Wireless IEMs: Xvive U4 & alternatives

[Woodinblack]

I don't see that, but now I look they do a case for it, which I might see if I can pick up some time. If you transport it in just the bag it tends to flip the power on!

[EBS_freak]

18 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

No, I mean the actual in earbud’s, not the wireless system.  Not sure where I saw them, but I was surprised that I did as I haven’t seen them on the Xvive website. 

Aha! I see. I didn't know either.

[dave_bass5]

2 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Aha! I see. I didn't know either.

I may have got it wrong. I was looking for IEM’s and was scrolling through loads when I saw them. It said Xvive but could have been listed wrong. 

[dave_bass5]

I knew I wasn’t going mad.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/xvive_t9_in_ear_monitors.htm

 

It’s looks like Thomann are the only place selling them. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by dave_bass5

[Woodinblack]

Thomman do seem to have the monopoly on a lot of XVive stuff, or the only place supporting it, as I was looking where i could get the cases from and they are the only non US seller

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

I knew I wasn’t going mad.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/xvive_t9_in_ear_monitors.htm

 

It’s looks like Thomann are the only place selling them. 

Cheers Dave - not particularly cheap, which is surprising for Xvive as they tend to be pitched at the value end, and just two drivers?

I've gone with flow and picked up a set up ZS10 Pros for myself and rest of the band - managed to get them at £25 a set via one of the links posted on the main IEM thread, which seemed amazing value.

[dave_bass5]

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Cheers Dave - not particularly cheap, which is surprising for Xvive as they tend to be pitched at the value end, and just two drivers?

I've gone with flow and picked up a set up ZS10 Pros for myself and rest of the band - managed to get them at £25 a set via one of the links posted on the main IEM thread, which seemed amazing value.

I saw your add for your 535’s. I was wondering why you we getting shot of them. Was it just a money thing? Obviously you never used them. 

[dave_bass5]

5 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Thomman do seem to have the monopoly on a lot of XVive stuff, or the only place supporting it, as I was looking where i could get the cases from and they are the only non US seller

Yeah, and a couple  of months wait for it.

Edited January 16, 2023 by dave_bass5

[dave_bass5]

Forgot to say. I think I’ve found the best fitting tips for my ears. I got some Comply Comfort tips in large. These are the more oval shaped ones. Wide but shallower than the standard models. They seem to fill out better and hopefully stay in longer. 
 

In all my years of playing I’ve never found a reason (other than health of course) to stick anything in my ears at rehearsals, but now I have to so I can hear myself, but also because the studio we occasionally use means I have the band facing me. It’s a small room and my Apple watch registers over 100db on its sound meter 😬

The guitarists only use small 1x12 combos, but my god it’s like a wall of sound when I take the ear buds out (or rather they come lose). 

 

[Al Krow]

24 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

I saw your add for your 535’s. I was wondering why you we getting shot of them. Was it just a money thing? Obviously you never used them. 

 

Partly. We thought it would be nice for the band to at least kick off with the same IEMs so we had a similar experience as we were finding our feet - as you know the ZS 10 Pros get a lot of love on BC and no way were the rest of the band up for spending Shure 535 money!

[dave_bass5]

8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Partly. We thought it would be nice for the band to at least kick off with the same IEMs so we had a similar experience as we were finding our feet - as you know the ZS 10 Pros get a lot of love on BC and no way were the rest of the band up for spending Shure 535 money!

Makes sense. I wish  I liked the ZS pros more. They just seem a bit heavy and more clumsy in my odd ears. I also love the stiff wire that hooks over the ears on mine. 
If I didn’t have the ones I have I’d have brought yours, but for now I think I’m settled. 

[Al Krow]

On 15/01/2023 at 22:32, Woodinblack said:

 

Its actually can be sort of like both, but a short length of cable works as a bit of a high frequency filter.

Anyway, good that it is no longer causing an issue. I am a great fan of those.

