Cordless Microphones

[captnkarl]

I currently run 6 cordless Vocopro (VHF4800 Freq. B, C, D, F, G & H)....not a bad mic, but looking for a top of the line cordless mic(s) for some of our better singers, so throw me some suggestions. My Vocopro's are very durable, fairly inexpensive but sound a little flat...hence I turn up the highs and helps some.

[RIKKI TIKKI]

Originally Posted by captnkarl

I currently run 6 cordless Vocopro (VHF4800 Freq. B, C, D, F, G & H)....not a bad mic, but looking for a top of the line cordless mic(s) for some of our better singers, so throw me some suggestions. My Vocopro's are very durable, fairly inexpensive but sound a little flat...hence I turn up the highs and helps some.

I've tried several over the last 15 years... been wireless since 2001, trying VocoPro, RSG, and Shure... I have had very good success with Shure, and can recommend the SM 58, then the Beta 58, and the SM 86, all three I use now ( the SM 58 is 7 yrs old, the beta 58 is 4 yrs old, and I bought the SM 86 on E-Bay USED, a couple of years ago... all Shure products are pricey, but also very durable... and I don't have the same complaints that I hear at some other shows, where the microphones are the next upgrade supposedly! All the Shure models that I have mentioned have a different pickup pattern, and only your ears and pocketbook will be your best guide... find some dealer, where you can go kick the tires... or go to a couple of your better competitors shows, and see what they are currently using, sing a couple of songs ( Improve Their Show ) and get an idea what the different brands sound like, using the same mixing board and amps! Come to Nogales and you can sing with all three of my wireless Shure's!

[billyo]

i've been using 2 audio technica digital cordless mics( i'm at work , can't remember the model# ) havent had any problems with it, the onlyproblem with these mics is you can not use the same frequency, and need to get a good battery , i used an industrial type bat. and will last me about a week..

[bryant]

Originally Posted by billyo

, i used an industrial type bat. and will last me about a week..

How many shows a week? 1, 2,5, 6, or 10?
And of course, how many singers per show on average?

[billyo]

Originally Posted by bryant

How many shows a week? 1, 2,5, 6, or 10?
And of course, how many singers per show on average?

i used to used lithium type bat. ( hospital kind ) it's about 2 for $9.00. i used to do 2x a week, total of 8 shows a month , i used to have about 10-15 singers a night ( i keep saying used to since i don't do karaoke gigs anymore, just mainly private gigs now ). the secret to this was to removed the bat. when not in used..

[Musicman51]

Hi Captankarl, glad to see you in the forums showing such a great interest in wireless microphones. Microphones are one of my favorite subjects, as i am a devote, and collector of microphones, and i read everything i can about them. I mostly enjoy retro style ribbon mics. Now, i just want to give a little different perspective, and add just a little bit to what has already been said. This is my opinion only, and may not work for you. I am in no way an expert, or sound engineer. I do have a nice studio in my home, and work sound for our church, and other venues around these parts. Now...taking a chance here, i will simply say, if i were you, i would not run right out and buy a Sure SM58 or BETA58 wireless system, which would cost you mucho bucks. I am using a simple entry level shure wireless system. The reason i did this, is because Shure wireless microphones, are upgradable, and the ball ends are field replaceable. And of course, depended on where you are located, simple to operate. I started out using an AKG system that uses two AA batteries. I got close to 30 hours out of a set of cheap batteries. These mics sounded great, i had a chance to sell them for just about what i had in them, so i did..a big mistake. I ordered 3 Shure wireless systems 2 mics each, with the PG58 transmitters, These work just great as well. But, they eat 9 Volt barttries, i will touch on batteries in a moment. Unlike my AKG systems,these shures will keep you broke buying batteries. But what is nice about the shures, is the tops can be upgraded. So.....you guessed it, i went and ordered a Beta58 mic capsule. In an A-B test with my PG58's, i must say, i hear, my singers hear, and my friends hear very little difference {ducking and running out of the room in a hurry}. Again, just my opinion. Certainly not worth the giant leap in price. My little PG58's sound every bit as good as my beta does. A shure engineer i spoke with on the phone, tend to agree with me. And..if someone drops a PG58, i cry less. And i just hate the old "Adage" "oh..you want a cheap mic just for karaoke right?" Man that gets my goat. I try to make everyone sound as very best as they can, with the resources i have available. Although i do sound wise prefer a wired microphone over a wirless. Not to get off topic, but i have helped fella's cure their microphone problems with even expensive mics, with just a little better EQing, and in extreme cases, a Microphone Preamp. If your mics are working good for you, and are reliable, why switch? there are other less expensive alternatives, that might bring about the results you're looking for. An expensive microphone, may not sound any fuller at all, and sound just as thin. Just a thought. In fact {ducking again}, my friend Roger, purchased 4 Behringer XM58's wired mics from musician friend. I A-B'ed these mics to my Shure SM58, and wired Audix OM2. The Behringer was hotter, clearer, built just as tough, and only cost $19. The cheaper Behringer XM58's also have over 240 positive reviews on musicians friend website... So more expensive may not be better.
Now as far as batteries are concern. It really doesn't make any difference how many singers you have a night. Between singers, i very seldom turn off my wireless transmitter {microphone}. I do once in a while put it on standby..but most generally just leave it on for my next friend to come up and use. I have found my wireless uses just as much current on standby, as it does on leaving it on. And if you have time to turn it off and back on between every singer that comes up, then great. But i doubt you will save that much battery life. A battery has to last an entire evening, sometimes, you just have to change it during the night, but i never have to, even with the current sucking shures i use. No, what has actually worked for me, is buying a cheap battery, then tossing it after the evening is over. I buy them by the bulk. And if you use a 9volt battery, don't waste your money on an expensive rechargeable battery system.
These are just some of my own experiences, i in no way as i said, am a expert, i'm a practicing baptist hillbilly as a matter of fact. And what i have found to work, works for me. Now, just some fun facts about wireless mics. Did you know you're suppose to have a broadcast license to operate one? How many of you actually have a license, i don't? Did you know, with the government taking over our airwave freqs, and switching broadcast television to digital, we will be losing some of our wireless frequencies, and the use of wireless mics, and home transmitters may be changed in many ways? Did you know yes you most certainly can operate two identical wireless microphones on the very same freq at the very same time??? Enjoy karaoke, and thank god for MTU making our jobs, and hobbies easier..... God Bless You & Yours, George

