Free/Cheap wireless band scanner? Wireless IEM rig doesn't scan.

[DCErik]

My band is in the process of ditching our wedges for IEMs, and one of the guitarists and I have been running wireless 'cables' for our instruments for a while now. His guitar wireless is a single-channel 5.8gHz unit, while mine has 4 channel options, also in the 5.8gHz spectrum. Both guitarists are using Xvive U45s for their wireless IEMs (6 channels to choose from with scanning). We've already had to play musical frequency chairs to find clear channels for the existing 5.8gHz units, so for my IEM rig (sharing two mono mixes with the singer) I went with the Phenyx Pro PTM-10 and an extra body pack in the 905-925mHz range. Tried it out for the first time on Sunday and it went pretty well, but there is some noticeable static kind of 'under' the sound. It's not bad, but I'd like to be able to find the best frequency to minimize it. Trouble is the PTM-10 doesn't include a scanning function. Anyone know of an app or other free/cheap way of finding empty bandwidth?

TIA

 

[Mike Caldwell]

All told your going to need to up your game on wireless equipment.

There are WIFI band scanner apps I use "WIFI Man". I think it only runs on Android.

 

[DCErik]

All told your going to need to up your game on wireless equipment.

There are WIFI band scanner apps I use "WIFI Man". I think it only runs on Android.

We're definitely not running even mid-grade wireless gear, but I think as long as we don't add anything else we'll likely get away with it. Thanks for the tip! Is that the Ubiquiti Wifiman?

 

[Mike Caldwell]

We're definitely not running even mid-grade wireless gear, but I think as long as we don't add anything else we'll likely get away with it. Thanks for the tip! Is that the Ubiquiti Wifiman?

It is the Ubiquiti Wifiman app.

I use when I'm setting up to run sound to see what WIFI channels are in use and set my router channel so I'm not on the same channel as something else, normally I use 5g WIFI.

 

[DCErik]

Awesome. Looks like it's available for iOS, too. Much appreciated!

 

[newfuture]

The issue might not be interference with other things in the 900 mHz band. It might just be the system. I'm currently suffering a CAD 4 channel cheap system (also 900mHz) and it just has a lot of noise on the receiver packs' outputs (hiss). If I hadn't got an employee discount, it would have gone back.

 

[sawzalot]

I hate to say this, but in the world of wireless, cheap systems tend to give suboptimal results. Wireless gets complex very quickly once you get more than a couple of units operating near each other. We use Shure PSM-300 IEM systems, and I use a sennheiser EW-D instrument wireless. I wouldn't use anything much below the price points of these units. I also gave up on the 2.4 and 5.8 Ghz units at any price.

 

[jacoby75]

Cheap UHF units will inevitably hiss. I've tried three of them so far. It's unavoidable. It's not a matter of cluttered frequencies. It's sub-par or outdated technology. Most recently (and currently), I'm using a Shure PSM 700 I picked up used about a month ago. It hisses, but less than other options, and only when there is sound coming through. It's quiet if there's nobody playing. And when everyone is playing, the hissing is not noticeable. I've used it at two practices, and it works great. The biggest PITA is needing a screwdriver to switch frequencies. But it's a small price to pay for Shure reliability. Which frequency I select has no effect on the hiss. I wanted the reliability and lowest latency that the UHF spectrum offers compared to the crowded 2.4 or latency-prone 5.8 bands. Of course, for the price of the three cheaper units I have tried, I almost could have just ponied up for a Shure PSM 300. Almost. With wireless, especially wireless IEM, you definitely get what you pay for.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

If you are located in Metro DC you'll have a challenge with any UHF band that shares space with other wireless devices, which 900 MHz does. Because DC is a large urban area many devices will compete for space. Less than top end systems will likely not have the ability to reject spurious signals. As for GHz, many devices will not play well with other devices in the same range, even on different channels, if they're too close (a few feet) from one another. Intermodulation distortion. I sold the UHF stuff for House of Worship installs for years in the DC area. @Mike Caldwell is right. Theaters in urban (i.e. "crowded" frequency) areas use high end stuff like Lectrosonics or top of the line Sennheiser (at least they did 10 years ago). Systems like that can cost more than your gig rig.

BBB

 

[Mike Caldwell]

Cheap UHF units will inevitably hiss. I've tried three of them so far. It's unavoidable. It's not a matter of cluttered frequencies. It's sub-par or outdated technology. Most recently (and currently), I'm using a Shure PSM 700 I picked up used about a month ago. It hisses, but less than other options, and only when there is sound coming through. It's quiet if there's nobody playing. And when everyone is playing, the hissing is not noticeable. I've used it at two practices, and it works great. The biggest PITA is needing a screwdriver to switch frequencies. But it's a small price to pay for Shure reliability. Which frequency I select has no effect on the hiss. I wanted the reliability and lowest latency that the UHF spectrum offers compared to the crowded 2.4 or latency-prone 5.8 bands. Of course, for the price of the three cheaper units I have tried, I almost could have just ponied up for a Shure PSM 300. Almost. With wireless, especially wireless IEM, you definitely get what you pay for.

Drive the level at the transmitter fairly high with that you end up running the receiver level lower helping increase the signal to noise. That's true for most IEM transmitters.....at the analog models.

 

[jacoby75]

Drive the level at the transmitter fairly high with that you end up running the receiver level lower helping increase the signal to noise. That's true for most IEM transmitters.....at the analog models.

Yes, I did find that helps significantly. Thanks. It didn't make a perceptible difference with the cheapest of Chinese units, but it did help with the Shure.

 

[DCErik]

Thanks everyone! I very much appreciate the input and tips, and will try boosting the transmitter and lowering the receiver volume to improve the signal to noise. I know from my other expensive hobbies that it's generally better to buy once, but in this instance that just wasn't in the cards. But as a noob I find even the crappy unit pretty impressive. Sure beats our $100 wedge monitors!

 

[baxter_x]

For IEM I strongly advise going for analog devices, not digital.
I use digital to avoid losses for my instruments, but use analog IEM as it allows more choices of frequency and has no latency.
Latency is not an issue with one device but adding up digital devices can become problematic.

 

[s0c9]

To the OP - there’s ALWAYS some low-level static in wireless systems. It’s the associated noise floor.
The question is how to address it. If you can hear it when the band is playing, the signal chain needs to be gain staged properly.
If you can hear it when the band ISN’T playing, turn your receiver volume down if the chain has been gain staged properly.
Every wireless IEM system I have ever used/owned - Carvin, Shure (multiple models), Senn (also multiple models) and Mipro- has a noise floor no matter the band/frequency.
At best it should be imperceptible.