Anybody have any recommendations for a good quality harp-friendly wireless system? Considering trying one if I can find something suitable.
I'm aware that Greg Heumann offers great wireless options - have always been happy with products and service from Greg in the past. However, I'm initially looking for something that may be available in the UK, just to make it a little more affordable etc. Would consider something that incorporated a small belt pack and short mic cable - that kind of thing.
The best sounding wireless system I have heard yet is the one Sugar Blue uses. Crystal clear and powerful. And he walks around playing during his gigs, I have never heard a lapse in sound yet. Might want to ask him.
SB has used different wireless rigs at different times. Last couple of times I saw him, he was using a wireless system he borrowed from his bass player, Ilaria Lantieri who he recently married, which is what he's using in the above vid. She told me what it was, but i forgot.
On the more recent YouTube video from SB's performance at NAMM, SB is using a different unit.
There's a sax player I've played with at jams quite a bit who uses a Samson wireless rig that works and sounds GREAT. I think Greg Heumann is selling Samson.
Buy a new one. As MrV...... says it is in a switch to new frequenzies right now. And it is forbidden to use a american wireless in europe and vice versa. I have a samson i bought in sweden where i live. Great system to a great prize. It gives a little weak signal out from the system / in to the amp. I use a xlr to a match impedance transformer or a lonewolf harptone+ after the receiver to give it a better signal.
Last Edited by on Apr 18, 2012 1:55 PM
I'm with 7limitJI : I bought a Line6 Relay G30 a few months ago ($399 here in NZ) Its digital so no worries about frequencies etc. Simple as to use,put the belt pack onto anyone of six channels put the receiver onto the same channel and your good to go. Had no problems at all with drop outs or interference.
I have the Samson Airline 77. Its really, very hard to find anywhere else but through Greg Huemann and he sells them for cheaper prices then they were when they were available in their hayday and were still dificult to comeby! You can plug it into any mic, no tone change at all no hip pack, I hate the hip pack its supposed to be wireless not short wire and if you turn up the dials on the transmitter it gives you some preamp/overdrive that I love. Im convinced the wireless companies (There's a handful that stopped production of the "plug in" the same time) discontinued these "Mic bug" or "XLR Transmitters" so they could sell more microphones of their own instead of allowing competing mic makers to enable their Mics with another brand's wireless.. For example one use to be able to use a shure wireless with akg mic or vice versa add ten more combos like that... I have been using these wirelesses since 2001 (Gregs). Since then (2001) everyone has been saying the frequencies were gonna switch and it would be useless. That the goverment was taking over those frequenicies homeland etc etc.. Nothing at all ever interferes, my wireless works every time even near TV stations and military bases.I love the tone I get with it better than a chord but I could dial it in the same if I wanted, www.blowsmeawayproductions.com Jason Ricci
I don't think it's that the new frequencies will interfere with you as much as it is you may interfere with the new frequencies. If you see men in suits wearing sunglasses at your concert, they ain't the Blues Brothers!!! :)
Not as a practical or affordable solution, or even probably a terribly good sounding solution, but it would be kind of neat to see someone playing into a high end cellphone. I bet you could rig it to make a Skype call right into a computer's sound system and run audio outs from there. The minutes would be where they killed you! (Of course, a WiFi phone might be able to get around that if you brought your own wireless router!)
Thanks for the suggestions everybody - I do like the look of the Airline 77 that Jason mentioned, but obviously there are the legal issues. Relay G30 looks like a decent option too.