[billyo]

i sure learned a lot from what you just said and explanation about mics, i too have 2 sets of shure sm58($99.00 ea.) corded mics, and 2 set of audix also corded,(also $99.00 on sale ) i like the audix since it's kinda like a workhorse , i /singers dropped these mics i dont know how many times and it still works.but anyway i tend to dis-agree with what you said about 2 cordless mic using the same frequency, i have 2 identical audio technica digital cordless mics,( $199.00ea ) each with separate receivers, the first mics frequency was set by audio technica's tech people according to my zip code,( i sent it back due to what i thought was a bad mic and i was told to leave the bat. in it ) so when i bought the same type mic i set it to the same frequency, it will work if one is not in use, but if you use them at the same time it will either cut out or you'll get an intermittent sound ( i know this for a fact caused it happened to me on a big wedding annivesary while a duo was singing ) so i ended up calling tech. and explained to them what the problem was and that's what they told me," you can not have the same identical mics on the same frequency " so i set it to another freq. and now it works like a charm, and about the battery i was told to use the same kind of bat. all the time, i tend to take the bat. out , but not putting back the same pair together..and also i didnt know that you need to have a license to use a cordless mics..i know for a fact that you can only use a corded mic if you're on the stage, not off the stage due to safety reasons

[Musicman51]

billyo, i sure didn't mean for my statement to mislead you in any way. What i was refering to of course. Is if you have a wireless reciever with more then one channel. And say all or most available freqs are being used, or you experience drop outs, or intermodulation interference. You can take your reciever and set channel A, and channel B, to use the same freq. That is what i was saying in a round about way i guess. Now not two recievers..one reciever with more then one channel. Try it, works like a charm in a pinch, although not recommended. And also, when speaking of wireless mics, there are so so so many different situations that you will encounter, that there are very few set in stone rules here again. I have heard horror stories of guys picking up the drive threw window at taco bell, to recieving trucker CB radio calls...anything goes with wireless. Not to wander here, but i once had to chop off about 3 foot of my power cable on a Fender Twin Reverb amp i had, kept picking up all sorts of radio interference...

[billyo]

Originally Posted by Musicman51

billyo, i sure didn't mean for my statement to mislead you in any way. What i was refering to of course. Is if you have a wireless reciever with more then one channel. And say all or most available freqs are being used, or you experience drop outs, or intermodulation interference. You can take your reciever and set channel A, and channel B, to use the same freq. That is what i was saying in a round about way i guess. Now not two recievers..one reciever with more then one channel. Try it, works like a charm in a pinch, although not recommended. And also, when speaking of wireless mics, there are so so so many different situations that you will encounter, that there are very few set in stone rules here again. I have heard horror stories of guys picking up the drive threw window at taco bell, to recieving trucker CB radio calls...anything goes with wireless. Not to wander here, but i once had to chop off about 3 foot of my power cable on a Fender Twin Reverb amp i had, kept picking up all sorts of radio interference...

