Cheapest wireless unit you've had good luck with?

[LBS-bass]

So is there a difference in quality between the 2.4G and the 5.8G? Or is it just a matter of whether or not it will fight with other wireless information in the area?

I have only owned 5.8 and the reason is that I've been told that 2.4 will pick up a lot of interference from household systems and other potential sources. I have not had any sort of problem like that with either of the systems I've owned, so can't speak to how much better it might be, but I know that I'm happy with 5.8.

 

[LBS-bass]

WRT latency: At some point the distance from the sound source is going to be exacerbated by lag due to the relatively slow speed of sound, so you sort of get a double-whammy with latency as you get further away. Good to keep in mind. I don't expect mine to sound perfect at a large distance and I don't spend a lot of time that far away from it, so it seems to work ok. I notice it when I soundcheck as I will walk to the back of the room, but that's about it.

 

[Lesfunk]

I have a Lekato 5.8 GHz unit. It works just fine . It feels a bit cheap and I don’t expect it lo last forever, but it was cheap.
I use it to avoid any interference with my XVIVE 2.4ghz in ear unit

 

[fretlessman71]

WRT latency: At some point the distance from the sound source is going to be exacerbated by lag due to the relatively slow speed of sound, so you sort of get a double-whammy with latency as you get further away. Good to keep in mind. I don't expect mine to sound perfect at a large distance and I don't spend a lot of time that far away from it, so it seems to work ok. I notice it when I soundcheck as I will walk to the back of the room, but that's about it.

I'm not going far; in fact, I don't expect I'll ever have the transmitter and receiver more than 6 feet away from each other. It'd only be a convenience (not having another cable to get caught on things).

 

[LBS-bass]

I'm not going far; in fact, I don't expect I'll ever have the transmitter and receiver more than 6 feet away from each other. It'd only be a convenience (not having another cable to get caught on things).

Yep. Every now and then if the audience is super excited I might jump down off the stage and dance with people right in front of the stage, or encourage them to clap or something. That will last about 30 seconds and then I'm back up there again. I don't really have a problem for this kind of thing but it would be worse if I was dancing around in back of the room.

 

[fretlessman71]

Yep. Every now and then if the audience is super excited I might jump down off the stage and dance with people right in front of the stage, or encourage them to clap or something. That will last about 30 seconds and then I'm back up there again. I don't really have a problem for this kind of thing but it would be worse if I was dancing around in back of the room.

I remember using wireless units 25 years ago; if you didn't keep an eye on the drummer when you went into the crowd, you fell way behind. And with the latency, you'd have to rush to stay current! That's a lot to handle in a gig. Do you lead the band as well? That could be yet another wireless potential disaster with a headset...

 

[LBS-bass]

I remember using wireless units 25 years ago; if you didn't keep an eye on the drummer when you went into the crowd, you fell way behind. And with the latency, you'd have to rush to stay current! That's a lot to handle in a gig. Do you lead the band as well? That could be yet another wireless potential disaster with a headset...

No, I only go out there during times when I don't sing. I do sing backup so usually the reason I have to run back to the stage is to get there in time for a vocal.

 

[JKos]

The wireless system latency is not being increased by any human perceptible amount based on moving away from the receiver. That signal is at the speed of light. Seriously, non-issue.

You are noticing the increased "latency" due to the speed of sound. Every foot away from the sound source is about 1 ms of delay. It's not the wireless.

Speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s
Speed of sound: 343 m/s

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

I used to have these ($28):

They worked on 2.4 GHz and run of AAA batteries which is not very convenient, so I sold them and bought these ($45):

These work on 5.8 GHz and run on built-in Li-Ion batteries that charge fast and last long. So far I've used them on home practice, four rehearsals and one gig. Did not notice anything wrong.

 

[Geri O]

So is there a difference in quality between the 2.4G and the 5.8G? Or is it just a matter of whether or not it will fight with other wireless information in the area?

There should be no difference in the quality of transmission and reception between 2.4ghz and the 5.8 ranges on the same wireless system.

Where the problems with these units operating on the 2.4 wifi band is all the routers, access points, smart phones and devices, and smart appliances in use today, the likelyhood of interference is greatly increased. Not so much in the 5.8 band, apparently. Several years ago, I had 2 experiences that have me convinced to never use a wifi-frequency-based wireless system. I had a remote mixing system shut down by a Line Six guitar wireless until we did some frequency-shifting and our wifi-based wireless-DMX system shut down 3 wireless units of a national act.

Now before you wifi-based wireless users starting burning me down over this, just save it (like that won't happen anyway...). I fully realize there's many thousands of these units in service and operating just fine, which is fine with me. I've just had to deal with issues popping up from this units and I've made a choice just like you have.

 

[fretlessman71]

There should be no difference in the quality of transmission and reception between 2.4ghz and the 5.8 ranges on the same wireless system.

