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the microphone company
KML - The Lavalier Microphone
By the early 1960’s, the age of made-for-TV stage produc-
tions was in full swing. Musicals and quiz shows placed new
and completely different demmands on broadcast technol-
ogy. Neumann rose to meet those demmands in 1966 by
developing the KML condenser Lavalier microphone. This
new mic was especially designed for recording conditions
involving two or more non-stationary voices – particularly
the kinds of “interview” situations encountered by emcees,
reporters and game show hosts.
The microphone features
a capsule with a cardioid
pattern largely similar to
that of the KM 64. When
attached to clothing, it
does not point upwards but
rather straight ahead, the
wearer’s voice thus strikes
the membrane at less than
a 90 degree angle. When
addressed from this angle,
the microphone’s re-
sponds with a 6 dB reduc-
tion in its transfer constant.
However, it has the same
frequency response as
when addressed from the
front, therefore reducing distortions due to differing angles
of incedence to an absolute minimum.
Provided they maintain a constant distance to each other,
the person wearing the KML and the other parties in the
conversation are recorded at equal levels and without col-
oration. The forward-pointing capsule also gives the speak-
er a more natural sound, minimizing the usual need for heavy
equalization so common for lavalier microphones of the
time. Mounting this microphone is simple: it can be worn
on a strap around the neck or attached directly to the cloth-
ing with a clip.
The KML is equipped with a field-effect transistor (FET)
and can be powered directly with a wireless body pack or
pocket transmitter. One model commonly used at the time
was the Sennheiser SK 1007. Battery-powered cable oper-
ation is also a standard powering method.
For those interested in the origin of the term “Lavalier”:
Louise Francoise de Lavalliere, Ludwig the XIV’s lover, was
known to wear a decorative scarf loosely around her neck.
This type of scarf became fashionable in the second half of
the 19th Century as an “artist’s scarf”.