When playing live, do you use wireless to connect your instrument?

[ThinCrappyTone2]

The eternal question: I am trying to determine whether or not to use a wireless to connect my instrument to my amp, when playing live.

Factors pushing me to get a wireless
• Just played a gig with a sound company, and had no idea what it sounded like out front. Would be great to be able to walk out during sound check and really know.

• We’ll be running our own sound at some gigs, and it seems essential to be able to walk out front during a sound check and hear what it really sounds like, and make adjustments.

• Seems like just about every professional I ever see on stage is using a wireless

Factors making me think I should not get a wireless
• One more set of possible failures to worry about. Dropouts, weird wireless stuff, batteries, and extra pieces of gear talking to each other.

• Spoke to a buddy who plays 100 or so cover band shows a year, from bars to bigger stages. Asked him if he and his band use wireless. Answer was “yes, but… everyone’s wireless is broken right now, so we’re all back to wired for the time being.” He added that they all use the $500 Shure solution. Which “works great,” but I guess is “easily breakable.” Or maybe they’re just not that careful.

I mentioned the similar Sennheiser, which he said “eats batteries” and the Xvive as encountering interference too often to be reliable.

He mentioned that he is considering the more expensive $1,000ish Shure, but it’s a rack-style unit, so would require running a cable out to the pedalboard then back to his amp. So for now, everyone is “back to cables”

All of that info makes me say “uggghhh… too much trouble”

Any thoughts, experiences, tales of success or tales of woe, advice and/or warnings would be greatly appreciated!

 

[morrisonhendrix]

Once you go wireless, it's hard to go back to a cable. Even though you get a little bit better quality with the cable, it's negligible playing live. I've tried several systems, and besides my Line 6 XDR system (which is not made anymore and is a UHF freq.), which works flawlessly, I've settled for these linked below, which have worked flawlessly and are cheap. These are on 5.8 ghz frequency, so they don't get interference like the 2.4 ghz systems do. I thought it was too go to be true, but they work great. I've have two pair, one for each bass onstage.

https://www.amazon.com/LEKATO-Trans...6525591&sprefix=wireless+guitar,aps,88&sr=8-7

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

Once you go wireless, it's hard to go back to a cable. Even though you get a little bit better quality with the cable, it's negligible playing live. I've tried several systems, and besides my Line 6 XDR system (which is not made anymore and is a UHF freq.), which works flawlessly, I've settled for these linked below, which have worked flawlessly and are cheap. These are on 5.8 ghz frequency, so they don't get interference like the 2.4 ghz systems do. I thought it was too go to be true, but they work great. I've have two pair, one for each bass onstage.

https://www.amazon.com/LEKATO-Transmitter-Transmission-Frequency-Rechargeable/dp/B07TYRQ222/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1Z742VMJVE064&keywords=wireless+guitar+transmitter+receiver&qid=1656525591&sprefix=wireless+guitar,aps,88&sr=8-7

Thank you for the info @morrisonhendrix ! i will check it out!

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

Once you go wireless, it's hard to go back to a cable. Even though you get a little bit better quality with the cable, it's negligible playing live. I've tried several systems, and besides my Line 6 XDR system (which is not made anymore and is a UHF freq.), which works flawlessly, I've settled for these linked below, which have worked flawlessly and are cheap. These are on 5.8 ghz frequency, so they don't get interference like the 2.4 ghz systems do. I thought it was too go to be true, but they work great. I've have two pair, one for each bass onstage.

https://www.amazon.com/LEKATO-Transmitter-Transmission-Frequency-Rechargeable/dp/B07TYRQ222/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1Z742VMJVE064&keywords=wireless+guitar+transmitter+receiver&qid=1656525591&sprefix=wireless+guitar,aps,88&sr=8-7

Just checked the link. Dang, that’s super inexpensive compared to other options. Might have to pick that up and see how it goes. Thanks again @morrisonhendrix

 

[LBS-bass]

I use these, very similar.

https://www.amazon.com/Getaria-Wire...+wireless+transmitter+receiver,aps,174&sr=8-9

No real problems with them, sometimes I have to turn the receiver off and on again to get it to connect correctly initially, but for the price that's a minor hassle. I've had mine for two years and will probably order another set soon so that I can have them on hand in case the ones I have go bad.

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

I use these, very similar.

https://www.amazon.com/Getaria-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Channels/dp/B07YTBJF5P/ref=sr_1_9?crid=YJCP65G793AC&keywords=guitalia+wireless+transmitter+receiver&qid=1656527280&sprefix=guitalia+wireless+transmitter+receiver,aps,174&sr=8-9

No real problems with them, sometimes I have to turn the receiver off and on again to get it to connect correctly initially, but for the price that's a minor hassle. I've had mine for two years and will probably order another set soon so that I can have them on hand in case the ones I have go bad.

Wow, this is great to hear @LBS-bass ! I was looking at and agonizing over the price of options that were waaay more expensive. Thanks for the info!

