Wireless IEMs: Xvive U4 & alternatives

[Chienmortbb]

  On 27/11/2022 at 23:50, EBS_freak said:

I wouldn't be going near it... I'd wager it's got a woeful compander on board for that kinda money. But... you know, for the money, it may be worth a punt...? It may be a hidden gem.

 

But... if you want to use on a free to use frequency range... or the shared mic license range, you'll need the 830.000 to 866.000 MHz range that they seem to manufacture for - and operate in 863-865 to remain legal (channel 70). You'll also be able to use 830-832 (as part of the 823-832 shared mic license range).

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823-832 is technically classed as Ch38 although of course it is not CH38. Sane prices and tests toons apply but for £75 per year you are almost guaranteed  no interference from the free CH70 (863-865MHz) bands WiFi or XVive etc.

[Chienmortbb]

  On 22/11/2022 at 20:14, EBS_freak said:

What he said. ^

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Except that the man/woman that control’s the FOH sound is not an Engineer. Yes I know I am a pedant but if there was a degree in sound mixing it would be a BA not a BSc. 

[EBS_freak]

  On 28/11/2022 at 13:02, Chienmortbb said:

823-832 is technically classed as Ch38 although of course it is not CH38. Sane prices and tests toons apply but for £75 per year you are almost guaranteed  no interference from the free CH70 (863-865MHz) bands WiFi or XVive etc.

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It isn't technically classed as Ch38 at all. It's 65/66. It's covered under the "shared mic license", which covers both ranges of the spectrum covered by Ch38 and CH65/6.

Ch 65/6 is actually pretty noisy.

 

Only reason that I am being pedantic, is that this stuff is hard enough for people new to radio to understand without putting statements in saying 823-832 is channel 38. It's just that its licensing is covered by the same license as that of Ch38.

[EBS_freak]

  On 28/11/2022 at 13:11, Chienmortbb said:

Except that the man/woman that control’s the FOH sound is not an Engineer. Yes I know I am a pedant but if there was a degree in sound mixing it would be a BA not a BSc. 

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The art of understanding wave theory is defo more in the science space than the arts space.

[Chienmortbb]

 

  On 28/11/2022 at 13:51, EBS_freak said:

The art of understanding wave theory is defo more in the science space than the arts space.

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True, but very few do.

[Al Krow]

Just putting this out there as a possibility, given I'm a bit of a fan of the Boss WL-20 wireless for bass these days (having previously been a Smooth-hound wireless fanboi).

 

The Boss WL-30 and/or Xvive U3 - could these simply be used in reverse to provide the transmitter / receiver base for a wireless IEM set up? Would they be any good? Is that effectively all the Xvive U4 is doing?

[jimmyb625]

  On 28/11/2022 at 13:11, Chienmortbb said:

Except that the man/woman that control’s the FOH sound is not an Engineer. Yes I know I am a pedant but if there was a degree in sound mixing it would be a BA not a BSc. 

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If it was in sound engineering, it should be a BEng.

[dave_bass5]

  On 28/11/2022 at 13:11, Chienmortbb said:

Except that the man/woman that control’s the FOH sound is not an Engineer. Yes I know I am a pedant but if there was a degree in sound mixing it would be a BA not a BSc. 

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Why do you assume it will be a Man or Woman?

😂

[Woodinblack]

  On 30/11/2022 at 18:34, Al Krow said:

The Boss WL-30 and/or Xvive U3 - could these simply be used in reverse to provide the transmitter / receiver base for a wireless IEM set up? Would they be any good? Is that effectively all the Xvive U4 is doing?

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The XVive U3 is just the XVive u4 transmitter with a different form factor receiver.

 

I got a replacement U4 now, turns out my transmitter failed so I have one transmitter and 2 receivers!

 

[Al Krow]

  On 30/11/2022 at 20:18, Woodinblack said:

 

The XVive U3 is just the XVive u4 transmitter with a different form factor receiver.

 

I got a replacement U4 now, turns out my transmitter failed so I have one transmitter and 2 receivers!

 

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So you've not lost faith in the U4s then? Good to hear! 

 

U4 transmitter plus 2 receivers is actually one of the purchase options. Makes good sense if two band members are happy to have the same mix eg a full band mix. 

[Woodinblack]

  On 30/11/2022 at 20:27, Al Krow said:

So you've not lost faith in the U4s then? Good to hear! 

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No, stuff can happen and it took a while before it went wrong. Obviously if it went wrong again I would. 

