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Wireless Mics

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:29 pm
by doncolga
Hey all,

I have the Shure Performance Gear wireless mic and lav. It's shaky...I've had it cut out on pastors in the middle of wedding ceremonies, but it usually gets by OK. Any suggestions on an upgrade? I was considering the Audio Technica System 10...

Thanks!

Donny

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:05 pm
by byacey
Look towards Sennheiser...

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:23 pm
by Gauss
Working sound at church, one guy did some research on why our expensive wireless units were dropping out, and he said we need to move them away from our power strips. Try moving your receiver farther from your rig. What have you got to lose?

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:41 pm
by netwerks
sennheiser g3 rock solid. Look on ebay.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:55 am
by Doug Hart
I have used several of the PG series mics without any trouble. Don't care much for the sound of them tho.

We are in the process of replacing all of our mics with the Line6 V75's
We have 5 so far (4 handhelds and one lav) and we love them.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 5:55 am
by AntonZ
Does anyone have experience with the AKG WMS 40 wireless mics? Our kids' school has limited budget and is looking to upgrade their old, cheap and most of all crappy wireless mics.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 6:53 am
by doncolga
Gauss wrote:Working sound at church, one guy did some research on why our expensive wireless units were dropping out, and he said we need to move them away from our power strips. Try moving your receiver farther from your rig. What have you got to lose?
I'll try this first. I've actually got it in the rack, but it's attached to the shelf with some velcro so I pull it out when I need to. The times I had dropouts it was in the rack, when no dropouts it was just on top, so I'll make a point to move it as far away as practical.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:46 am
by byacey
Years ago a client was complaining about drop outs on his junky wireless system. I recommended :idea: he plug the receiver into a long XLR cable and a long AC extension, and carry the RF handheld mic in one hand, and the receiver in the other as he moves around. He wasn't amused.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:51 am
by byacey
The best thing to do is place the receivers near the stage, well away from any metal objects. Any nearby metal reflects the RF energy and creates null points due to phase cancellation, just like speakers. This is the prime cause of dropouts, even with diversity units.

Keep in mind many walls have tin studs, another source of multipath reflections.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:26 pm
by BrentEvans
doncolga wrote: I have the Shure Performance Gear wireless mic and lav. It's shaky...I've had it cut out on pastors in the middle of wedding ceremonies, but it usually gets by OK. Any suggestions on an upgrade? I was considering the Audio Technica System 10...
System 10 is 2.4ghz, so you're susceptible to interference from all kinds of things (wifi on everyone's cell phone is a big one). That line is marketed to people who don't know any better.

Shure PG is a 10mw transmitter, and with poor frequency agility and internal antennas you will have problems in many areas. With 10mw units, you simply must put the receivers on stage, as the "reliable" range is 25-50 ft.

Don't spend any money to upgrade unless you go to 30mw transmitters, like the Sennheiser EW100 series (rebates are available on these until the end of May). Call Cal at Full Compass (x1119) and tell him I told you to call.. you'll get a great price plus the rebate on top of that. The unit you want is the EW110G3LE (if you can still find it) or the EW112. These are 30mw all metal units with the ME2 lav capsule rather than the more common ME4 (which sounds horrible). For a little less money than the EW112 you can get the Audio Technica ATW3131BC, which is a great 30mw unit too, with a few less features than the EW112. It has the AT 831 capsule which sounds great, and the bodypack is the sturdiest plastic I've ever worked with. If you're stuck on Shure, you have to go to at least the SLX before you get 30mw, and the bodypacks are much flimsier than the AT or Sennheiser.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 5:52 pm
by doncolga
I may consider a snake instead and put the receiver on the wedding ceremony end of it for the time being, as I don't have a snake anyway and could use one. I need to be able to have multiple mics and the lapel for vocalists, readers and the pastor (the only one who really needs the wireless).

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:18 pm
by doncolga
Well how timely did this turn out to be...

Tonight I'm doing a class of 1963 reunion and they're doing LOTS of speaking...on the wireless handheld mic that's part of this little Shure PG rig. Receiver is away from the rack and so far it's been really good. Room is about 30X60 feet with about 100 guests. Woohoo! Sure glad I had it here. The house system was not usable.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:25 pm
by BrentEvans
doncolga wrote: Room is about 30X60 feet with about 100 guests.
That's about what the PG line was designed for. Line of sight helps a lot.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:39 pm
by doncolga
BrentEvans wrote:
doncolga wrote: Room is about 30X60 feet with about 100 guests.
That's about what the PG line was designed for. Line of sight helps a lot.
Copy that...that's what I've had for the most part in here.

Re: Wireless Mics

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 8:18 pm
by doncolga
Hey Brent,

I just pulled the trigger on the Audio Technica ATW3131BC. I've got numerous wedding ceremonies coming up and need an upgrade. Should I be able to get a handheld mic by itself to go along with this receiver?

EDIT: Just found a matching handheld transmitter. May be adding this soon.

Thanks!

Donny