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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
 Posted - 02/29/2008 : 06:11:59 AM
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I may decide to use a wireless lapel mic for speaking (not singing) between songs. Does anyone have experience with wireless? What should I look for or stay away from?
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Bob |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2008 : 07:51:28 AM
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| I think the lapel mics often have feedback problems. You should test it out for your application. |
Andy |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2008 : 07:58:14 AM
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Yes -
1) Stay away from the cheap stuff (Nady, Carvin - made by Nady for Carvin) as the quality is not very good and they are more prone to interference. Relatively good brands are Sennheiser, Shure and some (but not all) AKG (in that order).
2) Stick to UHF and get a system where you can change frequencies (so-called "frequency agile" - but this is a misnomer).
3) Make sure you also get a "true diversity" system (and not just one with two antennas). True diversity uses multiple receivers to help solve multipath dropout problems (where the signal to one antenna will get cancelled, which occurs relatively often).
4) Plan to spend at leaset $400 to $500 (for the mic/transmitter and receiver combined set) to get something decent. Of course, you can spend a lot more and get more performance and features. (The wireless mics you see on the Oscar show are $3000 to $5000 each.) For a Lapel mic you will most likely be using a belt-clip transmitter.
5) Read lots of reviews on sites like: http://www.prosoundweb.com/ and others.
6) Think ahead and buy something that will be compatible with other wireless things you may buy in the future (buy into a system).
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/29/2008 08:31:26 AM |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2008 : 11:03:07 AM
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| Couple of weeks ago at the hula workshop, Aunty Mapuana de Silva used one of those headset mics that look like what Madonna or someone of those kind of people would use. Never anu feed back, and it sounded plenty good. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Nai`a
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2008 : 12:25:49 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Haole_Boy
I may decide to use a wireless lapel mic for speaking (not singing) between songs. Does anyone have experience with wireless? What should I look for or stay away from?
Aloha,
We use Sennheiser wireless for our video production with great success. They're light weight and small. They're not cheap. $500.00 But the gear is trustworthy. Good quality is never cheap.
The feedback problem is no different than wired mics-It's all about speaker placement. |
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javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2008 : 1:12:50 PM
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| My wife used a wireless headset mike for several years for teaching line dancing (remember that?) with good results. I believe the brand is Shure and it wasn't cheap but it worked very well. I think we still have it in a closet somewhere. Ditto Nai'a on the feedback problem.....same as any other mike. We also use two hand held Shure wireless mikes for karaoke. We've had all of these for many years now. |
Aloha,
John A. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2008 : 5:15:59 PM
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| Hey Jay - my husband, Paul, has a Simon & Patrick 12-string. How you like it? I think it sounds wonderful. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Nai`a
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2008 : 10:22:03 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by wcerto
Hey Jay - my husband, Paul, has a Simon & Patrick 12-string. How you like it? I think it sounds wonderful.
Hi
Love it. It has the sweet mellow sound with the cedar top. One of the best 12 strings for the price. |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 02:27:44 AM
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No disrespect to Lawrence, but there's no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. If you were using it for a lead vocal, then I'd agree with him, but for in-between song announcements it doesn't have to be particularly high end to do the job.
I used a Nady VHF (rather than UHF) transmitter for years, and it was always reliable and good. In my experience it wasn't prone to interference, except when someone else was using a similar transmitter on the same frequency.
You'll not regret buying a higher end one if you can afford it, but you don't necessarily need one for what you intend using it for. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 03:37:28 AM
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Lawrence, thanks for giving the info I needed to know.
To start with, I am going to go with the cheapest one I could find which is the Nady--I am not expecting much! If it is just not noisy I will be happy.
Later, I will look for a Sennheiser or Shure system if I decide this is a good way to go. I may eventually want to go wireless with up to three guitars as well. It would be nice to eliminate the pluging and un-pluging of guitars too.
