Smooth Hound Innovations Digital Wireless Guitar System

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1438337997' post='2833649']
Chris - can I specify an delivery date on the site? Away until Friday next week and would like to put an order in before I go.
[/quote]
Iain,
No problem. Just email using the 'Contact Us' button so we know which order to hold.
Chris

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1438341679' post='2833695']
site showed 1 in stock..
[/quote]
That was out of date. We have a few more completed sets available and will start building a new batch next week.

[Muppet]

Dood this is all your fault!

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1438343465' post='2833716']
Dood this is all your fault!
[/quote]
This is true!

I just need to find Le Dood sur Bass, Der Dood an den Bass, El Dood ... oh, and Dood on Lead would be good too!

[Iain]

[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1438343194' post='2833712']
Iain,
No problem. Just email using the 'Contact Us' button so we know which order to hold.
Chris
[/quote]

Done, thanks!

[Oopsdabassist]

[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1438343051' post='2833710']
Got your order. It'll ship today.
[/quote]

Top man..and epic fast response..cheers Chris

[Oopsdabassist]

Delivered before midday today, and works a treat, very happy. Its so much less bulky than my old Sennheiser gear. I've put some adhesive velcro on the receiver and on the top of my Reidmar, its not going walkies either!

[planer]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1438442112' post='2834566']
Delivered before midday today, and works a treat, very happy.[/quote]

Crikey that's speedy service! Mine is going to my works address; I asked Chris to delay posting so it wouldn't arrive over the weekend.

[mr zed]

These look great - if I didn't already have a Stageclix I'd be seriously considering one of these.

[ead]

Just ordered a wee beastie.

[ead]

...and will be delivered tomorrow. Exceptional.

[Ant]

right gig report:

i had originally tried to use my smoothhound live at Truck festival a few weeks back, but i was jumping around too much and i un plugged mysef from the bodypack (my own fault, hadnt secured a proper way to keep it on the strap)

so i gave it the first proper run at YNOT festival on the friday just gone, but was then ALSO unable to use it because when i tried i was getting some really really loud interference/electrical noise (like an "eeeeeeeeeee") so had to revert to cable,

i wasnt getting this noise at ANY practices or any times when playing on my own, so im going to try with a few different power supply configurations and see if i can re create it.


everything else has been amazing, the display is clear to read even when mouted to your pedalboard and the range was ace, ridiculous value.

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='Ant' timestamp='1438759288' post='2836890']
so i gave it the first proper run at YNOT festival on the friday just gone, but was then ALSO unable to use it because when i tried i was getting some really really loud interference/electrical noise (like an "eeeeeeeeeee") so had to revert to cable,

i wasnt getting this noise at ANY practices or any times when playing on my own, so im going to try with a few different power supply configurations and see if i can re create it.
[/quote]

That's frustrating, Ant!

The only thing that I know that can cause the sort of noise you desribe is low supply voltage to the receiver. I think you're right to look at your power supply configuration.
I've heard something that sounds like the same thing when powering the receiver from a flat PP3 battery. I'll make a recording to see if we can confirm.

[SmoothHoundChris]

Here's a short video that shows the buzz that you'll hear if the receiver isn't getting enough volts.
[url="https://youtu.be/mO4uA8C5Kus"]Classic Wireless Receiver Alternative Power Supply Requirement[/url]

[Dood]

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1438343465' post='2833716']
Dood this is all your fault!
[/quote]
[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1438344042' post='2833723']
This is true!

I just need to find Le Dood sur Bass, Der Dood an den Bass, El Dood ... oh, and Dood on Lead would be good too!
[/quote]


I can only apologise, with a big smile

Let me see what I can do Chris - most of my band mates are on the other side of the waters! (I do play lots of guitar too)

[Ant]

[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1438766735' post='2836974']
Here's a short video that shows the buzz that you'll hear if the receiver isn't getting enough volts.
[url="https://youtu.be/mO4uA8C5Kus"]Classic Wireless Receiver Alternative Power Supply Requirement[/url]
[/quote]

thats exactly the noise chris! ive got all of tomorrow evening to sort it out, i just wonder why my setup failed me only on that festival stage

[fretmeister]

This seems to be the best place to ask a techie question...

