sensitivity of these two microphones

Assuming Sony have used the same reference level for specifying each one, then they differ by only one deciBel.
That will be entirely unnoticed by most casual listeners and will be well within the range of adjustment available on any sound mixing or recording device you're likely to use them with.
 
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Thank you, so the headset mic and the lav mic would have about the same sensitivity?

I am trying to figure out why the headset mic would cancel the sound better then the lav mic.
The lav mic will pick up a vent motor in a quiet room but the headset mic seems to cancel out speaker noise coming back at it...why is that?
 
Yes, they're virtually identical in sensitivity.
The main reason for the difference you notice is because the mic element of the headset is so much closer to the mouth of the person speaking. That means you get a much higher ratio of direct signal vs background noise.
 
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Ronald Czarnecki said:
Thank you, so the headset mic and the lav mic would have about the same sensitivity?

I am trying to figure out why the headset mic would cancel the sound better then the lav mic.
The lav mic will pick up a vent motor in a quiet room but the headset mic seems to cancel out speaker noise coming back at it...why is that?
Click to expand...
Google: inverse square law. Then look at the distance between the ear set mic and the mouth, and a lav mic and the mouth.
 
In case you don't feel like googling, the Inverse Square Law basically means that sound gets quieter by 6dB every time we double the distance form the source to the mic.

So let's put some numbers to the headset vs lav comparison.

We'll assume that we can get the tip of the headset mic to about 2cm from the mouth.
A typical lav placement on a lapel etc might have the element approx 20 cm away from the mouth - that's 10x further away or 3.16 doublings of distance.
That translates to ~20dB less useful signal from the lav, all else being equal.
If we boost that signal by 20dB at the mixer/recorder to get back to the same level we get from the headset, then we're also boosting any background noise by the same 20dB.
 
We can certainly use the inverse square law to describe what happens but realistically, the key feature is gain before feedback. The sensitivity is pretty irrelevant when it comes to radio systems as they're designed to cope with an untrained quiet voice with no power or an opera singer, capable of shattering a glass! A clip on mic is simply too far away from the source (the mouth), so while of course the Inverse Square Law applies, gain will simply be dictated by distance. A good stage side A2 will detect changes in the sound and be able to fix them. Maybe the talent knocked the headset when sticking a wig on, or putting a costume over - that sound checked and tweaked mic position just behind the corner of the lips, out of the breath air stream needs to be maintained - a movement toward the ear by as small a distance as an inch can lower the level significantly, requiring a fader prod, which could go over the stable feedback point, or just run out of level in a loud show. Have a look here for some comments about mounting mics on performers.
 
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