Thanks |
Bob |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 07:23:55 AM
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quote:
I used a Nady VHF (rather than UHF) transmitter for years, and it was always reliable and good. In my experience it wasn't prone to interference, except when someone else was using a similar transmitter on the same frequency.
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My experience with cheap wireless has been the opposite. Plenty of interference. In the U.S. the wireless mic frequencies overlap many others, especially in Urban areas, and I have had trouble in Hawaii (Maui) as well.
Just remember, a giant BUZZ due to interference that nearly blows out the speakers in the middle of you act can ruin your whole day.
I have had some Nady VHF units, and if I still had them I would send them to you free, but I already threw them in the trash (yes - in the trash).
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/05/2008 07:24:10 AM |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 09:17:45 AM
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Lawrence
Can interference just come at anytime and cause a big loud buzz in the lesser systems? That would not be good and the idea that it could happen gives me concern. If I were in an audience when that happened I would be rattled.
It's really cheap so I would not hesitate to toss it and buy a better system before my first gig. For now it will satisfy my curiosity.
Thanks |
Bob |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 09:37:07 AM
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quote:
Can interference just come at anytime and cause a big loud buzz in the lesser systems?
Yes- unfortunately the cheaper wireless systems are much more prone to interference. But it can even happen on the more expensive systems. For instance, two years ago the OSCAR presentation was marred by clicking-buzzing at one point. This was due to someone being near the wireless receiver(s) with a cell phone turned on (the characteristic sound of cell-phone interference is obvious to anyone who has heard it before). This was with a $3000-$5000 per mike system so, indeed, there is no guarantee against interference. However the interference will not always be a maximum volume buzz, it can take many forms.
Part of this problem is due to the wireless mic frequency assignments. There is no "separate band" of frequencies for wireless so they have to share with lots of other things. In the UHF band wireless mics are actually on Television frequencies so if there is NOT a UHF TV station on your desired frequency (an no one with a cell phone turned on near the receiver), you are probably in the clear. But this is why you want the frequency to be changable, so if you get some interference you can change the frequency (usually takes less than a minute, but it is not instantaneous, and harder on some than others). This feature ("frequency agility") adds about $100 to the cost.
True Audio Diversity (dual receivers) adds about another $100, and that helps prevent dropouts.
Nady DOES make some new UHF diversity systems (also sold thru Carvin) , but at this point I do not trust them.
Just look at the Candidates in the current election (U.S.) - when you see them holding a wireless mic it is almost always a Sennheiser or a Shure (and there are reasons for that).
Bottom line, if you are going to buy a tool, then at least get a decent one. Example: are you happy playing a $100 guitar? If so then get a cheap Nady or other system. But if you prefer to play a decent low-end Taylor or other mind range instrument, the use something decent for the mic too, even if just for narration.
Here is a link to some educational/sales material from sweetwater:
http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/live-sound/microphones/wireless_buying-guide.php#4
Here is a link to a Carvin system that meets the minimum specs above:
https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=UX1000-BP
(I am not sure that this unit is made by Nady for Carvin but you will note that the price, at $400.00 is where I would expect it to be, and you can get a Sennheiser ew135 for not much more)
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/05/2008 10:49:06 AM |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2008 : 03:47:48 AM
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Ok, I got a cheap lapel mic set-up and it is very prone to feedback. Probably too much. I want to be right in front of the amp (Roland AC-60 on a stand) and will be turning from side to side to pick up different guitars.
Are headset mics less prone to feedback than the lavalier? |
Bob |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2008 : 10:15:55 AM
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Are headset mics less prone to feedback than the lavalier?
Free-field sound power follows an inverse square law: Twice the distance means one fourth the power. This ratio applies to the speaker and microphone and your voice. Each time you divide the distance from your mouth to the microphone by a factor of two then the relative power from the speakers required to cause feedback is increased by a factor of 4.
Of course, this is a simplification that ignores sound reflections and room reverberation, but it still works pretty well in close mic situations.
So- the short answer is YES.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/08/2008 10:17:04 AM |
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