Which wireless?

[BassAdder60]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Although everything can have an argument, I am not sure I see what the argument for wireless for pub gigs is. The wireless costs less than £50, means I don't tread on any leads, I can go out the front and the end of the hall to check on levels at setup, and I can wander around.

I am not sure I am seeing any downside there?

+ 1 this ^

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Although everything can have an argument, I am not sure I see what the argument for wireless for pub gigs is. The wireless costs less than £50, means I don't tread on any leads, I can go out the front and the end of the hall to check on levels at setup, and I can wander around.

I am not sure I am seeing any downside there?

+1

Edited July 24, 2023 by ossyrocks

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I think there's an argument for questioning the need for wireless at all if the gigs are all pub based. The only reason I bought one was because the 80's show requires movement on sometimes quite large stages. That said, I do also use it for pub/club gigs because it's already on my board. I'm not sure the GLXD even qualifies as tour grade. You can spend an awful lot more on more powerful units.

Yes, it's expensive, but in my opinion, it's worth it. I've probably saved its value in AA batteries had I still been using the Line 6 🤣

Having gone wireless for the first time this year after 40 years of being in bands playing small venues and pub gigs, the argument for me is startling. I've never felt this much freedom to move around, or from clutter under my feet, it's a revelation, so much so that I actually get greater enjoyment out of playing than if I was on a lead. Us weekend warriors feel the benefit too you know.

[BassAdder60]

14 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

Having gone wireless for the first time this year after 40 years of being in bands playing small venues and pub gigs, the argument for me is startling. I've never felt this much freedom to move around, or from clutter under my feet, it's a revelation, so much so that I actually get greater enjoyment out of playing than if I was on a lead. Us weekend warriors feel the benefit too you know.

+1 this, I totally agree it’s a very liberating feeling not being tethered !! 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Absolutely agree. I wouldn't go back to cable unless I had to, even for small gigs.

Latency with the Shure is a non-issue as far I'm concerned. To be fair, the Line 6 was also spot on in that regard, but it ate batteries like they were going out of fashion. That rattled my confidence with it somewhat as I mainly used it with active basses which seemed to exacerbate the issue.

[Paul S]

I've been wireless for a few years now because of all the reasons above.  I've played theatres, I've played pubs that struggle to fit in more than 30 people.  I don't see what venue size has to do with it, really - many big name bands I have seen live use instrument leads, many don't.  I see it as more of a choice thing. 

 

I use a Boss WL-50 - have done for 3 years or more and it has never put a foot wrong.  It costs £180 +/-.  The Shure kit costs £540 +/- and by all accounts doesn't put a foot wrong.  But I wonder what extra value I would get from the Shure that the Boss doesn't deliver, given that it has been 100% on point? 

 

But then my main gigging bass at the moment is a 70s Eros short scale EB-3 that cost me £220.  Maybe I am just a tightwad  

 

I have dispensed with the mains lead, too, by using a rechargeable power brick for my rudimentary pedalboard.  I already DI into the pa so that leaves one more to ditch - is it possible to go wireless between the pedalboard and the desk?  I see no reason why not.  There's a thought....  

[EBS_freak]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Absolutely agree. I wouldn't go back to cable unless I had to, even for small gigs.

Latency with the Shure is a non-issue as far I'm concerned. To be fair, the Line 6 was also spot on in that regard, but it ate batteries like they were going out of fashion. That rattled my confidence with it somewhat as I mainly used it with active basses which seemed to exacerbate the issue.

Latency in Groups 1 and 3 is 4.53ms (still on the high side) which paints a different story to the 8ms worst case scenario that the video mentions.

 

Line6 battery life is decimated because of the output power that the transmitters work at. If you put it into low power mode, you'll find that it will more than service the needs of the average user of their systems. The use of active basses with wireless should have no impact.

[Jack]

The argument for wireless in a pub gig is the following. I haven't used a cable in about 15 years.

 

[EBS_freak]

3 minutes ago, Jack said:

The argument for wireless in a pub gig is the following. I haven't used a cable in about 15 years.

 

Magnets!

[Jack]

11 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Magnets!

An excellent solution to be fair. The problem with the magnets though is that they  misalign the electrons in my flow though and cause the tone to arrive with a phase differential that can negatively affect the time smear of my signal. That's my excuse for playing D# when it should have been D anyway.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 hour ago, EBS_freak said:

Magnets!

I never knew that was a thing. Every day is a school day as they say 🤷‍♂️

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

16 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

Latency in Groups 1 and 3 is 4.53ms (still on the high side) which paints a different story to the 8ms worst case scenario that the video mentions.

