seamstress and asked if she could make a removable foam & vinyl cover for the back. Once she understood what was needed, she could probably sell them on the net! Snug fit, no bounce, but not so tight that it's uncomfortable. Why didn't the designers think of this?

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Summary:

Microphone: five stars. -- Worth the investment for fidelity & range of uses.

Headset: three stars -- "one size fits all" design can result in mic bouncing up & down. Some users may need to make padding in back or make some sort of counterweight.

Hi. I'm aPro Bassist/Vocalist.
I've been using my CM since "95/96" sometime...
I LOVE IT!!! I haven't used anything remotely close to its performance. I use it with my Shute Systems.
I even stepped on mine at a Gig, where I'd taken it off, laid it on my Amp... It had rattled off, and CRUNCH!!! I sent it to Crown, they fixed it IMMEDIATELY!!!
I plan to buy Another one to use at my Church as well. I HIGHLY SUGGEST IT for people who don't have room for a Stand, or just want to be comfortable close to their mouthpiece...

Excellent Headset Mic!
The clarity is absolutely brilliant. Fits snug and does not shift.

Only 1 complaint (will not affect the cast majority of users) - The headset apparatus uses a square pad that fits just behind the ear. The placement of this pad prevents headphones from fitting properly over the ear.

I do not like in ear monitoring so I've always used a old school (studio) headphones. I s'pose I need to enter the 21st century (kicking and screaming) and try a high quality in-ear system.

Good sound quality, temporary off push button is a great feature.

At first I was looking for a wireless headset for when I'm drumming/singing, then I thought, why wireless? Get hardwired, one less thing to worry about when trying to set up my drums onstage in 15 minutes.... Watched vid, read reviews on this headset mic.... Most talked about how its the perfect mic for drummers, minimal bleed, you can crank the PA volume without the mic feeding back. Both are true. Design wise? It's pretty good, but if you're one of those drummers who bangs his head and flails about while playing, you're definitely gonna have to tone the act down. When fitting the headset to your noggin, the manual instructs you to have the mic fit tightly up against your lips, to minimize the bouncing of the mic. Not a problem, but I can see the pop filter wearing out pretty quickly. So I put it up to my lips, than backed it off just a hair, and left it at that. Not much movement, all good.... I like the mic on/off push button, very convenient for when you're having to take a drink, clear your throught, yell atl your bandmates.... I'm only giving it 4 stars because the provided site to register my product doesn't exist, and the provided phone number to order extra pop filters doesn't exist. Lame....

PROS: This mike will totally enhance your vocals. As a singer/songwriter my lyrics are particularly intricate and it's essential that people understand them. I used a Sure for a while till I discovered this mike, big difference. CONS: I worry about breaking the small wire from the mike to the box, but so far so good. Also, the headgear doesn't match the high quality of the mike. I had to experiment and now have a counterweight taped to the back to keep it in place and placement of this mike makes a lot of difference. CONCLUSION: It's a great mike but you will probably need to customize the headgear.

Whilst having problems finding a suitable head worn mic suitable for a singing drummer, Joe Millne dug this up for me. While this mic does not completely reject bleed from the drums, this does an admirable job in a hard-wired format. It is EXPENSIVE, yes!!! But if you want the convenience of a good head worn microphone, this is the best of the bunch.

The one negative (besides the price) is the pop screen. It pops off of the mic with too much ease. While the instructions tell you to put it straight to your lips for optimal noise rejection, it also serves as the distance reference from the lips to the capsule. When you get one of these, there's a good chance you may have one of the old windscreens. Call Frank (of AKG, who handles parts for this microphone) at 818-920-3279 to order replacements. You will need extra pop screens, anyway (as per the instructions).

Some may not like the battery/control pack. It's fine for me. I do like the programmable switch. Default setting is for a "cough button", but I have mine set up as an on/off switch. This is handy for the songs I do not sing any backing vocals on, minimising the potential of bleed over.

This microphone has great gain and needs no EQ'ing. It is heads and shoulders above the Audio Technica Hex80 head worn microphone it replaced, but this Crown costs nearly 4x as much. Forget the AT model I've mentioned- it bleeds way too much and sounds nasally. No wired head worn mic even comes close to this one. If you want to save money, then get used to a mic stand and use a Heil PR20 rather than messing about with any of the other head worns out there. Yes, it takes spending THIS much to get a quality head worn microphone.

The price and the pop screen are what prevents this from getting 5 stars.

I am a singer/keyboard player, and use this headset microphone for very small venue live solo sessions. The microphone is excellent in terms of clarity and live application (five stars). The headset is poorly made (2 stars) and broke almost immediately upon purchase.

Man ! Glad Im 53, and approach with caution now, and not 23 or 33 or I woulda tore this thing up in the first 5 min..LOL..SHEESH! Its a great mic and sounds killer but I see what everyone is talkin about in the many other POOR reviews regarding its construction and design. Its like puttin a 20K diamond on a cracker jack ring..LOL..Handle this thing like your handling NG in the 1860s.LOL Its taking a while to get the fit right. Be VERY careful bending the head and ear wire. The set screw for the boom has to be very tight in order to totally stay in place. Hope it lasts... IDK Gang?Im gonna look at like just the mic is worth 400$

The Crown CM-311A microphone is the best sounding mic I have ever used. I've been using a shure 58 Beta for years, but this Crown CM-311 blew it away. Everyone in the band was shocked by the sound of it.
The reason I gave it a 2.5 rating is because of the Crown Factory. Although Sweetwater is great, I will never buy anything from Crown again. Taking it out of the case, the boom wire broke off of the head piece. It was the worse piece of welding I've ever seen. ...I finally located a heli arch welder that could repair it. Then I tried to order a spare pop filter that Crown recommends… My Sweetwater rep said he could order one for me... For a little piece of foam, that should have been included with the mic! I'll stick with Sweetwater, but I'm done with Crown.

i purchased this , was told great for singing drummers, number 1 , way over priced 2>very cumbersome to the head, 3> UNCOMFORATABLE, , altho i fitted to head that was recommended, kept on falling off, i would not reccomend this item for drummers,, i dont even know how a singer could use this,, this was a honest and true review,.