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Smooth Hound Innovations Digital Wireless Guitar System


Dood

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[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1436017132' post='2814361']
No I won't.

Managed to break a toe in my right foot last night, so my gigs tonight and tomorrow lunchtime will have to be uber-stripped-down, relying on the rest of the band (supervised by Bluejay of course!) to do the roady duties.

I'll be taking the bare minimum amount of kit, and sitting down right next to my rig, so using wireless will be a bit pointless. :rolleyes:
[/quote]

Condolences offered. Hope it heals quickly with no complications.

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[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1435869513' post='2813281']
Hi Ant,
Typical current draw for the receiver is 150-160mA. The system might well work fine on your 150mA supply.
Worst case is around 200mA. The difference is mainly caused by the indicator LEDs - if you have full battery on the transmitter, full signal strength but also very high interference, you would reach this current draw but it should be a pretty unusual situation.

If you buy a system and don't like it for any reason, we've got a seven day no quibble return policy where we'll give you a complete refund including return postage.
[/quote]

thanks chris!

one other question, does the unit need isolated power? or can it be run off a daisy chain

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[quote name='Ant' timestamp='1436096788' post='2814868']
one other question, does the unit need isolated power? or can it be run off a daisy chain
[/quote]
[s]No need for isolated power. Daisy chain will be fine but note that you'll need a polarity reverser to supply the centre positive receiver.[/s]

[s]I've got some polarity reversing cables arriving on Tuesday and we'll be shipping units with one of those included once they arrive.[/s]

[s]We're going to send a polarity reversing cable out to everyone who's already bought a system too.[/s]

As with most digital systems, an isolated power supply is required to be sure to avoid ground loop noise. We no longer ship sets with a polarity reversing cable due to the huge upsurge in support calls caused by ground loop noise! They're available from our website for a small fee.

Edited by SmoothHoundChris
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[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1436131234' post='2815286']
Can I ask why it isn't Centre-neg?
[/quote]
Metal case work and chassis mount DC connector (where the connector outer is metal and connected to the DC plug outer) lead to outer being ground (negative).

Off topic, but I'd like to point out that the geniuses who first decided on centre negative were the ones who screwed up. They figured that they needed to break the +ve connection to a battery when you plug in a DC supply but in reality they could have just as easily broken the -ve connection. But they didn't. And it stuck.

So it was just a normal design decision coupled with a little ignorance of the guitar gear market on my part. I knew that most pedals were centre-neg but reviewed a bunch of wireless sets and figured if centre-positive was OK for AKG, it would be OK for me.

I'm really hoping that most people don't think it's a big deal (we've sold 30 sets so far with no complaints) and that the polarity reverser cable will make it a "non-issue"?

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I assume people wouldn't have too many issues as long as it is protected against polarity reversal.
Personally I think the center negative thing is the daftest idea going - especially annoying if you don't use a separate pedal board and loose effects with a power supply chain cable - one of those cables touches your guitar lead and all your effects go down - such a pain, so I applaud your wrong way roundness, although ultimately it won't help as the horse has already bolted.

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well, im totally sold on this, just bought myself a neutrik female adaptor thing in preparation.

only had my line6 g30 for a couple weeks too.

as soon as the units ship with the polarity flipper thing ill be placing my order

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[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1436138643' post='2815349'] I assume people wouldn't have too many issues as long as it is protected against polarity reversal. Personally I think the center negative thing is the daftest idea going - especially annoying if you don't use a separate pedal board and loose effects with a power supply chain cable - one of those cables touches your guitar lead and all your effects go down - such a pain, so I applaud your wrong way roundness, although ultimately it won't help as the horse has already bolted. [/quote]
The DC input is protected against polarity reversal and over-voltage. It works with anything from 8-14V the right way round, anything else does nothing.
Thanks for the support for my wrong-way-roundedness :) but, as you say, the horse has definitely bolted on that one.

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[quote name='Ant' timestamp='1436216134' post='2816155']
Not anymore it isnt, no harm in asking
[/quote]
Definitely no harm in asking but I'm afraid I can't help on that front right now.

In other not great news, the "polarity reversing" cables arrived today and they're not "polarity reversing" cables at all. :rolleyes: The supplier has sent 5.5 x 2.5mm to 5.5 x 2.1mm adapters instead. :(
Back to the search for another supplier ...