 

Line6 battery life is decimated because of the output power that the transmitters work at. If you put it into low power mode, you'll find that it will more than service the needs of the average user of their systems. The use of active basses with wireless should have no impact.

Probably just me then. I know I was going through an incredible amount of AA’s and just put it down to using active basses.

Whatever the numbers are regarding latency, I know I can’t hear it and I’m the only one listening for it.

[EBS_freak]

Wireless tends to chomp through AAs. In my wireless units, I tend to use Eneloops. I recharge for every gig. They have a life span of 3-4 hours. (EW500 (mics), ULXD (mics), PSM900 (IEMs), EW300 (IEMs))

 

Would be super pricey if using one time use. I started out with procells until I figured out how much it was costing and the environmental impact of binning batteries with 30% still left (but not enough to do a gig)

[maidens97]

I have a Shure GLXD16+ arriving tomorrow morning ready for a show tomorrow night. I have only previously used a line 6 G30 but I lost the transmitter in a house move somehow so I’m left only with the transmitter receiver which is useless to me now. Will report back on how I find the Shure unit. Is expensive but is supposed to be one of the best in the business so shall see how it holds up! The fact it replaces my poly tune is a big plus as well as I currently use a pedaltrain nano.

 

the line 6 g30 worked fine for most shows however as others have said, it eats through batteries so ends up costing rather a lot to use. I also did have drop outs at some shows with that unit so always had a cable next to my board incase. This Shure unit allows you to use a cable also if anything goes wrong which is also a plus, rather than ripping up pedals.

Edited July 25, 2023 by maidens97

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I have to say, I do like that idea of being to whack a cable in it should any problems arise. 

[Lozz196]

Whenever I use a wireless kit I always put a lead on top of the amp in readiness for problems. Fortunately never needed one yet........

[maidens97]

12 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I have to say, I do like that idea of being to whack a cable in it should any problems arise. 

In fairness I believe the boss WL50/60 also do this but I really hate the dongle approach that the WL50 has.

[BigRedX]

I've abandoned wireless for the moment. 

 

For both bands we are back to playing smaller stages when we headline, and when we are on the bigger stages we're generally crammed in at the front after the headliners have set everything up, and since most of the time I'm pretty much stood on top of the Helix and the pedal that controls the backing, I really can't see the point of not using a lead. When I'm set up stage left I run the lead from the Helix around the left side of the stage and then behind me so it is completely out of the way of my (and the rest of the band's feet). 

 

Having said that I will be playing Sheffield O2 Arena next month, so I might have a look at trying the wireless system in rehearsal first.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, maidens97 said:

In fairness I believe the boss WL50/60 also do this but I really hate the dongle approach that the WL50 has.

Ah that's interesting, why? 

 

I'm the opposite - really love the compact form factor of the dongle approach used by the Boss WL-20 and alternatives. No fuss: just plug and play and doesn't take up pedal board space. 

[maidens97]

Just now, Al Krow said:

Ah that's interesting, why? 

 

I'm the opposite - really love the compact form factor of the dongle approach used by the Boss WL-20 and alternatives. No fuss: just plug and play and doesn't take up pedal board space. 

I wouldn't mind it if I was using a bass where the jack input isn't on the front maybe. I don't like the idea of a dongle getting caught on something and causing damage, is a lot harder to do with a normal right angle jack.

[Al Krow]

Just now, maidens97 said:

I wouldn't mind it if I was using a bass where the jack input isn't on the front maybe. I don't like the idea of a dongle getting caught on something and causing damage, is a lot harder to do with a normal right angle jack.

Ah that's fair enough. 

 

Some dongles give you best of both worlds eg the Nux 5.8Ghz, effectively allowing you to hinge into a right angle jack. 

[Paul S]

Could always stick the dongle in a strap-mounted holder and use an extension lead into the output jack?

[EBS_freak]

I hate the look of dongles. Much prefer the cleaner look of a cable going to pack.

[warwickhunt]

22 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

I hate the look of dongles. Much prefer the cleaner look of a cable going to pack.

 

Agree (even though I use one)... now if only you could ditch the useless plastic and just put the chip internal on the bass!  No dongle, no cable; it would drive tech savvy watchers mad at a gig.  LOL

 

[Paul S]

24 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

 

Agree (even though I use one)... now if only you could ditch the useless plastic and just put the chip internal on the bass!  No dongle, no cable; it would drive tech savvy watchers mad at a gig.  LOL

 

Genius. Why not?