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Any decent cheap wireless for home use?

OldSchoolFlats

OldSchoolFlats

May 29, 2021
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#1
Any decent $30-$50 wireless transmitter/receivers people are actually happy with? I saw this vid from @droo46:



That got me thinking.

There are a couple on Amazon that get OK reviews, but I am concerned about:
  • Reliability at 10-15 feet, line-of-sight
  • Latency
  • Sound quality
I know the good ones run hundreds, but if can eliminate the patch-cord and not worry about the above 3 items, I might try one. Even if it dies after 6 months...

...for me, this would be just for use at home, but if sound or latency is bad, that would be a show-stopper.
 
#2
The sound probably won't be bad - you want to look for the frequency spectrum, which will probably be from 20hz to 20khz (sometimes larger than that range), and if it's digital, you generally want to look for 24 bits. From my understanding, these specifications are pretty common these days.

Latency can be an issue, but I think that as long as your system doesn't use Bluetooth it will probably be fine. (From what I understand, Bluetooth has unmanageable latency for something like playing an instrument just due to the protocol - the best caes is 30ms or something like that. Okay for listening, but not ideal for a feedback loop of playing and hearing what you play.)

I don't have experience with the product your mentioned - I bought a used Line 6 G30 around four years ago from a local seller on Craigslist who practiced in the same practice space that I did - but if it's just for home practice, I'd give it a shot. You may consider researching the product and reading its specification pages to see what radio bands it uses. This can help you figure out if you're going to have a lot of interference or not.
 
#5
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#7
el murdoque said:
Yeah, I need to be THAT guy and ask: What is the advantage of using a wireless unit at home?
That's the one place where I don't mind the cable. I have to put it out of the way after playing or my Roomba tries to commit suicide with it, but apart from that ...
Click to expand...
One less cable. I use headphones, and when I attempted to use a bluetooth set the latency was terrible (but it was a cheap pair of headphones :rollno:). Anyway, it's one less cord to get tangled up in my headphone cord.

My practice rig is a Vox Adio Air GT (bluetooth speaker which eliminates a cord from my phone to my amp) and a Line 6 G30 that I got for cheap. If I'm not practicing for very long I'll use a cable, but if I'm going to learn new songs or be there a while I'll use the wireless. I have a vast supply of used AA batteries so that's not a concern.

Same goes for my rigs - I stand in close proximity to my amps and being wireless adds the freedom of not worrying about me or someone else stepping on my cords.
 
#9
The little NUX is okay, but it (or at least the earlier generations) does not like some/most active onboard preamps. Cheap and cheerful (yes, I’ve used Sony, Telex, and AT units) it’s value for money, but make sure it works with your onboard active pre.
 
#10
I bought the Lekato WS-70 system on Amazon for $40.

Amazon.com: LEKATO Wireless Guitar System UHF Wireless Guitar Transmitter Receiver with 70 Channels Rechargeable Guitar Wireless for Electronic Instrument Guitar Amp Digital Electric Bass Guitar Accessories : Musical Instruments

I've only practiced with it a handful of times but haven't had any issues with latency or drop outs. I've even played it while I was on my first floor and the amp directly below me in the basement with no interference or latency issues. I do feel like I lose a little bottom end but for the cost I can't complain. I'm sure I can add back the perceived loss of bottom end with my amps eq, I just haven't tried. I'm using a wired IEM at rehearsals and gigs so I'm still using a instrument cable for those situations. For $40 it's worth looking into. You can always return it if you don't like it. In fact I bought the Lakato in the link below. I didn't notice any sound difference between the two, lik4 the smaller footprint of the WS-70 and it was $20 cheaper so I returned it.

Amazon.com: LEKATO Wireless Guitar System Wireless Audio Electric Guitar Transmitter Receiver 4 Channels Transmission Range High Frequency Battery Rechargeable : Musical Instruments
 
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#12
I ended-up with the Lekato, 5.8G band: https://www.amazon.com/LEKATO-Transmitter-Transmission-Frequency-Rechargeable/dp/B07TYRQ222/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3T2K278JWQCUT&keywords=lekato+5.8+ghz+wireless+guitar+system&qid=1650628295&sprefix=Leka,aps,90&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyTzc1NFdRRjQ5QVNKJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDk0Njg2Mzg1REVXTVNXWThBQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTY3OTE1MUFTNlBDTlBOV1c3OCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

My use-case is home-use. So far it works fine, but I will need to live with it a while before I can really comment regarding sound quality. Thanks to others for pointing this one out. I wanted to go low-end (cheap), but was hoping for something that was not problematic.
 
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#13
OK, after getting a bit of sleep, I am loving the Lekato 5.8G! Having the patch-cord tangled everywhere in my tiny area had me mostly playing unplugged. I am cautious around wireless - as an ol' timer I have seen lots of problems - but the Legato is solid, sounding pretty-much to me like hard-wired. While I don't practice enough to hammer-out the 120BPM syncopated 16ths like I want to (yet?), I have a pretty-good ear for noise and EQ.

In listening closely, I get some noise from my Boss GT-1B with some settings, but that isn't the Lekato's fault.

Here's hoping battery-time (rated 5 hours) and battery-life (month/years) proves adequate!
 
#15
I have a Shure GLXD14 unit that I use when playing live, but I bought the Lekato 5.8 version on Amazon just to try it out. I've been using it for home practice, at a regular/weekly basement jam I play in, and occassionally take to rehersal when I don't bring my pedalboard.

I've had it for a couple of months, have used it about 4-5 times a week for a few hours each time, and it seems fine so far. I have a multi-port USB hub with cables for different types of connectors at my desk where I practice, so I always just plug them back in when done using them. When I take them out for rehearsal or that jam session, I put them in a padded neoprene lens bag (I'm also an amateur photographer, so I had a couple laying around) that goes into the storage pocket of my gig bag. I always carry a spare instrument cable so I can plug in if there's a problem, but I haven't had one so far.

My brother plays guitar and his wife got him a Nux B-RC5 wireless system for Christmas. It's much more expensive than the Lekato unit I bought (about $150) but it's also got some more features. For strictly home use, I probably wouldn't spend that much but now that he's used it for a while, he's going to starrt taking it out to some jam sessions he's playing in. He loves it.
 
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#16
My guitar pal sold me his XVive U2 for a few bucks and I like using this when we're warming up and maybe starting in on the first set at our shows. It lets me go out into the space to see how our sound (and my sound) is filling the room. I never really use this for more than a set at our shows, but it seems to function fine. Although it hasn't bonked out on me, I generally have more confidence with using a cord through most of a full show.
 

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