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Who I has gone totally wireless?

Baker69

Baker69

Mar 24, 2008
2,048
1,149
UK
#1
Ok, so I have a wireless system for my basses, a wireless system for my IEM’s, but I’m considering going wireless with my mic and also with my pedalboard to the mixer?

I don’t have a wireless mic but have been looking at the XVive U3 units which can be used to convert a standard wired mic into wireless, they also have a switch for Mic/Line so it could be used for both purposes.

Has anyone else gone down this route?
 
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#4
I'm "everything" wireless for a few years now.. mostly because less cables and all I need to worry about is batteries.
Bass, IEM and mic are all wireless.
I use the EBL AA Li rechargeable batteries. I can get 2 FULL gigs out of a set of two in each device.
Bass xmitter is on strap, while IEM receiver hooked on side of pants.

It's a lot easier to snap in a couple of batteries vs snaking cable across the stage around objects/mic stands, drums and try to avoid cable clutter (pet peeve)!
None of the gear is 2.4 or 5G.. all in the 400-660 Mhz [UHF] range.
Zero issues with interference..
 
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#6
FugaziBomb said:
I'm of the opinion that as much as possible should be hardwired for reliability & peace of mind. I've got a wireless link from my bass to my pedalboard so I can run across the stage and put on a show, but everything else is traditional cables
Click to expand...
As I said above, I've been wireless for years. Managing frequencies and interference is part of it.
I DO have cable backups ready, but have only had to use them on my bass when the batteries died mid-song. And that is on ME (battery mismanagement) not the tech. To be fair, if one stands in the same spot all gig, wireless is kind pointless, but I play some fairly large stages (think 50-100 ft cables) and I like to be 'unchained" so I can walk out front and around the stage.
As always.. YMMV
 
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#7
s0c9 said:
As I said above, I've been wireless for years. Managing frequencies and interference is part of it.
I DO have cable backups ready, but have only had to use them on my bass when the batteries died mid-song. And that is on ME (battery mismanagement) not the tech. To be fair, if one stands in the same spot all gig, wireless is kind pointless, but I play some fairly large stages (think 50-100 ft cables) and I like to be 'unchained" so I can walk out front and around the stage.
As always.. YMMV
Click to expand...
I'm saying the only wireless link you really need is between you and your pedalboard (or amp if you don't run through a board). You're not picking up your pedalboard and running across the stage with it, right?
 
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#8
FugaziBomb said:
I'm saying the only wireless link you really need is between you and your pedalboard (or amp if you don't run through a board). You're not picking up your pedalboard and running across the stage with it, right?
Click to expand...
True, but I AM moving around the stage with my bass and IEM's..
It depends on one's situation.
Wireless works for me. I've had no issues with it.
 
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#9
I ran wireless for most of my tours, but only between my board and the bass. Other than that, I doubt our tour manager would have humored me if I came at him asking for multiple wireless links between everything on our stage plot. There were also a few stages we played that specified no wireless at all, so having alternates for a bunch of links would have been a PITA for him. Also also, the local production companies already had frontline cables run for their snakes, so the benefit for us to have everything wireless would have been minimal. We never used IEMs, but had we, I'll concede that those would have to be wireless as well.
 
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#12
s0c9 said:
As I said above, I've been wireless for years. Managing frequencies and interference is part of it.
I DO have cable backups ready, but have only had to use them on my bass when the batteries died mid-song. And that is on ME (battery mismanagement) not the tech. To be fair, if one stands in the same spot all gig, wireless is kind pointless, but I play some fairly large stages (think 50-100 ft cables) and I like to be 'unchained" so I can walk out front and around the stage.
As always.. YMMV
Click to expand...
My main reason why I like being wireless with my Bass and IEM's is because I like to keep my playing area cable managed... to avoid getting tangled, or forgetting to disconnect my IEM's. Also, I have really bad OCD if my area isn't cable managed. That includes my playing area at home, or in my office/music room when we rehearse. I do like being able to move around on stage, or walk in front of FOH to hear myself through the mains... and talk to the sound guys in the back and still be able to play, and hear my mix. But I pretty much stay close to my pedalboard when playing... most of the time.

I don't think I would consider going wireless from my pedalboard to the mixer... One reason why I stopped using my BackBeat is because I don't want another device to charge batteries. I can deal with my IEM and Instrument body packs... since it's only 4x AA batteries.
 
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#13
Running cables down (before a gig anyway) isn’t an issue but our drummer tries to get as far back on the stage to the back wall as possible and cables laid on the floor behind him do get broken by being trodden on, trapped by the drum stool etc (more so on packing away than during a gig). Fed up with trying to wind my cables up after the gig (after removing the gaffa tape the vocalist has secured them to the floor with) and the cables getting stuck under stands, drum cases or the drummer standing on them so going wireless would stop all this!