 

Hi Woody follow on question if I may:

So I initially checked your point about getting rid of the interference / earthing high pitched hum by using one of my PA cables with the suppled TS adaptor using my Zoom B1-4 as a headphone amp (as per the above pic).

 

I've since got a 0.5M XLR to TRS for use with the monitor-out (and marked with the headphone symbol) from my Zoom L8 mixer but found that fully inserted there was a considerable loss of volume, whereas pulled out a notch so it was effectively being a TS rather than a TRS 1/4", the volume was restored. I then used the supplied Xvive U4 jack, which as you know is TS, into the monitor out and volume wise it was fine (obviously still had the high pitched hum).

 

However fully inserting a normal set of headphones with a 1/4" TRS adaptor works great into the Zoom L8 monitor out with no volume loss, and when they were partially pulled out there was a volume drop plus it went from being stereo to mono output into one ear only.

Now because the Xvive U4s are "purely mono" whereas a TRS jack is stereo, even though I'm going into a stereo headphone out socket from the Zoom L8 mixer, it seems that what I need is an XLR to TS adaptor not an XLR to TRS adaptor, do you agree?

Edited January 17, 2023 by Al Krow

[Woodinblack]

What is this supplied to adapter that you speak of, who supplied it? I don't have one!

I would probably preface this to say I have never used my xvive on a headphone output, mine connects to the monitor output of my x18, and I have a TRS to XLR, which makes the same output as a XR18 (difference being for size on theX18 mixer). But that is obviously a mono TRS output, T+ R- S earth, differential output.

if you plug that into a headphone amp you would be sending the difference between the left and right channels which as you say, would be way down (and also cancel out anything in the centre) so yes, you only want the connection between one side, either T-S or R-S.

ideally what you want in that case is a TRS connector where only one side is connected, either the T or R. The TS I'll work except some things don't like having one side shorted out

[Al Krow]

Thanks! 0.5M XLR to TRS will be returned and a 1.0M XLR to TS on its way to replace. I think, fingers crossed I'm just about there and the high-pitched hum plus volume loss issues will all now be sorted - much to my relief as I recommended this unit to our singer, off the back of this thread.

Did you not find the pack of goodies in the box (it's within the cardboard at the bottom)? If so, you're in the same boat as our singer who was surprised when I pointed them out, but all your kind input will have been repaid, haha!

 

[Woodinblack]

Oh yes, those, I forgot about those. Well, already have the cable from my other set and don't really use the plug as is (the sockets on the back of the X18 are pretty close to each other!)

[dudewheresmybass]

On 16/01/2023 at 10:42, Woodinblack said:

I don't see that, but now I look they do a case for it, which I might see if I can pick up some time. If you transport it in just the bag it tends to flip the power on!

I use a tupperware box from asda to transport my rig in - it's around 3x2 inches and around 2 inches tall. IIrc you get 2 for a quid

[dave_bass5]

7 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said:

I use a tupperware box from asda to transport my rig in - it's around 3x2 inches and around 2 inches tall. IIrc you get 2 for a quid

The problem is the on/off switch is very, very easily nudged when it’s in something that allows it to move around or something else moving against it. 

 

 

[dave_bass5]

I finally gave in to the AliExpress offer and ordered a set of ZS 10 Pros. It sounds silly but i found a box of Sonicfoam ear tips that i got ages ago by mistake for my MEE’s, which were the wrong size. These are the SF1’s which apparently fit the ZS 10’s, so rather than have them go to waste lol.

 

 

[Al Krow]

40 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

In most cases the radio system, if well-designed, will stop the high-end roll off from cables. This is why many have a cable compensation function, a Low Pass Filter. However, not all cables are created equal and the roll off from cables vary with length and quality. So fixed compensation may not be ideal. To argue against myself, for most people playing bass, the cable will have little effect on their tone. Then the reliability of either a cable or wireless system becomes the most important thing.

 

Just spotted this on another thread and it's the flip side of Woody's comment below.

