Which wireless?

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

36 minutes ago, Jack said:

Not even cables are 100% and cables are infinitely more reliable than wireless. 

 

Having said that, most wireless systems are really good these days. I used a couple of units on my way 'up' to the Shure GLX and they were all completely fine, or at least their problems weren't to do with dropouts. Having said that, I finally bit the bullet and bought a Shure. Those, and the new GLX+ replacements are the top dog before you get into touring/professional systems. 

This.
Buy cheap, buy twice. Buy Shure, don’t look back.

[Lozz196]

I’ve been using a SubZero setup which is similar to the WL20, works on 5.8Hz, not had any problems so far.

[tauzero]

Cheap - Lekato 5GHz

Mid-range - Smoothhound, Line 6, Boss

Expensive - Shure

 

I've got experience of the Lekato, Smoothhound, and Line 6 G50, and they're all good.

[tauzero]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

This.
Buy cheap, buy twice. Buy Shure, don’t look back.

 

My experience has been buy cheap, buy once.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

52 minutes ago, tauzero said:

Cheap - Lekato 5GHz

Mid-range - Smoothhound, Line 6, Boss

Expensive - Shure

 

I've got experience of the Lekato, Smoothhound, and Line 6 G50, and they're all good.

 

51 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

My experience has been buy cheap, buy once.

I’m pleased that’s been your experience, but Smoothound and Line 6 did not pass muster in the environments I’ve played in. I’ve no experience of Lekato though.

[Al Krow]

I've had:

 

(Crowded) 2.4 GHz space 

• Smooth-hound - great piece of kit and Chris, the UK manufacturer, provided fantastic customer service e.g. replacing the plastic battery cover which has a tendency to easily break, without charge.
• Shure GLXD16 - didn't really find much, if any, benefit over the Smooth-hound and it's significantly bulkier / more expensive, so moved it on;
• Boss WL-20, super compact; frees up space on the pedal board and has generally been really good, but I've been experiencing drop outs (like the OP) recently since we've started using wireless IEMs in the same 2.4 GHz space;

 

5.8 GHz

• Tempted to go for the Shure GLXD16+, but £549 price tag - ouch! That's one expensive "cable" 😅 
• Lekato WS-50 (around £60) 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Al Krow

[nemesis]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

I've had:

 

(Crowded) 2.4 GHz space 

• Smooth-hound - great piece of kit and Chris, the UK manufacturer, provided fantastic customer service e.g. replacing the plastic battery cover which has a tendency to easily break, without charge.
• Shure GLXD16 - didn't really find much, if any, benefit over the Smooth-hound and it's significantly bulkier / more expensive, so moved it on;
• Boss WL-20, super compact; frees up space on the pedal board and has generally been really good, but I've been experiencing drop outs (like the OP) recently since we've started using wireless IEMs in the same 2.4 GHz space;

 

5.8 GHz

• Tempted to go for the Shure GLXD16+, but £549 price tag - ouch! That's one expensive "cable" 😅 
• Lekato WS-50 (around £60) - arrived this week, looking forward to finding out if it's decent @tauzero's experience is encouraging!

Tempted to try a lekato but there are so many versions????

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by nemesis
Duplicate

[nemesis]

Tempted to try a lekato but there are so many versions????. Also.. lots of online reviews telling of units breaking.  Thank you all so much for your advice 

Edited April 26, 2023 by nemesis

[walshy]

What @hiram.k.hackenbackersaid. Don't mess about and buy a Shure system

[jimmyb625]

11 hours ago, Jack said:

Not even cables are 100% and cables are infinitely more reliable than wireless. 

 

 

 That's why I said to buy 2 cables. 😉

[Al Krow]

[Previous problem identified could be a shielding issue on the bass preamp - comment deleted].

 

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Al Krow

[NancyJohnson]

I owned a Line6 wireless system which worked fine but was a bit battery hungry.  I ended up buying a Lekato 5.8ghz wireless:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TWQL2JS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

Don't have any issues with it whatsoever; range is decent enough, rechargeable battery will last longer than our set (about an hour) and it's ideal if you need to move around a larger stage.  That said, I still use a cable most of the time! 

[Mudpup]

22 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

range is decent enough, rechargeable battery will last longer than our set (about an hour) and it's ideal if you need to move around a larger stage.  That said, I still use a cable most of the time! 

The battery only lasts for an hour? That won't work for most people will it?

 

I can get over 6 hours  out of 2 rechargeable AA batteries in my Sony unit. 

[JohnH89]

Had an Xvive U2 for years . Never had a drop out or any other problem . Battery lasted for 5 hours on sunday and still going . Active/passive all good . 