Just an "amplification" on what Jason said - there WAS a change last year in what frequencies are legal. The systems I sell on the NEW, 100% LEGAL frequencies. Buy used gear, you're on your own. There is no legal concern. Note that I can only sell these systems in the U.S. and Canada. This is the "North American" frequency plan. There is also a "Europe/Asia" frequency band and another for Latin America. The manufacturer will not allow me to buy those systems. A bit of a joke, as their REASON is to ensure local support - but people have to buy the stuff online anyway, and anywhere in the world they get better support from me than the local online retailer. I complained to my distributor but they're not willing to change. ---------- /Greg
Save yor money and get Greg's set up. I bought the setup that Jason uses and it's worth every cent. I tried the belt pack and wasted $200. That was before I found out about The Airline system. Just the savings from not having to buy 9volt batteries is a big bonus. I can easly get 4 shows out of a AAA battery with the wireless plug in Xmitter amd the reciver runs off it's owne included power source.I have 4 diffrent mic's I use with the same Xmitter swapped out to each mic. Clean, dirty, semidirty quick and easy. Do your self a favor and get the airline 77, you won't regret it. If you can swing it, I have the ultimate 57 from Greg. The combination is SWEEEEEET! Mike
Last Edited by on Apr 20, 2012 9:32 AM
I'm still looking at upgrading from my 1995 Nady Wireless 3D, which served me well for quite sometime, but it was on the VHF band, which is now too crowded, and was one of the last where you could go as much as 1500 feet away in the line of sight (and I've tested it to its limits while walking thru the crowd and even outside of the club more than a few times), and I'm strongly considering the stuff Greg's selling. I just wish they all could go that same distance as the one I have as most don't go beyond 250-300 feet maxomum, but all of the newer ones have a much better battery life and the transmitters are more often using AA batteries than the 9V ones, and that works out much less expensive.
Rod Piazza still uses the Samson VR2, one of the very first ones ever made from the mid 70's with the long antenna and those go thru a battery per gig and there are often some very noticeable dropouts.
Wireless units are definitely gonna be subject to room acoustics as well as winds when you play outdoors. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
If you're playing with a band - you can't get more than a few hundred feet away before the time delays really mess you up. You hear what the band is playing a tiny bit later than it was played. Then you play in time with the delayed sound. Then you hear yourself delayed again. It really messes with your timing unless everyone has in ear monitors. ---------- /Greg
I bought Greg's system in the Netherlands, no problems at all. It works perfectly, and it is so nice to be able to listen to the mix together with the sound man @ his booth....
Its perfectly setup by Greg and the sounds is the same as with a cable.........
Just to clarify what Jeff has - he bought the wireless system I recommended - but he had to buy it locally as I explained above. He bought a wood mic from me, and an adapter to make it work with the wireless.
I sent him the doc I provide with the wireless systems I sell on how to set it up best for harp. The factory instructions aren't good to begin with and know nothing about harp mics! ---------- /Greg
Greg, I'm not sure what you meant by "There is no legal concern". I assume you're referring only to the new systems you sell?
The 700Mhz band is reserved for emergency services and commercial wireless services. Those old mics still work, and may not suffer interference depending on where they're used and what specific frequency they use, but the fact is that using any mic in that frequency band is illegal. Here's what the FCC has to say about it:
"Operation of wireless microphones in violation of these rules may subject the user to substantial monetary forfeitures and/or criminal penalties, including imprisonment. Because any operation in violation of these rules creates a danger of interference to important radio communications services and may subject the operator to severe penalties, this advisory emphasizes the importance of complying strictly with these legal requirements. "
Ok - thanks for the info on the legal stuff, Greg. If I go with one of the systems you sell, but bought from here in the UK, I will get in touch about set up doc/xlr adapter!
Greg is right about the time delays with wireless units because the further you walk away from the bandstand, the more of a delay there is to the signal and when you're at the end of the range, you can easily be an entire beat (or really a quarter note) behind), and again, you are also going to be subject to room acoustics (which the average player NEVER takes into account for anything) and the wind when playing outdoors.
I still remember the old Nady 49, which operated on the old CB radio band frequencies and if a bus, truck, police or fire truck came by, your signal would be toast and you don't have that problem with the UHF bands.
One thing to remember is that many of them will alter the tone, some in ways you may or may not like and it can vary quite a bit just based on room acoustics alone. Some place more emphasis on lows, some on highs, some on mids. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
