Line 6 G50 wireless packed up - what next?

[DWBass]

The Lekato (and similar systems) work great. I'll never ever spend high dollars for wireless systems again! Never liked the Line 6 systems. I bought a G30 system and it had break up immediately at only 10-15ft away from the receiver. Promptly returned it.

 

[Bill Thorsberg]

The one I’ve been using and which we are discussing is the Line 6 G50 wireless unit.

I meant to say what kind of wireless IEM do you use.

 

[tadawson]

Which is why the new generation of rechargeable wireless devices work so well - no packs, no batteries - just plug and play.

This past weekend using my Boss WL-20 at a wedding I wandered off into the audience. No drop outs, no noticeable latency, no cable, no pack - just a small plug sticking out of my bass.

Again, I bought the expensive tuner/wireless pedal by Sure but why add more to my gig bag than I already need. The Lekato and Boss have been workhorses for me for about three years. Anything more is overkill… for me.

On a side note - I love these wireless units so much I got a pitchjack tuner which is pretty much the same concept - small, clips in so noise doesn’t interfere, fits easily into my gig bag. It’s a shame they don’t make them anymore so I grab them up when I find them reasonably priced.

Yeah, they just turn to junk when the unchangeable battery fails. The rest of us just spend a few buck for new batteries and rock on. (Same with going dead at a gig . . . we change and go, built in battbusers are screwed . . .).

 

[Core Creek]

Yeah, they just turn to junk when the unchangeable battery fails. The rest of us just spend a few buck for new batteries and rock on. (Same with going dead at a gig . . . we change and go, built in battbusers are screwed . . .).

Three years on both my units and they hold a charge AND both get me through 3+ hour gigs.

There are trade-offs with both styles. Sure, battery changes will keep those units going longer. But they come with bulkier packs and bulkier receivers. But isn’t it nice we have choices? Some people prefer battery changes and bulky packs. I personally would rather take compact even if it means my system becomes obsolete when the battery finally dies. To each their own.

 

[bikeplate]

Shure pedal tuner

 

[DonaldR]

Shure pedal tuner

You should read OP original post and replies, and specially post #39...

 

[tadawson]

Three years on both my units and they hold a charge AND both get me through 3+ hour gigs.

There are trade-offs with both styles. Sure, battery changes will keep those units going longer. But they come with bulkier packs and bulkier receivers. But isn’t it nice we have choices? Some people prefer battery changes and bulky packs. I personally would rather take compact even if it means my system becomes obsolete when the battery finally dies. To each their own.

Three years is trivial . . . . I eagerly await the return to replaceable batteries in phones, as mandated in the EU myself, and I've never seen a pack that doesn't pretty much become unnoticeable when attached to the strap. You do you, but for a lot of folks, the ability to maintain and service is critical.

 

[juancaminos]

Fair point.
Not even the bathroom, the stage itself!
You can of course clean cables but I pretty much never do

I have been wireless for many years. But I do have wired mic and other pa related cables which I clean regularly.

 

[Core Creek]

Three years is trivial . . . . I eagerly await the return to replaceable batteries in phones, as mandated in the EU myself, and I've never seen a pack that doesn't pretty much become unnoticeable when attached to the strap. You do you, but for a lot of folks, the ability to maintain and service is critical.

Just look at post #34 in this thread - put the strap on his shoulder and the batteries came out… that’s pretty noticeable to me and that’s not going to happen with an all in one rechargeable system.

 

[tadawson]

Just look at post #34 in this thread - put the strap on his shoulder and the batteries came out… that’s pretty noticeable to me and that’s not going to happen with an all in one rechargeable system.

*IF* and *ONLY IF* you fail to latch the batery compartment (as I believe he stated)! Utterly irrelevant overall! (The packs I have, that would be impossible by design unless metal broke . . . perhaps the problem isn't as much "needs a non-serviceanle battery" but "too cheap to be reliable".

 

[Core Creek]

*IF* and *ONLY IF* you fail to latch the batery compartment (as I believe he stated)! Utterly irrelevant overall! (The packs I have, that would be impossible by design unless metal broke . . . perhaps the problem isn't as much "needs a non-serviceanle battery" but "too cheap to be reliable".

Ah, so you’re equating cost with reliability?

If it makes you feel better having spent more money on a system, great. But many of us are just fine having spent 1/4 of the $, not had batteries fall out, not had to carry a pedal sized receiver or have to mount a receiver in a separate rack.

This conversation is feeling rather redundant. There’s a place for both types of units, and both units have their pluses and minuses. If anything, factoring in cost only makes the all-in-one rechargeable systems look better to me, with equal reliability.

I’ve used both systems and both have held up just fine. When you’ve given both a go and find one has failed on you, report back and let us know.

 

[erayser]

Just look at post #34 in this thread - put the strap on his shoulder and the batteries came out… that’s pretty noticeable to me and that’s not going to happen with an all in one rechargeable system.

That wasn't the point of my post. I only mentioned it to say that backup cables is a good idea if going wireless. The battery falling out was my fault because I didn't securely shut the battery door on my body pack. Again... it's all preferences. But if I had a choice between a transmitter pack that uses AA batteries, and be able to change them out myself easily, or a transmitter with proprietary internal batteries... I prefer to have a transmitter pack that takes standard AA batteries that I can swap out easily. My batteries do last me the day, and through the week... but I do carry backup fully charged batteries in case I need them for backup... like backup cables.

 

[tadawson]

Ah, so you’re equating cost with reliability?

If it makes you feel better having spent more money on a system, great. But many of us are just fine having spent 1/4 of the $, not had batteries fall out, not had to carry a pedal sized receiver or have to mount a receiver in a separate rack.

