Bass wireless systems

[74hc]

We used Xvive, Line 6 G10s and G30, a  Carvin UHF system, and the Shure GLXD16.  The guitarist with the Xvive now uses the Shure.  I still use the G10s, and the other guitarist uses the G30.  Our experiences:

1- too many drop outs on the Xvive.

2- Both the G10s and the G30 can be susceptible to dropouts, but staying close and watching what is near the receivers is key to minimizing it.

3- The G10s auto channel select doesn't work well when other 2.4ghz wireless units are in the band. For the auto select to work, all the other units need to be up and transmitting.  I gave up and coordinate with the G30 guy on the channel selection.

4- The G30 eats batteries.  The guitarist usually turns off the transmitter frequently.

5- I've broken the G10s transmitter because it's rigid unit unlike the swivel capability of the Xvive.

6- The sleep mode of the G10s transmitter can be a pain if you have pauses between songs on a set.  Worship bands as an example.

7- The Shure works the best, but it's also the most expensive one. I guess you can say you get what you pay for when it comes to wireless systems.  More money, less hassles.

8- Digital sounds better than the old analog Carvin UHF system.

9- Also buy a 2.4ghz system that can use frequencies outside of Wifi channels 1-11.  If you are in a region that allows channels 12 and 13, I don't know what you can do, but kept the receiver close, and not near any other wireless systems.

 

[Woodinblack]

Well, looks like I am looking for something new today. The hinge on this had always been a bit loose, which is why it was in a harness thing with a reversed jack to jack, but didn't stop it falling apart mid gig (but luckily, at the end of a song)

[EBS_freak]

that looks like a rehousing project in the making!

[Woodinblack]

I think so! To be honest, I needed something I could access the batteries better anyway

[EBS_freak]

12 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I think so! To be honest, I needed something I could access the batteries better anyway

get the project box search on the go... and take the opportunity to switch to AA so you can use some decent capacity eneloops (and lets face it, AAs are easier to source in an emergency!)

[Woodinblack]

Talked to smoothound, and for £20 they replaced all the metalwork (and the broken plastic cover I noticed, but didn't mention that) and posted it back to me. Its like new now, which is nice as I didn't but it new so it is the best it has ever been!

[EBS_freak]

Cant argue with that!

[Aalin]

I have the Xvive and I must say that it is difficult to change the battery when it is dead (after 3 years). Contacted, Xvive asks me 100 € to change the battery which costs less than 10 € on the net. Here is a video link to change the battery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w4pBKW8vjk
 You have to be meticulous. I dismantled mine and will order 2 batteries. But I also finally ordered a Smoothhound. Prefer to buy a system with screws, not sealed.

[PaulWarning]

I opted for the Boss WL-20 because I didn't want the hassle of plugging in the receiver unit power supply, no problems so far I've used it with various passive basses, and electro acoustic guitar (built in preamp) and an electric guitar, did suffer latency issues when recording with it though,  top one is the click track, middle one is recording the click track with a mic,  bottom one is with the Boss unit in the mic loop

[therealting]

These 5.8GHz units were on sale for £42-ish last week so I ordered a set. A friend of mine lives in dense apartment housing in New York and says the 2.4GHz units are unusable there. Only home use so far, but seem to work well with no interference and it’s nice to not have to worry about wires when playing in the house.

ammoon 5.8G Wireless Guitar...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MCHF99P?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[stewblack]

34 minutes ago, therealting said:

These 5.8GHz units were on sale for £42-ish last week so I ordered a set. A friend of mine lives in dense apartment housing in New York and says the 2.4GHz units are unusable there. Only home use so far, but seem to work well with no interference and it’s nice to not have to worry about wires when playing in the house.

ammoon 5.8G Wireless Guitar...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MCHF99P?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Excellent, working on an excuse to need a second wireless system. 

Nearly there... 

[therealting]

19 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Excellent, working on an excuse to need a second wireless system. 

Nearly there... 

Well, if it helps, I really like the fact that with this unit, you don’t need to power the receiver from the mains or a board either. Charge both transmitter and receiver using a double-headed USB cable, then plug directly into output jack and input jack and switch on. 

[stewblack]

 

1 hour ago, therealting said:

Well, if it helps, I really like the fact that with this unit, you don’t need to power the receiver from the mains or a board either. Charge both transmitter and receiver using a double-headed USB cable, then plug directly into output jack and input jack and switch on. 

definitely helping 

[TonyMontana]

I have the Boss WL20L, but I cannot recommend it.

The sound and latency are fine.I like that the units are small and battery powered, so I switch them easily between amps and basses.

But in my home studio I have frequent problems with dropouts.

I looks like whenever something is in the line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver, things will go wrong.
It happens when the receiver is in the amp in the back of the room (3 meters) and I play while looking at the scores on the laptopscreen, so my body is in the line-of-sight. But it also happens frequently when the receiver is in the Helix Stomp sitting on my desk, a distance of about 1 meter, but the transmitter slightly below the edge of the desk.

 

 

[dave_bass5]

Must admit at home i do seem to get more dropouts with my Boss WL20 (and 20L when i had it). More than with my Xvive in the same position. 