not a problem musicman, it's nice to learn from other people,now that you mentioned that, let me checkout my receivers, i dont believe i have a/b chanelss of course i didnt even looked at that when i bought it i'll get back to you. oh well there's only one channel per mic's receiver, 1 balance xlr and 1 unbalance 1/4..no a/b

[Musicman51]

Oh, and please don't get alarmed as to my mention of licensing, or our available air space for our mics. Here are a couple of articles sent to me by some friends of mine, with the same concerns.

http://www.wirelessmic.net/license.html

http://production.marshillchurch.org...equency-space/

[ddouglass]

To clarify what George said about the same frequency on a multichannel reciever. What you are setting with the "channel" is a base frequency. The unit determines the frequency separation (usually about 10KHz for short range things like microphones) between microphones. The channel setting is really to prevent you getting outside interference or interfering with an outside device.
As far as licensing it is about the same as CB radio. It was ruled in court that the government could not charge for those licenses either.
According to the FCC you need a license unless they operate in the following ranges 49MHz (VHF mics), AM-FM broadcast (FM mics), 902-928 MHz (UHF mics) or 2.4 GHz (UHF mics) band.

[Musicman51]

Thank you douglass, i knew i should've stayed in school. My daughter who is in the US Army in germany, is also a very intelligent person, so was my wife before her passing. They seem to have been carrying me all these years. It catches up with a feller, but i do make a mean possum pie..perhaps this christmas i can send you one....Thanks for being there..George..

[BooBoo]

I've been through several wireless systems myself. Started with Shure 58 and beta. Someone ripped the on off out of the beta, so I moved the beta head onto the 58 transmitter. BUT, I only use this mic in limited situations now because of the batteries.

I have been using Carvin mics with mixed reviews. The reason is they use AA batteries and have a long life. I also use Alkaline hybrid rechargeable batteries from target. They work in any charger and do well. They do not last as long on a charge as non-rechargeable batteries but I can get through two shows before a charge if needed. You can also recharge whenever you like without memory so I replace them with freshly charged batteries before each show.

As for the Carvin mics. (Carvin.com) the UX16-MC does a great job while coming in under $250 but I have had problems with the screens popping off when dropped a few times. I have glued them back on they they keep going, but one has a build up of super glue that I need to scrape out before the grill top will fit back in the groove again. The UX1000-MC is a better mic but it costs more.

Both mics have some of the things you need to look for like quality sound reproduction and adjustable freqs. The 16 has a few that you can dial in and the 1000 has a bunch, but you really don't need all of those. Also, keep in mind that many of the Shure's are fixed freq mics.

[Musicman51]

Great advice BOOBOO. I just love your way of McGuyvering things together..hahaha. I do the same thing with some of my gear. A DJ, i won't call him a kj, because he plays more recorded music, then he allows up singers. But anyway, he has a Carvin wireless system just outside my town up here. I have sang on it, and it sounded just as good as anything else out there. Of course like i mentioned in my thread every situation is different. Not sure if your carvins are "True Diversity" or not, but i bet those mics sound great.

[BooBoo]

As far as performance goes, the Carvin mics are as good as any I have used. They are great as far as feedback is concerned and I have never ever had a drop out. I had one customer take one all the way out the front door one time, which is around a corner wall, and it still reproduced perfectly. They have little to no handling noise as well. The battery replacement is a bit cumbersome on the 16, as you have to remove the head to get to the ejectable battery pack. The 1000 is quality all the way, but I don't like paying $350 for a customer used mic any longer so I just use it myself and let a few people that know what they are doing use it.

Another issue with the Carvin mics is they do not sell replacement parts.

[captnkarl]

Thanks guys....all helpful info. Musicman51, you're right, if it works for me already, why change?? The Vocopro mics aren't cheap nor expensive, but sound just a little on the "muffled" side. I can fix this just by turning up the highs a little and so far I have never had any complaints about my sound. I run entirely a Powered Mackie system...srm450 1501 subs srm350 monitors and a mackie mixer which makes me one of the best sounding systems in the area and I take pride in that. I have often had other KJ's come in and tell me how much better we sound than they do and that just puts the icing on the cake. My main concern is to make every singer sound as good as I can so they come back for more. I work full time in a paper mill on a Southern Swing Shift and have karaoke 3-4 nights a week so I have very little time to research new ideas for cordless mics. I will look into the Sure brand and the Carver brand at our local Music store, but I think the old "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" saying applies to me.

Thanks Thanks Thanks for all your time everybody.