This conversation is feeling rather redundant. There’s a place for both types of units, and both units have their pluses and minuses. If anything, factoring in cost only makes the all-in-one rechargeable systems look better to me, with equal reliability.

I’ve used both systems and both have held up just fine. When you’ve given both a go and find one has failed on you, report back and let us know.

If you seriously think that cheap craptastic build quality that lets things fall apart isn't a factor in quality, you are beuond my anikity to either understand or help. Yes, crap is crap, mo matter the co$t, but it does tend to hug the bottom end . . . I've used both, and run (not walk) away from the cheap craptastic kiddie toys . . . interference tolerance, frequency agility, durability, longevity, signal quality . . . mo comparison. (And no, I won't run toys in 2.4G either . . .)

 

[klattman]

View attachment 5470014

I HAD TWO OF THE OF THE OLDER MODELS (DISCONTINURED...OF COURSE!) AND HAD ZERO PROBLEMS WITH THEM. THE NEW ONE IS A DUAL BAND AND IS PROBABLY JUST AS RELIABLE.

I have one of the old and one of the new. The new one is better because it has an input jack. If the tx is too noisy you can plug in and still have the tuner. My favorite by far and I haven’t had a problem yet.

 

[tshapiro]

With my setup cost is not a factor… and the Nux 5.8htz model has been flawless in high interference environments. I also like the charging case. $159. Had the Line 6 G50 previously. Like the smaller form factor as well… seen below at a recent gig.

 

[Baker69]

I meant to say what kind of wireless IEM do you use.

All the band use LD MEI 1000 G2 systems, really good quality for pretty much an entry level system. We all get on well with them, we do have different personal choices on the ear buds though, I use KZ ZS10 Pro’s a couple of guys have Shure SE215 and the vocalist has custom moulds.

 

[Baker69]

I’m still trying to identify the fault on my G50, if anyone has a Line 6 G50 system could you please let me know what LED’s are visible when you switch on the receiver (with the transmitter pack switched off)?

I’m assuming it is just the single blue power LED, do the signal and battery lights only come on once you’ve switched on the transmitter? I’m just trying to identify whether the issue could be with the transmitter and not the receiver.

At the moment I’m only getting the blue power LED on the receiver, the transmitter switches on and I get the blue & green LED’s and the screen is on but I have had an issue before with the on-off slide switch not connecting properly.

I’ve ordered the Lekato 5.8ghz but if there was a way of possibly fixing the G50 I would like to do it, or replace either the receiver or transmitter but I need to identify which part has the issue.

 

[Baker69]

I’m still trying to identify the fault on my G50, if anyone has a Line 6 G50 system could you please let me know what LED’s are visible when you switch on the receiver (with the transmitter pack switched off)?

I’m assuming it is just the single blue power LED, do the signal and battery lights only come on once you’ve switched on the transmitter? I’m just trying to identify whether the issue could be with the transmitter and not the receiver.

At the moment I’m only getting the blue power LED on the receiver, the transmitter switches on and I get the blue & green LED’s and the screen is on but I have had an issue before with the on-off slide switch not connecting properly.

I’ve ordered the Lekato 5.8ghz but if there was a way of possibly fixing the G50 I would like to do it, or replace either the receiver or transmitter but I need to identify which part has the issue.

UPDATE

The Legato arrived today so after charging both units I tried it out this evening.

The quality of the receiver and transmitter are not too bad but the type of plastic used is reflected in the price of these things, the on/off slide switches are fairly positive in operation and I think it highly unlikely for them to get accidentally switched on or off. Once switched on the units sync together pretty much instantly.

There is a fair amount of adjustment in the units and it’s easy to find a suitable position, I tried them on a Strat and also my SUB Ray 5 which has the input socket on the pickguard. With them being new the swivel is fairly tight but I expect this may loosen up as they wear in.

Sound wise they are crystal clear, I A/B’d them with my Line 6 Relay G50 (which I managed to fix by the way!) and there wasn’t really any noticeable difference although for some reason the Lekato seemed a fraction louder? I really need to do a cable comparison test which I might do tomorrow. Playing them at home they performed perfectly but I don’t have anything that could interfere with the reception too much.

At the moment I would definitely have the confidence in using them at a gig.

Anyway, on to the Line 6 Relay G50, I wasn’t convinced the fault lay with the receiver and having had a previous issue with the on/off slide switch on the transmitter I decided to strip it down and have a look at it. It seemed to be working ok as I was getting the blue power LED and green audio LED. I removed and refitted the ribbon cable to the thin circuit board and turned the on/off slide switch quite a few times as I thinking perhaps it wasn’t making full contact. Once I’d put it back together and put the batteries in it worked right away with all the green lights on the receiver unit! I hope this will last quite a while now, but at least now I have the Lekato as a backup.
I might consider getting a replacement transmitter for the G50 now I know what the issue is.

 

[Baker69]

The Lekato (and similar systems) work great. I'll never ever spend high dollars for wireless systems again! Never liked the Line 6 systems. I bought a G30 system and it had break up immediately at only 10-15ft away from the receiver. Promptly returned it.

All good with my Lekato 5.8 so far, it’s a shame it doesn’t have a battery condition feature otherwise it would be spot on. I’m a bit OCD at the moment about the battery life even though they state 5 hours.

 

[DWBass]

All good with my Lekato 5.8 so far, it’s a shame it doesn’t have a battery condition feature otherwise it would be spot on. I’m a bit OCD at the moment about the battery life even though they state 5 hours.

I have this model. It's in the Mhz range. Not a fan of 2.4 or 5.8 range models. It has a battery meter on the side.