 

[LBS-bass]

Wow, this is great to hear @LBS-bass ! I was looking at and agonizing over the price of options that were waaay more expensive. Thanks for the info!

You bet. You will get a little low-end loss from these, but I just compensate with EQ and don't really notice it being a problem in the mix.

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

You bet. You will get a little low-end loss from these, but I just compensate with EQ and don't really notice it being a problem in the mix.

Good to know… hmm maybe that means i can ditch the HPF

 

[LBS-bass]

Good to know… hmm maybe that means i can ditch the HPF

Nah, the HPF does something a little different. It's not EQ per se, it rolls off the very bottom frequencies and keeps your gear from working too hard to push out potentially damaging frequencies nobody can hear. So overall it makes your rig more efficient. At least that's part of my understanding of it.

 

[MrLenny1]

I have a Line 6 G10 and like it
Drop outs are rare.

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

Nah, the HPF does something a little different. It's not EQ per se, it rolls off the very bottom frequencies and keeps your gear from working too hard to push out potentially damaging frequencies nobody can hear. So overall it makes your rig more efficient. At least that's part of my understanding of it.

got it, makes sense!

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

I have a Line 6 G10 and like it
Drop outs are rare.

Thanks @MrLenny1 !

 

[LBS-bass]

got it, makes sense!

I also use it to dial out boominess in some settings but I just tweak it until I get a nice clean sound and then I'm where I want to be.

 

[morrisonhendrix]

I have a Line 6 G10 and like it
Drop outs are rare.

That's surprising. I had a Line 6 G30 that constantly dropped out.

 

[walksupright]

I have tripped over too many cables, usually on the smallest stages, so using a wireless is an issue of safety for me and easy enough to justify. There is a wide range in price and quality and the good ones aren’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. I recently had a Line 6 g30, but upgraded to a Shure glxd for the superior build quality and built-in strobe tuner. Very happy with it so far.

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

I have tripped over too many cables, usually on the smallest stages, so using a wireless is an issue of safety for me and easy enough to justify. There is a wide range in price and quality and the good ones aren’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. I recently had a Line 6 g30, but upgraded to a Shure glxd for the superior build quality and built-in strobe tuner. Very happy with it so far.

thanks @walksupright ! compelling reasons. Thank you for the info

 

[AEVAREX]

I've been using a line 6 G50 for about 6 years now. Using it a minimum of 3 times per week(2 - 4 hours per session) every week the entire 6 years. During that time I did have a very brief dropout twice on a gig, brief being about a second. On said night with the dropouts I knew that signal traffic was high as I always analyze the venue for the best channel to use. And it was crowded that night.
As to battery life I can only attest to using lithium batteries, and I go 3 to 3 1/2 weeks on a set. The downfall of using lithium is that the battery meter is basically useless as lithium puts out about max voltage up untill they are about done and then drop off very fast. When the meter drops from 3(full) to 2 lights I get 3 to 5 minutes at best and that's it. So I do actually put in a fresh set for every gig just to be on the safe side.
Durability has not been an issue at all. That being said I do take good care of my gear. Base unit lives on my pedal board and the transmitter lives on the one strap that I use. Have a sweat wristband slipped over the transmitter for protection from banging around as well as the security in keeping the battery door from inadvertently getting opened(not that this has happened). Still using the same angled cable from day one as well.
Being able to walk out front during a gig is a great "tool" to have. Not having to worry about what my cable has gotten itself into while playing is one less thing on my mind during a gig too. So as you can probably tell I am very happy with my wireless setup.

 

[One Way]

If you have an active bass (or one with hot pickups) heed the wireless system manufacturer’s specification if the wireless system is suitable. I really liked playing wireless however the inexpensive system I bought stated it was not suitable for active basses. I thought I’d buy it anyway and they were right. It worked well with my P and J basses however the G&L’s with MFD pickups produced too hot a signal when using the wireless and I experienced distortion and drop outs.

 

[Danny C]

I hang within 6-10 feet of my amp. I'm not a run around the stage guy but tripping over cables is not something I want to deal with when trying to groove. I don't always use it but I should. A few more minutes of set up time and the tuner is way more accurate than a clip on. I have a Shure GLXD16. Very well built. I have it attached to the top of my WD800 with velcro so nothing on the floor. The battery life is amazing. I don't notice any difference in sound quality in live situations. When I do use a cable it's Nogami with Nutrix ends. I use active and passive basses.

 

[LBS-bass]

If you have an active bass (or one with hot pickups) heed the wireless system manufacturer’s specification if the wireless system is suitable. I really liked playing wireless however the inexpensive system I bought stated it was not suitable for active basses. I thought I’d buy it anyway and they were right. It worked well with my P and J basses however the G&L’s with MFD pickups produced too hot a signal when using the wireless and I experienced distortion and drop outs.

For the record, all of my basses are active and I've had no problems with the inexpensive systems. I had heard of these sorts of problems and was a bit apprehensive at first, but the ones I use work just fine. It's a known problem with some of them, though.

I've also never had a drop-out using a 5.8 system. I understand the 2.4 ones are a bit more troublesome.