Where the problems with these units operating on the 2.4 wifi band is all the routers, access points, smart phones and devices, and smart appliances in use today, the likelyhood of interference is greatly increased. Not so much in the 5.8 band, apparently. Several years ago, I had 2 experiences that have me convinced to never use a wifi-frequency-based wireless system. I had a remote mixing system shut down by a Line Six guitar wireless until we did some frequency-shifting and our wifi-based wireless-DMX system shut down 3 wireless units of a national act.

Now before you wifi-based wireless users starting burning me down over this, just save it (like that won't happen anyway...). I fully realize there's many thousands of these units in service and operating just fine, which is fine with me. I've just had to deal with issues popping up from this units and I've made a choice just like you have.

Since I'd be using this in very close proximity to my router, this is a very important point, and enough to push me towards the 5.8ghz units. Thanks.

 

[Geri O]

Since I'd be using this in very close proximity to my router, this is a very important point, and enough to push me towards the 5.8ghz units. Thanks.

I’m not very informed on the 5.8ghz systems. I plan to change that in the next few days.

Cheers….

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Here's the set I'm currently using.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YTBJF5P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Things I like about this set: 5.8 gHz seems interference free, works with the active basses I have used it with so far, latency is acceptable at relatively short distances, easy to select channels, charge up fast and the charge lasts through at least one gig and one rehearsal.

Things I don't like about them: Intermittent and occasional failures at startup which require me to mute my amp and toggle off and on (no failures during operation, though). Slight tone-suck which can be compensated for using EQ. Latency noticeable at soundcheck distances (when I'm out there listening to the mix), maybe too easy to select channels because it's possible to accidentally change them.

I use a velcro dot to affix the transmitter to my bass, otherwise they are easy to bang around and disconnect while dancing around on stage.

I'm very happy with these, Getaria brand (as someone said, maybe the same guts as other brands).
I don't notice any tone-suck, myself, and haven't had a failure to start yet.
Thanks for the link!

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Has anyone noticed that the Getaria 5.8GHz (or maybe typical wireless systems generally), when the battery in the transmitter gets just a little low, starts apparently augmenting high mids in a nice way?

I mean in a way that doesn't sound like "fuzz", but like something more natural than that. For example, it can seem to restore the crisp edge of La Bella DTF that they have right out of the package.

I mentioned it in another thread and learned something that I had never known: Angus Young (and many other famous examples) used an overdriven or maladjusted wireless unit as part of their sound. I never thought that Angus Young sounded like "fuzz".

Has anyone else noticed this, and not realized that it was distortion, and/or liked it?

Thank you very much.

 

[Jim C]

I think all the little plug is modules are junk over the long run.
I've tried a few.
A used G50 is the cheapest unit that can be counted on with great fidelity and reliability IMO / IME.

 

[LBS-bass]

I think all the little plug is modules are junk over the long run.
I've tried a few.
A used G50 is the cheapest unit that can be counted on with great fidelity and reliability IMO / IME.

I've heard people say that, but my ears must not work very well, because they seem to be fine to me. I can't justify spending the extra money when something this cheap works this well, but everyone's got priorities I guess. If I could hear a distinct difference that wasn't correctible I'd be prioritizing differently.

I did see a video where someone compared the sound of several of these systems and included a regular cable in the comparison. The cable sounded more dull, by far.

Our expectations often get in the way of our judgements. I expect an expensive thing to perform better, therefore I perceive a difference in the same way a placebo cures a headache. But there will always be those who think my perception is bogus, and will insist that expensive is the way to go.

It's all fine with me as long as you're spending your own money. It's yours to waste.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

I did see a video where someone compared the sound of several of these systems and included a regular cable in the comparison. The cable sounded more dull, by far.

Very interesting, thank you.
That might be only because of the capacitance in the cable? The effect I was looking for commentary about, see post #34, was I think bigger than that, but still not obviously abnormal.

Have you noticed it, @LBS-bass?

I feel bad because it probably affected some of my posts here in 2022, before I realized what was happening.

 

[LBS-bass]

Very interesting, thank you.
That might be only because of the capacitance in the cable? The effect I was looking for commentary about, see post #34, was I think bigger than that, but still not obviously abnormal.

Have you noticed it, @LBS-bass?

I feel bad because it probably affected some of my posts here in 2022, before I realized what was happening.

I haven't noticed that, but in the situations I'm working with it probably wouldn't be obvious to me. I'm not kidding when I say that I'm not using studio ears for hearing things I use in live settings and I'm a good enough is good enough kinda gal, as long as good enough is good. So I have no doubt there are differences in fidelity and what I perceive as dull may be just "not overly bright" to someone else.

If I were recording, I'd certainly want to use a good cable, because I believe that "dull" in this case is more akin to "getting less high end" and what you're going to want in a studio is the most fullness you can achieve, which gives you more choices about what to cut and what to keep. But live sound isn't as mission critical in that sense, as long as you get most of what you need to get your point across. At least it isn't for me, but for others the differences may be worth the price differential.