Wireless Microphones

[BigRedX]

The time has come for Mr Venom to go wireless.

I've been very impressed with my Sony DWZ-B30GB wireless system for my bass so I've been looking at the Sony wireless microphone system - [url=http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/product/broadcast-products-dwz-series-digital-wireless-packages/dwz-m50/overview/]DWZ-M50[/url].

Obviously the wireless part of it should be just as good and reliable as the guitar version, but what is the microphone part like? Are there any other models in a similar price range that we should be looking at?

One thing to bear in mind when making recommendations is that Mr Venom is a very energetic stage performer. On average he goes through a microphone stand every 2-3 gigs. He's also managed to trash his Shure Super 55 microphone requiring 2 complete rebuilds in 4 years. Therefore the microphone needs to be robust and foolproof. It should also be near impossible to turn it off accidentally mid-performance.

So what should I be looking at?

[fretmeister]

Would it be safer for him to get a universal wireless that plugs into any mic?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1431077274' post='2767512']
Would it be safer for him to get a universal wireless that plugs into any mic?
[/quote]

I looked into this for his Shure Super 55 microphone a while back, but I couldn't find any that would fit it when it was on the stand. It would be a useful option, but TBH anything that adds an extra part that isn't permanently fixed to his microphone simply won't be reliable enough for stage use. At some point it will become detached and disappear into the audience never to be seen again.

[fretmeister]

Get him a headset rig and throw in a couple of 5 Star tunes!

Joking aside, I use a headset rig when I perform magic as I really need both hands for that job!

But on one occasion I did pick up the wrong mic case and ended up having to use a headset on a rock gig. I was mocked. And rightly so!

[EBS_freak]

Sony is great at the price, the only other digital mic I would recommend without going into silly money is the Sennheiser D1 - but you'd be able to get 2 Sonys for the price of that.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1431089437' post='2767702']
Sony is great at the price, the only other digital mic I would recommend without going into silly money is the Sennheiser D1 - but you'd be able to get 2 Sonys for the price of that.
[/quote]

Thanks!

So the mic as well as the wireless part is good? Time to break out the CC again...

[0175westwood29]

my singer has the line 6 wireless mic, never let us down and sounds good

andy

[BigRedX]

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1431384543' post='2770836']
my singer has the line 6 wireless mic, never let us down and sounds good

andy
[/quote]

Thanks for the recommendation. There's currently 3 different Line 6 wireless mics - you don't happen to know which one your singer has?

[Huge Hands]

I would point out that your Sony mics appear to be using the wifi spectrum - might not be so good if you're doing a lot of corporate gigs or near internet cafes with big wifi hotspots....

My only other comment would be that when I used to be in the game about 10 years ago, I always found Sony radio mics seemed more designed for corporate and light theatre work - they wouldn't hold up in a violent environment like you've suggested. Of course things may well have moved on since then, but might be worth trying to get a trial unit if you can before you splash the cash?

[EBS_freak]

This wifi talk is true but given that bigredx has been using his Sony unit at gigs without problems, it stands to reason that the mic will be similarly without problem.

Conversely, the Sony build is better built than mics in the competing pricerange.

I think that the stories of wifi interference within hotels etc are greatly exaggerated. Over 500 gigs in hotels and function venues in the last 3 years alone - I've only had problems once - in a TV studio that was running 8 wifi access points and over 50 channels of wireless. RF tastic!

Edited May 12, 2015 by EBS_freak

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1431379072' post='2770785']


Thanks!

So the mic as well as the wireless part is good? Time to break out the CC again...
[/quote]

Yes. It's a comparable to your standard dynamic mic you'd get. It's no Heil PR35 capsule but then again, most wireless mic capsules aren't.

[tauzero]

Mrs Zero uses the Line 6 XD-V35. We have had the occasional failure to communicate but as the quick and dirty solution to that is to grab a wired mic and continue with that, we've never done any proper experimenting to find out whether simply changing channel would sort it out.

[BigRedX]

We're a psychobilly punk band so we don't do a lot of corporate gigs...

AFAICS the Sony mic uses the same wireless technology as their wireless guitar system which I'm currently using in my bass rig. The transmitter pack is a good deal more robust than any of the prosumer units by Shure and Line 6 that I've previously seen and or used.

In over a year of gigging (and we play on average once a week) I've had one problem with my system where the transmitter mysteriously changed channels mid-way through a gig. Other than than it has been faultless and reliable.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1431425154' post='2771080']
I think that the stories of wifi interference within hotels etc are greatly exaggerated. Over 500 gigs in hotels and function venues in the last 3 years alone - I've only had problems once - in a TV studio that was running 8 wifi access points and over 50 channels of wireless. RF tastic!
[/quote]

I thought I'd mention it as the corporate building I work in London uses the 2.4Ghz spectrum for all of it's staff in the builidng as they all use laptops and they've tried to phase out a lot of wired connections (as have their neighbours). If you run a frequency scan in this building, you will see the 2.4GHz spectrum is massively congested.

Hotels are probably only using one or two repeaters to deal with about 200 guests, whereas we have 4,500 working in this building! They do occasionally do corporate events with bands here in the auditorium though!

EDIT: BigRedX, we've both been on here long enough for me to guess your band probably isn't that corporate, but I didn't want to assume

Edited May 12, 2015 by Huge Hands

[EBS_freak]

Agreed - routers should be configured on channels 1, 6 or 11 as they are the only channels that have no overlap frequency wise. Ideally you should be avoiding any frequency crossover by choosing a free channel but assuming your transmitter and receiver in close proximity, your signal power between the two devices *should* be more powerful than the ambient RF so your connection will hold over the other RF. Yes, the risk is there but in my experience, it's not really a problem. I've run ch38, 70 and 2.4ghz channels concurrently for years and 38 has never failed me, 70 has the odd issue (mostly due to venue microphones so a little co-ordination with yourself and the venue is required) and 2.4Ghz once as described at the TV studio.

As an aside, high end wireless units also use encryption not only to safeguard the transmission payload, but the presence of an encryption key on the transmission ensures any rogue RF is rejected by the receiver (as the keys won't match). Of course, these units tend to be on Ch38 or other regulated channels though.

Edited May 12, 2015 by EBS_freak

[EBS_freak]

Going a little OT but in short, I can't see 2.4 causing you any problem... And given the fact that people are generally shifting to the 5ghz spectrum to utilise the high speed advantages that offers, I suspect the problem is, let's say, not going to get worse than it already is.