I’ve recently gone ampless so am enjoying the freedom of having less gear to pack away. Even though I have the least amount of gear to pack away I’m usually no better off as I can’t get access to getting my mic and pedalboard cables up until the drummer has cleared most of his kit away.

The Xvive U3’s have brilliant reviews and I can’t justify spending hundreds on a wireless mic system, it’s just something I’m thinking about at the moment anyway and it may never actually come off.
 
#14
Baker69 said:
Ok, so I have a wireless system for my basses, a wireless system for my IEM’s, but I’m considering going wireless with my mic and also with my pedalboard to the mixer?

I don’t have a wireless mic but have been looking at the XVive U3 units which can be used to convert a standard wired mic into wireless, they also have a switch for Mic/Line so it could be used for both purposes.

Has anyone else gone down this route?
Click to expand...
Wireless makes sense in situations where you gain freedom - assuming you move around a bunch. The pedalboard to mixer connection? I wouldn't do that. The more wireless units you have on a stage, the more carefully you have to coordinate them, so they don't step on each other. 1 wireless, you just have to make sure it's on an open frequency. The second, you have to make sure it's on a different open frequency. When you add a third wireless, now you have to worry about intermod problems.

I have done this stuff - coordinated a campus with a dozen stages, and 60 wireless units on the biggest stage. You don't do that without math, a bunch of specialized knowledge, etc. If you want to get into that, feel free, but if you're going to do a decent number of units, the xvive stuff probably isn't your best bet. 2.4 GHz can be done well, if the units have enough smarts to get around interference (Shure GLXD has that). They also have 5 msec of latency. One of those delays you may not notice. 2 ( instrument or voc and in ears) you may or may not - I would, but I play with in ears and very low latency systems al the time. Adding another delay from the pedalboard to mixer? I just wouldn't do that.

No matter what you do, never go to a gig without a backup wire for each wireless system. And a backup or two past that.
 
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#15
I use a wireless for my instrument. Mic and pedalboard are wired. Our lead singer uses a wireless mic. For cable management I use gaff tape and make sure to leave enough setup time to gaff everything down. Simple, solid, and reliable.
 
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#16
Wireless to my “pedalboard”, as it were (contains only a tuner and tube DI and lives by the cabinet, or on the corner of the drum riser if no amp). Wire from said pedalboard to the amp.

Wireless IEM.

Wireless vocal mic, if I’m supplying my own.

All Sennheiser G4 and EW-D.
 
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#17
From the responses received it seems like it’s not a good idea so I’ll probably keep things as they are. If I had a an actual wireless mic it doesn’t seem like it’s an issue but the addition of a wireless device from pedalboard to the mixer is?

There is however another option I’ve thought of for this, if I use my Lekato wireless system from my bass to my Sansamp VT21 Bass DI, instead of the VT being on the floor in front of me there’s no reason why it can’t be placed on top of the mixer (on stage) with a short XLR cable into the back of the rack.
 
#19
Baker69 said:
From the responses received it seems like it’s not a good idea so I’ll probably keep things as they are. If I had a an actual wireless mic it doesn’t seem like it’s an issue but the addition of a wireless device from pedalboard to the mixer is?
Click to expand...
Again. no need for wireless there if it doesn't move during the show. I love, love, love my wireless. But there's absolutely no need for another possible point of RF issues from a stationary to the amp.

Your call from here. Do as you see fit. If you think you need wireless there, by all means, have at it.
 
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#20
My pedalboard that has the XLR out from KHAN VTDI to mixer (or stage drop box depending on venue) sits back where most amps go.
It's NOT up front by the mic stand like many guitar players have theirs.
I don't have an amp, so my wireless units sit in a rack under my pedalboard, with bass wireless OUT going to pedalboard input.

ALL the bands I play in have their own IEM systems on stage using a variety of mixers - DL16S, X32R, UI24R, etc.
They either have their own splitter snake or get splits from the house having plugged into house stage boxes.
Those venues have their own FOH guys.
At some venues we send L/R feeds to House PA while mixing from the stage.
So I need [only] 3 XLR's..
1 XLR from VTDI to mixer/house
1 XLR from wireless mic to mixer/house
1 (or 2 if stereo) XLR from mixer to IEM wireless under pedalboard.
It's really compact, sets up in minutes and requires some battery management.

This may not be typical setup in other areas, but it is for the venues I play.
YMMV
 
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