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[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1436135374' post='2815330']

I'm really hoping that most people don't think it's a big deal (we've sold 30 sets so far with no complaints) and that the polarity reverser cable will make it a "non-issue"?
[/quote]

I don't think it's a big deal at all and actually, being from an electronics background myself (albeit trained a while ago now) I could see the benefit of a centre +ve. Indeed my own guitar related projects were all wired that way.

I took my system out last night and chained up all sorts of effects and distortion sounds and compression. We ran it in a studio practice room with all the usual strip lighting etc and found the wireless performed very well. I had the odd flicker of the red LEDs that tell you how much interference is being picked up (so virtually none then) and enjoyed a nice clear bass sound all evening. Battery life is very good. I left the unit on all night (3 hours) plus the hours I have been messing around with it at home. Just one LED of the 'fuel gauge' has extinguished, meaning there's plenty of juice still left.

There's only one thing I have found that isn't a deal breaker at all - it's just a trade off. The receiver is so small and light (big plus) that actually when I use a long lead plugged in to it, the lead is heavy enough to pull it off the amp top! heh! No problem, I looped the cable either under the amp or through the cabinet top mounted handle. Easy!

I will get an adaptor eventually to strap mount the transmitter, simply because the back end of my bass *is* a bit of an odd shape.

All in all, very little to fault for a plug-and-play system.

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[quote name='dood' timestamp='1436344169' post='2817202']

There's only one thing I have found that isn't a deal breaker at all - it's just a trade off. The receiver is so small and light (big plus) that actually when I use a long lead plugged in to it, the lead is heavy enough to pull it off the amp top! heh! No problem, I looped the cable either under the amp or through the cabinet top mounted handle. Easy!

I will get an adaptor eventually to strap mount the transmitter, simply because the back end of my bass *is* a bit of an odd shape.

All in all, very little to fault for a plug-and-play system.
[/quote]

Same here - I ended up using a patch lead to connect the receiver to the amp input instead to keep the lead short. As I said before, I did create my own 'bodypack' lead as I didn't have a patch lead of a suitable length and as I was making a lead from scratch I may as well add on a female 1/4" plug instead.

I have been very impressed with performance so far, I'm a fan.

steve

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1436345557' post='2817223']
Does anyone know if the receiver will play ball with my gig rig power supply?
[/quote]

Gig Rig can certainly delivery more than enough current. You'd either have to set the polarity via gig rig and it's accessories or using the polarity changer that Chris has mentioned earlier. I really can't see that there would be a problem at all in that case.

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[quote name='dood' timestamp='1436352701' post='2817312']
Gig Rig can certainly delivery more than enough current. You'd either have to set the polarity via gig rig and it's accessories or using the polarity changer that Chris has mentioned earlier. I really can't see that there would be a problem at all in that case.
[/quote]

Cheers! Very, very tempting at £7 a month

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[quote name='Ant' timestamp='1436385004' post='2817803']
yeah with a polarity reversing adaptor should power fine off the generator + distributor, im also going to see how it copes powered from the isolator (which only supplies a max of 150ma isolated)
[/quote]

One of the guys from gigrig is recommending a timelord to isolate it. Is there a particular reason it needs isolation?

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1436388091' post='2817838']
One of the guys from gigrig is recommending a timelord to isolate it. Is there a particular reason it needs isolation?
[/quote]

i asked chris at smooth hound and he didnt think it needed it,

the gigrig timelord is what they recommended i use for the line6 g30 because of its high current draw (and the line6 needs isolated power otherwise its noisy apparently) but the line6 works fine with my isolator cable (150ma)

i guess its just to futureproof, ill be able to let you know how it works with my gigrig

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1436388091' post='2817838']
One of the guys from gigrig is recommending a timelord to isolate it. Is there a particular reason it needs isolation?
[/quote]
[s]No. Ground is ground straight through whether using a polarity swapper or the supplied AC adapter. There should be no need for isolation.[/s] Wrong. Isolation is needed to avoid ground loop noise.

Edited by SmoothHoundChris
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[quote name='SmoothHoundChris' timestamp='1436393412' post='2817889']
No. Ground is ground straight through whether using a polarity swapper or the supplied AC adapter. There should be no need for isolation.
[/quote]

Excellent thanks!

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