For gigs and rehearsals the Boss is fine though. Must be because i tend to play at home close to my router. 

My guitarist uses Xvive and he doesn’t have cut outs.

What  i don’t like about the Xvive is how it effects the low, quiet notes. I rarely use a rig at home but last year i got a few new cabs so tried them out at low level at home. Each time i used my Xvive (as that’s what i use at home). Playing a quiet (as in plucking softly) a low F# or G produces a buzz/noise on those notes as they are dying out. It’s definitely the Xvive as swapping to my Boss or a cable eliminates the issue 100%. It’s almost like the cab has a lose screw vibrating. Now i dont use the Xvive outside the house. 

[therealting]

I think that’s where the 5.8GHz and other non-2.4GHz units have an advantage. 

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, therealting said:

I think that’s where the 5.8GHz and other non-2.4GHz units have an advantage. 

With the drops outs maybe, but the.systems like the Xvive seem to be using quite low quality chips so sound quality will suffer, although not always noticeable I guess. 

[dmccombe7]

On 01/03/2020 at 23:15, EBS_freak said:

get the project box search on the go... and take the opportunity to switch to AA so you can use some decent capacity eneloops (and lets face it, AAs are easier to source in an emergency!)

I bought a set of the Eneloops batteries after recommendation on BC and all 4 have failed on me with the Smooth Hound. One set during a gig went from full charge before leaving home to zero in about 3 songs during sound check. Replaced with standard Duracells now which will last me about  3 gigs before needing changed (approx 12hrs or there abouts)

The set came with 4 AAA & 4 AA batteries. Oddly enough the AA's are still working fine.

Dave 

[EBS_freak]

3 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I bought a set of the Eneloops batteries after recommendation on BC and all 4 have failed on me with the Smooth Hound. One set during a gig went from full charge before leaving home to zero in about 3 songs during sound check. Replaced with standard Duracells now which will last me about  3 gigs before needing changed (approx 12hrs or there abouts)

The set came with 4 AAA & 4 AA batteries. Oddly enough the AA's are still working fine.

Dave 

That sounds wrong and the first time I have ever heard of anybody suffering poor performance with them. Where did you get the Eneloop last from? Are they legit?

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I bought a set of the Eneloops batteries after recommendation on BC and all 4 have failed on me with the Smooth Hound. One set during a gig went from full charge before leaving home to zero in about 3 songs during sound check. Replaced with standard Duracells now which will last me about  3 gigs before needing changed (approx 12hrs or there abouts)

I use the rechargeables from lidl, never had any trouble.

[Oopsdabassist]

53 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

That sounds wrong and the first time I have ever heard of anybody suffering poor performance with them. Where did you get the Eneloop last from? Are they legit?

I've been using my smoothhound with eneloop AAA from Amazon, for a couple of years now and the batteries have always been rock solid, I tend to swap em out and charge em when they get to 2 led's power ie 50%

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

That sounds wrong and the first time I have ever heard of anybody suffering poor performance with them. Where did you get the Eneloop last from? Are they legit?

As far as i know they were. Think it was Amazon and i have been caught out with Amazon before where items haven't been legit.

Where did you buy yours

I brought them home and recharged them again and wife used them for Xmas lights around the house but again they lasted maybe a half day and done. Small set of LED lights.

I just remembered my cordless phone has the original first set i bought and they've been in over a year now so maybe the 2nd batch i bought were duffers or non originals.

Dave

Edited June 27, 2020 by dmccombe7

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, Oopsdabassist said:

I've been using my smoothhound with eneloop AAA from Amazon, for a couple of years now and the batteries have always been rock solid, I tend to swap em out and charge em when they get to 2 led's power ie 50%

That's what i had been doing. Maybe 2-3 gigs of 2-2.5hrs or 1-2 6hr rehearsals and i'd pop them on charger when i got home.

Dave 

[EBS_freak]

I buy mine from 7dayshop

[therasonic450]

Have tried a range of wireless units over the last few of years - started with a Samson 'bug' system & progressed to a L6 G50 which worked well, but sold when I wasn't playing for a while {!!}, as you do.

Had a smoothhound which I liked but it didn't like my stingray so sold to to fellow bc'er who loves it.

Liked to look of the X-Vive because it took the cables out of the equation, particularly when not using pedal board but ,again, didn't like Stingray and kept getting drop-outs. Interestingly I have the XU3 microphone ststem which I think is brilliant & have no problems with.

On to the L6 g10s which worked perfectly for about 6 months then plugged the bug in to recharge & failed to connect so to do. Sent back for repair only to be told parts could not be found  - fortunately given full refund. Interestingly this model now doesn't appear on L6 site.

Did some research & decided, despite the price, to go for the Shure model, got the GLXD16 Beta at a good price from Andertons. Has the advantage of going on pedal board & also has a built-in tuner. This all occured around lockdown so haven't gigged it in anger yet.

Bought a set of Lekato WS-50 just for practice & these seem fine but not going to use for gigs.

Technology is wonderful when it works. When it doesn't............