I see that 1 wireless maker is now using 5.8Ghz rather than the more common 2.4.

While I realise that 5.8 is not as congested as 2.4, is that really an issue? I have seen some wifi computer users complain that new 5.8Ghz routers are not as good at getting the signal through walls (not really an issue on a stage)

Are there any advantages? Or is it really just a firm looking for a unique selling point?

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1438769793' post='2837020']
This seems to be the best place to ask a techie question...

I see that 1 wireless maker is now using 5.8Ghz rather than the more common 2.4.

While I realise that 5.8 is not as congested as 2.4, is that really an issue? I have seen some wifi computer users complain that new 5.8Ghz routers are not as good at getting the signal through walls (not really an issue on a stage)

Are there any advantages? Or is it really just a firm looking for a unique selling point?
[/quote]

EBS Freak answered alot of this pretty well earlier in the thread but I'm happy to offer my thoughts ... as a developer of a 2.4GHz solution of course!

5GHz is less congested than 2.4GHz right now. This will change over time but how quickly is difficult to say. The unlicensed part of the 5GHz spectrum is significantly wider than the 2.4GHz band (455MHz vs 79MHz) but it's being filled with wider bandwidth channels for higher throughput so ...

How congested is 2.4GHz? A Wi-Fi router takes up 22MHz of the 79MHz available. That's normally the biggest user. Note that it doesn't matter how many PCs, laptops, tablets, phones, games consoles you connect to that router, they're all talking over the same 22MHz channel. You can probably see more than one WiFi router but as they get further away their signal strength drops so will be less of a problem. You may be one of the people who managed to get Bluetooth working usefully. A streaming Bluetooth connection takes up one 1MHz channel at a time so is not a big problem. Wireless door bells, mice and burglar alarms use a small amount of bandwidth on an infrequent basis so aren't really much of a problem.

Is congestion at 2.4GHz a problem? That depends on how you use the available space. If you design a system that sits stubbornly on one or two channels (from the 79 available) then a competing wireless system or Wi-Fi router is going to block communication at some point. The Smooth Hound Classic selects which channels to use depending on the amount of competing traffic it sees. It uses four from the available 79 to transmit data and continually tests four more as back up. When doing battery tests earlier this year, we had ten Classic systems running in our house and the WiFi still worked fine.

Assuming that the reduced free space range and absorption problems of a 5GHz system have been compensated by increasing output power then the lower congestion is a positive point compared to a 2.4GHz set but I don't think it's a big enough one to justify the reduced battery life and cost.

[planer]

It arrived,



and it's dead nice. I like the 'rabbit-ears'



I received a pair of quality batteries for the transmitter and the polarity reverse cable should I wish to power the receiver from a pedal board psu. Nice touches Chris. Also in the box were Euro spec (round pins) and US spec (flat pins) connectors for the mains adapter, and an instruction booklet.

Set-up process was thus: Stick batteries into transmitter, plug into bass. Connect receiver to amp, switch both units on. After a few seconds the two units pair up automatically and you're good to make some racket. It really couldn't have been simpler.





The 'charge' indicators show the battery level in the transmitter, which is a handy feature. Green 'signal' LEDs are for received signal strength; red ones show local noise / interference levels.



The hinge assembly on the transmitter is solidly-built and the receiver casing is extruded ally and looks similarly well made. There is a pic somewhere of Chris standing on a receiver and, although it would take it, I'm not about to stand on mine! If I have one [i]slight[/i] criticism of the build, it's that the battery cover on the transmitter may prove to be a little flimsy, but once fitted it is secure.

And the sound? It sounds like my bass. I can't say fairer than that - I can't hear any difference in sound and there is (to my ear at least) no discernible lag. Sadly I found that the 'PRO' button didn't make me play any better.

