Wireless on DB

[Burns-bass]

Hi all.

 

I’ve recently started considering going wireless with the double bass after several issues at gigs where the cable was removed from the pickup.

 

Does anyone here use one?

 

I have the G75 system and it’s brilliant. But the relay is big and I may need to mount it on the bass.

 

I use a Realist pickup so this would probably need to be on the tailpiece. Would love to hear your experiences, opinions etc.

[keeponehandloose]

Do it.. jam it behind the tailpiece with a bit of foam, that also helps stop it vibrating as a potential cause of feedback. Used a G75 for years, now upgraded to a Shure.

[pete.young]

I use a Smoothhound with a bit of velcro stuck on the tail piece just below the output socket to stop it flapping in the breeze.

[TheRev]

I use the Line 6 G10ii. Of all the bug-style wireless units I tried, it sounded the most transparent.

 

I also used to suffer from unintended lead removal - I installed a locking jack socket and used a velcro cable tie to secure the cable to my tailpiece.

 

Wireless is the better solution though.

 

[Jakester]

I use a Boss WL20 and have occasionally used it with the DB fine.

 

Because it's so light it could just 'hang' from the jack with no issue, and I've never had a problem with it since I've started using it. It's on your old Realist pickup which the jack is looped through the tailpiece so is sort of held parallel to it (no banging, knocking etc) - though I imagine if you're fairly vigorous it might wobble around a bi. 

[Burns-bass]

Perfect. Thanks for the encouragement guys.

 

In going to spend a week or two trialling it.

 

Have a NYE gig but think I’ll stick with wires for that

 

[Burns-bass]

16 hours ago, TheRev said:

I use the Line 6 G10ii. Of all the bug-style wireless units I tried, it sounded the most transparent.

 

I also used to suffer from unintended lead removal - I installed a locking jack socket and used a velcro cable tie to secure the cable to my tailpiece.

 

Wireless is the better solution though.

 

Can I ask what battery life you get?

[MacDaddy]

I'm back and forth on this. First I used the wireless, but as my EUB is on a stand and not moving I thought it a bit pointless so went back to a lead. But then I went back to the wireless because it keeps the stage cable clear. Next, I left the wireless at home because I already take a lead as backup and it's just another item of equipment to take/carry...

[TheRev]

4 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

Can I ask what battery life you get?

It's never run out on me so I don't know!

I've done 2 x 45 min sets without a recharge.  Usually I only recharge it between the soundcheck and the start of the gig - so 30 min or so, and it's fine for the rest of the night.

It has a feature where the transmitter shuts itself off if there's no signal for 90 seconds (or thereabouts). You wake it up again by playing a couple of notes.  It's a useful feature which helps reserve the battery, but I've been caught out a few times when our singer has gone on a bit with his audience banter and I haven't noticed it's shut itself down.

Edited December 21, 2024 by TheRev

[Happy Jack]

I've tried this with the Line 6 system, with the Smoothound unit, and with wireless bugs (X-vive, Joyo, Lekato).

 

When they work they all sound exactly the same - as you'd expect. The Line 6 was the most 'stable' once in position, i.e. the least likely to give connectivity issues, but was far and away the most additional faff at a gig that I really didn't need, especially since almost all my DB gigs are doubling gigs. The Line 6 requires the most extra kit, the most pluggery, the most extra options to trip you up just before the start of set #1.

 

I have a Line 6 unit in perfect nick in a protective case safely gathering dust in my studio. Haven't used it in several years.

 

All the 'bug' systems (and that includes for these purposes the Smoothound) are far easier to use and have far less to go wrong. The Smoothound requires a plugged-in base station with very fragile antennae so I sold mine. The expensive X-vive and the cheap Joyo/Lekato (basically the same units but badged differently) are indistinguishable in use at a gig but share one common but intermittent problem ... they seem sensitive to the combination of vibration + angle of dangle which can produce a sort of juddering cutting out when you're pushing hard. The angle at which you have the main bug to the jack going into the socket - these are usually hinged units, remember - can encourage or damp down this vibration, but whatever angle you start at can change during the gig as gravity does its thing.

 

For this reason I now use only https://www.amazon.co.uk/JOYO-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Instruments/dp for DB, whilst continuing to use X-vive and Joyo bugs for electric bass.

 

The fact that the bug holder is also a recharging unit can be an absolute life-saver if you're gigging intensively.

[pete.young]

4 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

 

The fact that the bug holder is also a recharging unit can be an absolute life-saver if you're gigging intensively.

 

The link you gave for the JOYO gear comes up 404 for me. It was going pretty well until this point. I find it a lot easier to carry loads of AAA batteries in various locations and change when necessary, that to remember that I need to recharge the bug, and woe betide you if you forget - back to the cable.

