Members Crownman Posted March 14, 2014 Members Share Posted March 14, 2014 A buddy of mine wants to get a handheld wireless mic. He's a soft singer in a rock cover band.... yeah, fun to mix. Right now he's unsing one of the vintage mics that has the Beta 58 mic in it. It picks up a ton of background noise and he keeps running the mic through a gate. Drives me nuts when I work with him. He's looking at the Beta 58 wireless for $600 right now but that's just going to make it easier for him to run around and have even more problems. I'm not as learned in wireless mics as I'd like to be. What suggestions would you guys have for a good wireless around $600 with good feedback rejection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted March 14, 2014 Members Share Posted March 14, 2014 http://line6.com/xd-v75/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bill.ESC Posted March 15, 2014 Members Share Posted March 15, 2014 A better choice here: http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wls_systems/7ee89d5bb13ceadd/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dboomer Posted March 15, 2014 Members Share Posted March 15, 2014 If feedback rejection is of prime importance than the Line6 wins hands down. Wireless like the other one recommended have a distance disadvantage and in fact are typically 2-4 dB worse than the wired version of whatever mic capsule they are using. This is because they use companding which means that typically you are always under a few dB of compression the whole time you are singing. The Line6 OTOH has zero commanding and zero data compression and because of,the small latency actually will improve on the wired version of the mic by 2-4 dB with respect to feedback creation Oh yeah ... The Line 6 sounds a bunch better too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dboomer Posted March 15, 2014 Members Share Posted March 15, 2014 Oops ... New forum won't let me correct misspelling from an iPad That should say " distinct advantage". And not "distance advantage". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted March 16, 2014 Members Share Posted March 16, 2014 I have friends who have line 6 mics and say their stock capsule has great rejection (and sound good too). If optimal rejection is required (and I agree - do away with the gate as you will never have a stable mix), most major wireless mic manufacturers (including line 6) can be bought with an Audix OM7 capsule. It's the best I've ever used for feedback & noise rejection. Please note that (from what I can remember) the Audix capsules do require an adapter to mate with many HH bodies (so do your research first). ++ for the line 6 wireless gear (I've used their body packs and was floored by their sound quality (even with their stock lav mic)). If serious range isn't required, it is one of the best sounding RF transmission products available at any price (and their price is VERY affordable - cheap enough that you might fit the OM7 and wireless unit all within a $600-$700 dollar budget). BTW range isn't too bad (no problem for most any stage) only if you want to go for a stroll down the street (500 meters outdoors won't work well :-). That's my .02 Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted March 16, 2014 Members Share Posted March 16, 2014 I have friends who have line 6 mics and say their stock capsule has great rejection (and sound good too). If optimal rejection is required (and I agree - do away with the gate as you will never have a stable mix), most major wireless mic manufacturers (including line 6) can be bought with an Audix OM7 capsule. It's the best I've ever used for feedback & noise rejection. Please note that (from what I can remember) the Audix capsules do require an adapter to mate with many HH bodies (so do your research first). ++ for the line 6 wireless gear (I've used their body packs and was floored by their sound quality (even with their stock lav mic)). If serious range isn't required, it is one of the best sounding RF transmission products available at any price (and their price is VERY affordable - cheap enough that you might fit the OM7 and wireless unit all within a $600-$700 dollar budget). BTW range isn't too bad (no problem for most any stage) only if you want to go for a stroll down the street (500 meters outdoors won't work well :-). That's my .02 Cheers Regarding the stock capsule, it dost not have "great rejection". It's better than a condenser, but among the least isolating of any dynamic microphones I've used. Even an SM58 isolates better. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but on a loud stage, it's not the ideal capsule. The sound of the capsule is actually decent, but there's certainly better out there. I've been using an OM7 capsule with my XD-V70 for a few years now. The adapter you have to buy is only sold through Rattsound I believe. Unless they've changed the design it IS NOT COMPATIBLE. Originally it was advertised as compatible, but that marketing was later removed after I told Don it didn't work and further testing revealed that to be the case. That said, I found a modification that allows it to work by using a cut down spring from a ball point pen and putting around one of the pins on the mic body to provide a contact for the concentric circle on the capsule. A little trial and error and you can get it to make contact and work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monthlymixcd Posted March 28, 2014 Members Share Posted March 28, 2014 Since our Shure Beta58 wireless set went to crap when the FCC sold off the 700Mhz range I've been looking at replacements and I found a used AKG WMS45 handheld transmitter/receiver set for $125 locally that operates in the "RF band A 530.000-559.000MHZ" range. Is it safe to buy this gear... or am I just wasting my money? Is this even a good sounding/working system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted March 29, 2014 Members Share Posted March 29, 2014 Since our Shure Beta58 wireless set went to crap when the FCC sold off the 700Mhz range I've been looking at replacements and I found a used AKG WMS45 handheld transmitter/receiver set for $125 locally that operates in the "RF band A 530.000-559.000MHZ" range. Is it safe to buy this gear... or am I just wasting my money? Is this even a good sounding/working system? I think the 600 block is next to go bye bye so the 500 band will probably be OK for a while, plus $150 is peanuts as far as risk goes for wireless stuff. To that end, it's just too cheap a wireless system to rely on for clean transmission and good overall sound. The biggest issue is it doesn't have diversity, which means 2 channels it can move between to assure dropout free transmission. I'm also guessing the body of the mic transmits noise like crazy.... cheap mics do that. IMO, it's just not worth those compromises to save a few bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted March 29, 2014 Members Share Posted March 29, 2014 So it looks like true diversity systems start around $300 and everyone pretty much has something in the $300-$400 wheelhouse. If you're just using 1 or 2 in a weekend warrior rock band situation, then really anything in that range from a known entity (AT, Sennheiser, AKG, Shure, Line 6) would be fine. Many of these entry level receivers are plastic and aren't rack mountable so that's a consideration too. The capsules, are probably "good enough" sounding, but are probably all cardioid and not hyper-cardioid so they won't isolate as well. You just have to decide what these trade offs are worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted March 30, 2014 Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 [...] diversity, which means 2 channels it can move between to assure dropout free transmission.Nope, dual diversity only uses one channel - but two separate receiving antennas and receivers with the output coming from whichever one has the strongest signal at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted March 30, 2014 Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 Oh, and there are some cheap ones under $100, usually VHF band. Good enough for a pass-around maybe but not for a R&R singer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sibyrnes Posted March 30, 2014 Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 I'll second the suggestion of the Line 6 wireless system. I have had very good luck with mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted March 30, 2014 Members Share Posted March 30, 2014 I have an XD-70 and an XD-75, I really like them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monthlymixcd Posted April 1, 2014 Members Share Posted April 1, 2014 So, I bought the WMS45 system used and yes, it's very plastic-y... but works as it should with minimal handling noise and decent range. Granted, I live on the edge of town in cul-de-sac hell with little interference for these preliminary tests, but have a gig this Friday night on the riverfront between a casino and convention center with police and fire stations next door so that should prove to be pretty much a worst-case-scenario for wireless I would think. I'll report back. (And FYI it's not our only wireless system so it might be a night for wired backup mics all around.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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