What You Actually Gain by Cutting the Cable
The obvious reason to buy a wireless instrument system is freedom of movement, but in the field the real difference shows up somewhere else: cable failure. Jacks pulling out, cables snagging and the pile of cable building up on the deck are among the most common causes of technical interruption in live performance.
In fixed installations the issue is order. In venues where the same instruments are used every time, going wireless removes the job of laying and coiling cable before and after every rehearsal.
Two Different Connection Approaches
- Jack connection Used with instruments that have an output, such as guitar and bass. A cable from the instrument output runs to a bodypack transmitter.
- Clip-on capsule Attaches to the bell of a wind instrument or the rim of a percussion instrument. Because the microphone moves with the instrument, the player's position on stage does not affect the level.
Which one you need depends on the instrument; in a mixed group the two are usually used together.
Channel Count and Frequency Planning
The most common mistake with instrument systems is buying what you need piece by piece. If the frequency bands of the wireless systems sharing a stage are not planned together from the outset, every unit added later risks a channel clash. There is a limit to how many systems can run together in one band; once that limit is passed, the fix is to change band — which leaves part of your existing equipment unusable.
That is why we suggest calculating channel count against what you will need in two years, not today. A setup that grows by adding individual receivers and transmitters is both cheaper and more flexible than buying complete sets.
What We Watch on the Audio Side
Frequency range is judged differently for instrument systems than for vocal systems. The low end of a bass guitar and the upper harmonics of wind instruments are both lost if the system's transmission range is not wide enough. Stage size and the distance between transmitter and receiver also determine the range you need.
How We Work
We take the instruments to be miked, the number of channels running at once and the stage dimensions, and build the frequency plan with you. If you have existing equipment, we look at compatible expansion routes first. Installation, frequency scanning and commissioning are included in handover.
For vocal and presentation microphones see the microphones category, or sound systems for complete stage installations.