Forward-looking and technologically minded, the dance scene favours transparent technology and worships ease of movement. Natural then, that radio mic manufacturers should favour space age headset designs. Roger Brown tries Audio Technica's ATW0321H on for size.

Once upon a time there was rock music, and a very testosteronic business it was too. More phallic even than the axes and saxes, microphones came in for the worst abuse. In constant contact with lead singers' mouths and hands, most of them could look forward to an intimate knowledge of the human anatomy.

For today's more politically correct generation, weaned on Star Trek, in love with Madonna (or should that be the other way around?) a headset radio mike is a better way to get into the groove. Captain Kirk impressions are in vogue, proving that the male sign of Pisces is in decline and the female age of Aquarius about to dawn. Full speed ahead, Mr Sulu!

Overview

The ATW-0321H may have a user-unfriendly 80s moniker, but in use it's as easy and transparent as anyone on the bridge of the Enterprise could wish for. Resembling a small box of Black Magic, the receiver uses an external power supply, and connects to your mixer/PA via a 1/4" jack. Adjust the smallish, protruding volume control on the front, and you're ready to start vocalising as you roam the room. Well, not quite. The headset has to be attached to its transmitter unit via a 4 pin mini-DIN jack, and a 9V battery placed in the T21 before your dulcet tones can be heard. But once you've done that, that's it. There is a squelch control on the rear of the R03 (the receiving end of things), but that comes ready-calibrated for operation, and should only need to be adjusted if you suffer extremely high VHF signals in your area or live next door to the local electricity generator.

Squelch is as squelch does, and this intriguingly-named function actually describes itself very well. Basically, squelch adjusts the sensitivity of the receiver to the frequency at which the unit is set. Too high, and your signal won't get through, too low and surrounding frequencies will make unscheduled appearances on your level meters.

An RF Peak LED on the front of the R03 is provided, to give an indication of this unwanted sonic intrusion. If you should find this happening to you, the squelch control is adjusted by a small screwdriver-driven trimpot at the rear of the receiver. In use, I found no need to adjust this setting. Wandering around near TV sets and aerials did nothing to disturb the input signal, despite using the setup with the receiver snuggled up to one of those ghastly external PSUs.

In use

The headset is a decidedly sexy affair, and easily the most comfortable I've tried. Its round cushioned pads grip your temples without undue discomfort. The mic itself protrudes on the left on a bendy stalk, and should be positioned to the left of your mouth at an optimum distance of about 2 centimetres. Adjustment is easy, with the gooseneck allowing you to easily adjust the mic's position.

Once you've done this, it's easy to forget the headset is even there. I wore it for several hours doing some recording over the New Year break with no sign of discomfort. The position of the microphone is conducive to receiving a clear vocal signal with no popping, as well as being most unobtrusive. Being just on the edge of your sight range enables you to forget its presence, and concentrate on getting those vocal timbres right.

The transmitting end of the microphone, the T21, is about the size of a cassette and comes with a convenient metal clip for attachment to your belt. A switch on the base of the unit sets the T21 to either Off, On or Standby mode, saving those precious batteries. About fifteen hours of use is promised from one 9V alkaline battery, so this switch is most welcome.

With the unit clipped to your belt it is an easy matter to reach under and turn the transmitter off. My only gripe here is the position of the power indication LED. It's at the bottom of the unit, hidden from your eyes once you're wearing it and would have been much more usefully located at the top. This mars what is otherwise a very well thought out design.

A small rubber aerial hangs from the T21 to send your signal on to the receiver and, although it hung down to my knees, never seemed to get in the way. For the non-belt wearing amongst us, a plastic velcro-fastening pouch is thoughtfully provided, but it's a singularly unstylish appendage affair and is liable to languish in most people's bottom drawer.

Verdict

The sonic capabilities of the ATW0321H are up to Audio Technica's best standards, with a clear, strong signal present at all times, and little or no colouring of the input signal. A frequency range of 100Hz to 15kHz is nicely set to capture all but the lowest of growls, while still handling soprano warblings with equal ease. A supplied 1/4 jack to 4 pin mini DIN even lets you use the set-up to plug in your guitar and wander the stage with gay abandon, so maybe this doesn't spell the end of all that phallocentricity after all.

The operating range is not detailed on the four pages of the ATW's decidedly sparse manual, but an RF power output of 30mW indicates something in the 100 metres range, more than enough for any thing this side of Wembley stadium. The signal was stable in use, and presented no difficulties while in use with a variety of electronic gear, all humming away at their own frequencies. I used it to record my vocals for this month's sequencing tutorial, a one-man recording affair, and I certainly appreciated the total hands-free operation capability the ATWO32IH provided.

In wireless systems more than any other piece of gear, you get what you pay for. At this price the Audio Technica isn't pretending to be a top flight wireless system, but it comes damn close, and once we're into the megabucks then the tour operator will look after it, alright? In the meantime this little baby will do very nicely, thank you very much.