 

  On 30/11/2022 at 20:27, Al Krow said:

U4 transmitter plus 2 receivers is actually one of the purchase options. Makes good sense if two band members are happy to have the same mix eg a full band mix. 

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Yes, it does work with 2 if you want to share, but I don't really in my current group. 

[Al Krow]

  On 08/11/2022 at 10:54, Adee said:

Guess it depends what works for you, I can sing and pitch my backing vocals much much better with my IEM's

we have a totally silent stage with everyone using Helix, Pod Go or similar, drums are Roland electric, we do have a

sub and top at the rear so I get enough back from that, the FoH as well as my in ears to keep me happy

 

and still happy with my U4 also no clashes with my bass wireless

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  On 30/11/2022 at 21:31, Woodinblack said:

No, stuff can happen and it took a while before it went wrong. Obviously if it went wrong again I would. 

 

Yes, it does work with 2 if you want to share, but I don't really in my current group. 

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Do you both plug your Xvive transmitters directly into your desks or are you using a short cable to keep the transmitter away from the desk to minimise any noise interference?

 

I've seen a YT clip suggesting that might be a good idea and was wondering whether it was something either or both of you do? 

[Woodinblack]

Well, I do but not to keep it a distance away from the desk, just because I have a X18 (not an XR18), and the output aux sockets are TRS plugs, so I have a number of short orange TRS plug to XLR sockets so that me and the drummer can plug into the socket (save looking round the back. My lead is a bit shorter so we know which is which, but the U4 sits on top of the mixer anyway.

 

As you can see on the bottom right of this:

[Al Krow]

@Woodinblack - grateful if I can pick your brains as I suspect you'll know the answer to this one!

 

Singer has just picked up a Xvive U4 but has been getting a high pitch background buzz. I've just checked with some of my kit and I'm getting exactly the same, whatever setting or channel its on. It substantially disappears if I grip the connector at the 1/4 end (as per the pic), so it seems to be some sort of earthing issue?

Is this something you've encountered and / or is there an obvious fix?

If it's not something you've experienced with either of your two units, I'm guessing it could just be a faulty unit?

 

[Woodinblack]

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.

[dave_bass5]

My money is on faulty. Send it back. If you cant use it under normal conditions it’s either not worth it, or broken. 

Id have said maybe the Boss is interfering with it, being so close, but if your singer has already tried everything it has nothing to do with your set up IMO.

[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.

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That seems to have done the trick, thanks Woody. Our singer will be pleased and I'm obviously relieved as she bought it off the back my recommendation based on our discussions on this thread, haha!

So I presume that's actually an interference hum rather than an earthing issue?

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Al Krow

[Woodinblack]

  On 15/01/2023 at 20:06, Al Krow said:

That seems to have done the trick, thanks Woody. Our singer will be pleased and I'm obviously relieved as she bought it off the back my recommendation based on our discussions on this thread, haha!

So I presume that's actually an interference hum rather than an earthing issue?

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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.

[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.

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Just to clarify when you say "great fan" that's of short cables acting as a high frequency filter?

[Woodinblack]

  On 15/01/2023 at 23:30, Al Krow said:

 

Just to clarify when you say "great fan" that's of short cables acting as a high frequency filter?

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I means of the xvive! but you know, short cables rock too

 

[Al Krow]

  On 16/01/2023 at 08:42, Woodinblack said:

 

I means of the xvive! but you know, short cables rock too

 

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Well that's even better to know! Does seem that users of the Xvive U4 on this thread are generally a pretty happy bunch! 

[dave_bass5]

  On 16/01/2023 at 08:48, Al Krow said:

 

Well that's even better to know! Does seem that users of the Xvive U4 on this thread are generally a pretty happy bunch! 

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We have two members of the band using them now. No interference issues with either. 

I noticed the other day there are Xvive IEM’s as well. Not heard much talk about them. 

[Woodinblack]

  On 16/01/2023 at 09:57, dave_bass5 said:

We have two members of the band using them now. No interference issues with either. 

I noticed the other day there are Xvive IEM’s as well. Not heard much talk about them. 

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You mean the XVive U4 IEMs that we are talking about here or something else?

[EBS_freak]

@dave_bass5- I think your thoughts ran away with you. Are you talking about the standard wireless (for instruments?)

[dave_bass5]

  On 16/01/2023 at 10:18, EBS_freak said:

@dave_bass5- I think your thoughts ran away with you. Are you talking about the standard wireless (for instruments?)

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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. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by dave_bass5