I am a happy bunny, Chris at Smooth Hound is easy to deal with and quick with his communications. Delivery was fast and, being by Royal Mail Special Delivery, insured in case the worst happened in transit.

So far, so good

More photos here >> [url="http://s4.photobucket.com/user/400abc/library/Smooth%20Hound%20Wireless"]http://s4.photobucke...ound%20Wireless[/url] - I figured this post was long enough already!

Edited August 5, 2015 by planer

[Iain]

[quote name='planer' timestamp='1438787501' post='2837327']Sadly I found that the 'PRO' button didn't make me play any better.[/quote]

I've just got mine (thanks Chris) and I've noted this too.


[quote name='planer' timestamp='1438787501' post='2837327']
I am a happy bunny, Chris at Smooth Hound is easy to deal with and quick with his communications. Delivery was fast and, being by Royal Mail Special Delivery, insured in case the worst happened in transit. So far, so good [/quote]

Well put. Nice to be able to support British innovation too.

I'll need to make up an extension cable though as it isn't possible for the tape to keep it on place on my Dingwall or jazz but that's no biggie. Maybe an idea to put these as orderable accessories if there's some profit in them?

[ead]

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1438950326' post='2838915']
I'll need to make up an extension cable though as it isn't possible for the tape to keep it on place on my Dingwall or jazz but that's no biggie. Maybe an idea to put these as orderable accessories if there's some profit in them?
[/quote]

Me too, not quite falling in the right place for my ACG basses. A great little unit though, and Chris is really easy to deal with and answers questions straight away. All good.

[SmoothHoundChris]

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1438950326' post='2838915']
Well put. Nice to be able to support British innovation too.
[/quote]


[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1438950326' post='2838915']
I'll need to make up an extension cable though as it isn't possible for the tape to keep it on place on my Dingwall or jazz but that's no biggie. Maybe an idea to put these as orderable accessories if there's some profit in them?
[/quote]
The Neutrik Rean NYS236 plus a short patch lead is the best solution. The end of that adapter fits beautifully and lets the transmitter jack close completely flush. If I could find an inline jack socket that fitted as well as that does then a made up patch cable might be viable but I've had no luck so far.

The NYS236 is available from a few sellers on ebay or we can send you one for £4.00 inc. P&P. Just make a paypal payment to [email protected] and I'll get one in the post.

[pete.young]

My NYS236 came from AudioSpares, £2.65 including postage.

The trick of putting it through the strap loop didn't work for me - the strap needs to touch the top of the buckle or it just releases the strap to it's longest length.

Instead, I put the transmitter on one side of the strap, the socket on the other, and put a small cable tie around them both to grip the strap.

[Iain]

[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1438963715' post='2839054']
The Neutrik Rean NYS236 plus a short patch lead is the best solution. The end of that adapter fits beautifully and lets the transmitter jack close completely flush. If I could find an inline jack socket that fitted as well as that does then a made up patch cable might be viable but I've had no luck so far.

The NYS236 is available from a few sellers on ebay or we can send you one for £4.00 inc. P&P. Just make a paypal payment to [email protected] and I'll get one in the post.
[/quote]

Thanks Chris - good point about the fitting the 236 does seem pretty slim.

Sounds like a top idea!

[Happy Jack]

Deliberately ran my transmitter dry at Saturday's gig. I'd had a single bar on the r/h side of the display for a couple of hours, and I wanted to know what happened when the batteries finally died.

I could have done this at a rehearsal, of course, but where's the fun in that?

Penultimate song of the second set (the Admiral Nelson in Whitton is a 3-setter finishing at midnight) and I was singing the second verse of Jumping Jack Flash when the sound of my bass started farting and cutting out. I kept going for a few bars in case it came back (temporarily) but it simply got worse.

I'd already laid out a cable beforehand, ready for when it happened, so I dropped out for two bars - still singing - while unplugging the wireless and going cabled.

In truth, it wasn't much of a mystery that needed solving but I've had battery-powered units go dry in several different ways and I always like to know what happens.