[naxos10]

2 hours ago, Mudpup said:

The battery only lasts for an hour? That won't work for most people will it?

 

I can get over 6 hours  out of 2 rechargeable AA batteries in my Sony unit. 

I think NancyJohnson means the bands set is an hour, the Legato bugs will probably last for 4+ hours.

[naxos10]

I have been using a version of the gear4music pedalboard 5.8Ghz wireless set which has a built in tuner, cable length pot and the internal battery will recharge the transmiter and also power effects pedals, cost £99.

I have had no problems with it so far.

[Al Krow]

@Woodinblackwould it be worth merging this and the Alternatives to Boss wireless threads, as they are covering pretty identical ground simultaneously? 

[EBS_freak]

Just to add some extra info to what I'd written previous - the units with multiple channels that auto-select, dont necessarily help when in an area with lots of wireless. They are fixed channels, if you want to be able to run high numbers of wireless units, you'll need systms where you can manually tune the frequencies. Then you can calculate some true intermodulation free frequencies and have no interference. So the systems which don't do that, you are into the realm of pot luck, where things should mostly work but may not in some environments. Like always, carry around something that isn't wireless to be safe!

[Mudpup]

37 minutes ago, naxos10 said:

I think NancyJohnson means the bands set is an hour, the Legato bugs will probably last for 4+ hours.

Yeh....I knew that.....err.....really I did.....or maybe it's been a long day.....🤣

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, Al Krow said:

@Woodinblackwould it be worth merging this and the Alternatives to Boss wireless threads, as they are covering pretty identical ground simultaneously? 

Sure can if you want, I haven't seen either thread so don't know which ones they are - as long as they don't overlap in time should be ok.

[jimmyb625]

4 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

Just to add some extra info to what I'd written previous - the units with multiple channels that auto-select, dont necessarily help when in an area with lots of wireless. They are fixed channels, if you want to be able to run high numbers of wireless units, you'll need systms where you can manually tune the frequencies. Then you can calculate some true intermodulation free frequencies and have no interference. So the systems which don't do that, you are into the realm of pot luck, where things should mostly work but may not in some environments. Like always, carry around something that isn't wireless to be safe!

Wise words, so probably best to ignore then! 🤣

[fleabag]

7 hours ago, Wally Gogg said:

Had an Xvive U2 for years . Never had a drop out or any other problem . Battery lasted for 5 hours on sunday and still going . Active/passive all good . 

 

I had Gen 1 Xvives and they lasted 2 years till the battery wouldnt charge up anymore.  Sneakily, the manufacturer didnt design them with replaceable batteries

so in the bin they went.  W@nkers

Think i paid around £115 for the pair.   Not very economical is an understatement.  I decided never to buy anything similar.

 

So i plumped for Line 6 Relay G75, which has been utterly faultless.  Yes, it's bulkier by some margin,  but it least it wont be in the bin 2 years on.  In fact we're already past that

[Al Krow]

8 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Sure can if you want, I haven't seen either thread so don't know which ones they are - as long as they don't overlap in time should be ok.

 

This is the other thread running in parallel 😊

 

Boss wireless alternative? - Accessories and Misc - Basschat

[BassAdder60]

I use my cheap Lekato  WL-80 for soundcheck only then switch to a cable for the gig 

 

I had the Boss WL20 and Line 6 G30 but suffered drop outs at certain venues. Cable for me is the preferred solution 

Edited April 28, 2023 by BassAdder60

[Bassman68]

My first radio system was a Nady back in the late 80’s (think it was the blue channel, whatever that was?)

I upgraded to a Sennheiser uhf system in the 863-865mhz band in the 00’s when I required a radio system again,

It proved reliable, if a little overkill, being rack mounted & I put it in storage several years later…

Moving onto the covid years, I looked into cheap systems (amoon,lekato) for wireless practice at home, but managed to break

both systems within months of purchase…They always felt cheap & nasty & with the amount of wi-fi flying around in the house

with Wife working from home & daughter on-line-schooling, not very reliable?
Then, Post covid, I got a break with a regular touring band…

Everyone had been ‘bigging-up’ Smooth hound systems, So I got one for my pedalboard.

After a few large gigs with lots of IEM systems, I experienced too many let-downs, so opted back to my old Sennheiser system..

With second hand prices falling & careful E-bay viewing/deals, I’ve managed to acquire two more transmitter packs, and another receiver & power supply for back-up, along with some replacement aerials & some custom made leads.

This is what I use now, it doesn’t let me down & I’ve not experienced any interference, even with a couple of other bandmates using UHF systems….All the frequencies are tuneable so no-one interferes with anyone else (This along with the seven channels of IEM’s we have)

It’s ‘Old-school’ but it works for me…