 

On 15/01/2023 at 22:32, Woodinblack said:

 

Its actually can be sort of like both, but a short length of cable works as a bit of a high frequency filter.

Anyway, good that it is no longer causing an issue. I am a great fan of those.

 

So whilst a high-end roll off from cables might be something that's not too much concern for bass players, it may well be for the singers in particular? In which case a wireless mic set up for singers is potentially no bad thing? 

I guess with wired mics, the solution is to simply give the singers a little treble EQ boost to compensate.

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

14 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

I finally gave in to the AliExpress offer and ordered a set of ZS 10 Pros. It sounds silly but i found a box of Sonicfoam ear tips that i got ages ago by mistake for my MEE’s, which were the wrong size. These are the SF1’s which apparently fit the ZS 10’s, so rather than have them go to waste lol.

 

 

Not much downside at the AliExpress offer price! Look forward to how you find them; no doubt get your thoughts on the main IEM thread once you've had a chance to put them through their paces. I'm loving mine: find they are besting my Audio Technica over-ears which set me back circa £200, which I certainly wasn't expecting! 

Edited January 19, 2023 by Al Krow

[dave_bass5]

18 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Not much downside at the AliExpress offer price! Look forward to how you find them; no doubt get your thoughts on the main IEM thread once you've had a chance to put them through their paces. I'm loving mine: find they are besting my Audio Technica over-ears which set me back circa £200, which I certainly wasn't expecting! 

Well as Dawn has them already and I’ve tried them I still prefer my MEE’s. I think I have said that in the main IEM thread at some point. 
I do find them a bit harsh and cold, but that’s with keys so maybe they are better for bass and guitar. 

Actually I cancelled that order and got the X version instead. Might as well get something slightly different. I don’t plan on using them as my main IEM, they seem a bit heavier and less secure, but I may find at some point I’ll use them. At least I’ll have a back up. 
 

I’ll probably get a better cable as well. I can’t remember what I got Dawn but I remember it being highly recommended at the time. It certainly seems to hang better than the OEM one. 

[EBS_freak]

36 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Just spotted this on another thread and it's the flip side of Woody's comment below.

 

 

So whilst a high-end roll off from cables might be something that's not too much concern for bass players, it may well be for the singers in particular? In which case a wireless mic set up for singers is potentially no bad thing? 

I guess with wired mics, the solution is to simply give the singers a little treble EQ boost to compensate.

 

It depends... because the output impedances and capacitance of guitar/bass pickups are not comparable with mics, so the losses are different... plus you are looking at the balanced vs unbalanced questions, so the introduction of noise on a balanced connection is not a concern... unlike that of the unbalanced connection for the guitar/bass.

Edited January 19, 2023 by EBS_freak

[dudewheresmybass]

23 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

The problem is the on/off switch is very, very easily nudged when it’s in something that allows it to move around or something else moving against it. 

 

 

I  put the receiver in the bag inside the box, and never had that issue.

I've been using them regularly for quite some time.

[dave_bass5]

Just now, dudewheresmybass said:

I  put the receiver in the bag inside the box, and never had that issue.

I've been using them regularly for quite some time.

Well i don’t use them personally, but both member of my band have had this issue. I guess they need to be more careful and not just accept it. 

I will have more words 😎

[Al Krow]

On 15/01/2023 at 19:35, Woodinblack said:

I have never had a high pitched buzz on the XVive, but I have had a high pitched buzz on a wireless to the Zoom B1 (when it was plugged in) and on a different wireless. In all cases I found that putting a longer lead between the the wireless and mains powered device on a longer lead got rid of it. My XVive hangs out the back of my X18, but it is on the end of a 9" cable.

 

So my 1.0M cable has arrived. Not been able to eliminate the background hum entirely, which is a shame. Volume issues all fine as expected with the TS rather than TRS jacks. The hum seems to be loudest on channel 1 and quietest (but still present) on channels 4 & 5 so we'll be making use of those at the next gig.