[Burns-bass]

5 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

I've tried this with the Line 6 system, with the Smoothound unit, and with wireless bugs (X-vive, Joyo, Lekato).

 

When they work they all sound exactly the same - as you'd expect. The Line 6 was the most 'stable' once in position, i.e. the least likely to give connectivity issues, but was far and away the most additional faff at a gig that I really didn't need, especially since almost all my DB gigs are doubling gigs. The Line 6 requires the most extra kit, the most pluggery, the most extra options to trip you up just before the start of set #1.

 

I have a Line 6 unit in perfect nick in a protective case safely gathering dust in my studio. Haven't used it in several years.

 

All the 'bug' systems (and that includes for these purposes the Smoothound) are far easier to use and have far less to go wrong. The Smoothound requires a plugged-in base station with very fragile antennae so I sold mine. The expensive X-vive and the cheap Joyo/Lekato (basically the same units but badged differently) are indistinguishable in use at a gig but share one common but intermittent problem ... they seem sensitive to the combination of vibration + angle of dangle which can produce a sort of juddering cutting out when you're pushing hard. The angle at which you have the main bug to the jack going into the socket - these are usually hinged units, remember - can encourage or damp down this vibration, but whatever angle you start at can change during the gig as gravity does its thing.

 

For this reason I now use only https://www.amazon.co.uk/JOYO-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Instruments/dp for DB, whilst continuing to use X-vive and Joyo bugs for electric bass.

 

The fact that the bug holder is also a recharging unit can be an absolute life-saver if you're gigging intensively.

Cheers Jack. The issue I have with the G75 is that it’s a big unit and if I move it’s a little unstable is kept in place with Velcro and I can’t slip it in place for obvious reasons. 

 

I think the bug unit is the way to go. 

 

Smoothound looks great but is out of stock. 
 

I don’t want to open up a can of worms, but given you and I are similar Jack, can you share the link to the unit you use (or message me).

 

Just finished a gig and I nearly had someone whack a lead out. 
 

 

[Happy Jack]

Deal: JOYO 5.8Ghz Wireless Guitar Transmitter and Receiver Wireless Guitar Bass System with Charging Box 4 Signal Channel for Guitar Bass Electric Instruments (JW-06) https://amzn.eu/d/gq0JGBQ

 

[Burns-bass]

Will order today. 

[PaulKing]

@Happy Jack - have you ever looked up input impedance of the Joyo transmitter?

I just picked one up (JW-02S without charging unit) to use with bass guitar. Ran a few tests and I have to say it performs bloody well - frequency distribution barely distinguishable from cable. Possibly some limitation of upper harmonics above 600k, but that could easily be how I was plucking strings. Nice.

 

But can I use it with upright / piezo? I'll give it a try, but I've a feeling the input impedance might be too low. Can't find any info on-line, apart from a spec for the older JW-02, which quotes a measly 220KOhms.

That's gonna be too low for a piezo really, expect it'll thin the sound out a bit. Do you ever notice that??

 

It's one of the main things I've always liked about the Line6 gear (which I'm still using for upright gigs) - transmitter input impedance is 1.3MOhms. 👍 

 

    

Edited 7 hours ago by PaulKing

[itu]

12 minutes ago, PaulKing said:

Possibly some limitation of upper harmonics above 600k... 

Say what? 

[PaulKing]

20 minutes ago, itu said:

Say what? 

I ran it through spectrum analyser! Fundamental notes were identical, but some harmonics peaks were missing with Joyo compared to cable.

Plus it just sounded a bit ... emptier in the high-mids. But like I say, could've been how I was playing it.

I also played some single notes and the spectrums were pretty much identical, to be fair.

[Happy Jack]

I'm still using my Lekato bugs at every gig, and I bought a second set so that I can use them for both DB and electric bass.

 

I haven't measured input impedance and, in truth, I suspect it makes very little difference. If I was recording an album using a bass borrowed from Paul Chambers then maybe. Playing an aluminium DB to a full dancefloor at a rock'n'roll Club it simply isn't an issue. 

[PaulKing]

Good to hear, cheers matey.

I can definitely hear the loss of low end from mis-matched impedance if I ever plug straight into an amp - so I fear the same plugged into low impedance wireless.

My Line6 acts like a pre-amp between piezo and amp, and I get a richer warmer sound because of it.

I'll let you know if the Joyo compares favourably!

 

I take your point about aluminium/rock and roll etc 😁! But I do find that having a good rich signal to start with can make a real difference to EQing and cutting through mix. 

[itu]

6 hours ago, PaulKing said:

I ran it through spectrum analyser! 

I started to wonder that if you heard high end up to 600 kHz, there was something interesting going on.