Looking at lav/headset mics. Your recommendation?

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Well 1 at a time kinda sucks. Deal killer.

yeah they are single system but you can have multiple options for the mic end of things....but typically just one mic per receiver.
If you need a hh and a lav you'd need 2 receivers in order to have 2 different channels. The reason you buy the hh+ lav system is to have different options available for different events.
 
How about the Audio-Technica System 10 Pro? Dual channel, handheld+pack is $550 or $600 including the lav mic. The nice thing is the antenna pack/receiver can be remotely mounted via Cat5 if needed.

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Are you good with the 2.4ghz band?
Depends on the environment. Because you're sharing it with networks, cell phones, and a host of other users, you're relying on the mic's ability to frequency hop ahead of the traffic. The ability to get the antenna (in this case) up high and in direct line of sight will help minimize issues.
 
I'm really leaning towards the Shure SLX124. It's a dual system with hand-held and lav included and runs $889. Does anybody know the difference between the SLX and GLX (the next step up)?
I have six SLX4 receivers, two SLX2/SM58 handheld transmitters, and four SLX1 transmitters with Shure lapel and headset mics. I bought them used on Ebay 18 months ago and they've been totally reliable. The SLX is Shure's workhorse pro analog wireless system. It has both scanning and transmitter-syncing features plus fully manual frequency tuning options as well. Its main sound quality compromise is its use of analog companding, which limits its peak dynamic range compared to Shure's premium ULX analog system. The ULX system is top notch, but uses 9v batteries, which I hate. BLX is a newer plastic version of SLX, which is not rack-mountable and lacks 3-bar battery indicators. GLX is Shure's workhorse digital system. Digital can be cleaner than analog at long distances, but when the digital signal gets too weak, the audio cuts out suddenly, rather than gradually fading out with analog.

As for Sennheiser, I've had BAD experiences with their analog receivers blasting out loud static when they lose connection with the transmitter. They sound good otherwise, but I'm not willing to take any more chances with them.
 
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SLX is quite old and no better than PGX regarding RF performance, just has external antennas. Yes, the very old ULX is much better, but time to digital for better sound :)

QLXD or ULXD are both far superior and use rechargeable batteries and will outlast anything mentioned here. It's nice knowing the exact battery life down to the min and charging at every event, never having to open the battery door cover.

GlX and BLX are both VERY average, and I would not trust either one in a populated RF environment.

Why do we still have these threads?
 
doesn't seem like a bad deal if it's complete and all works. I don't know much about that mic to know if it's good/bad/mediocre or what the pickup pattern is. I see a couple out there on ebay and reverb missing one antenna (looks to be same unit from sam ash listed multiple places). You can always keep your eye open for a handheld to go with it--orphans are often available on ebay. We've done that before so we have more combinations. You can still only use one at a time, but you can choose whichever is most appropriate.
 
doesn't seem like a bad deal if it's complete and all works. I don't know much about that mic to know if it's good/bad/mediocre or what the pickup pattern is. I see a couple out there on ebay and reverb missing one antenna (looks to be same unit from sam ash listed multiple places). You can always keep your eye open for a handheld to go with it--orphans are often available on ebay. We've done that before so we have more combinations. You can still only use one at a time, but you can choose whichever is most appropriate.

There are times I have to have both. Was looking at adding this as a more solid lab mix. The handheld on the gtr is gold.
 
How about the Audio-Technica System 10 Pro? Dual channel, handheld+pack is $550 or $600 including the lav mic. The nice thing is the antenna pack/receiver can be remotely mounted via Cat5 if needed.

View attachment 37088

That's really a nice looking unit but I already have a couple of mid-tier ATs and switched away from them. Not sure if this would be any better or not.
 
I've thought about that but not sure what I need that would fig the GTD antenna mounts. I'd probably have to wire something together with the existing connectors.

check with Ben Stowe
 
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Do any of you using GTD have the newest 500MHz models, or the older (and now phased out and re-allocated) 600MHz ones?

That would explain problems and intermittent interference.


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BTW, Ben said he's got a paddle antenna with a TNC Male connector on it, $195. I'm going to try out the cell antenna first and if it doesn't work will return it and try Ben's option. Does anybody here really understand antenna compatibility? I sure don't.
The connector is only a minor component. Most cell phones run in the 800MHz and 1900MHz bands, so the antenna you got may not be optimized for use in the 500MHz band .. the sales page didn't say. Antenna design, ground plane, directionality are all components.
 
The connector is only a minor component. Most cell phones run in the 800MHz and 1900MHz bands, so the antenna you got may not be optimized for use in the 500MHz band .. the sales page didn't say. Antenna design, ground plane, directionality are all components.

That word "optimized" is what makes me scratch my head. What does that mean in this context? You'll only get 6db of gain instead of 12db (as rated) when using it on a wireless mic? Obviously, I've already ordered the cell antenna so I'm going to try it out. No DJ gig this week anyway (photo only). If it doesn't produce a noticeable improvement I'll probably send it back, then try Ben's solution. It does seem kinda funny to pay $195 for an antenna when the entire unit was $175. I probably also need to do more testing at the event. Generally, I plug things in, hang the mic over my ear, then walk around the altar area making little "ssh" noises (not full speech). I probably could have un-covered the problem last week and could have made adjustment on the channel being used. The officiant used the hand-held to capture the B&G vows and it was flawless (as usual). Seems the bodypack is the only thing I'm running into issues with.

One more side question. I've noticed the battery level indicator seems to drop pretty fast on the bodypack I'm using. Is it possible that the battery contacts being corroded could be dropping power received from the battery, which could obviously impact the signal being sent out?
 
That word "optimized" is what makes me scratch my head. What does that mean in this context? You'll only get 6db of gain instead of 12db (as rated) when using it on a wireless mic? Obviously, I've already ordered the cell antenna so I'm going to try it out. No DJ gig this week anyway (photo only). If it doesn't produce a noticeable improvement I'll probably send it back, then try Ben's solution. It does seem kinda funny to pay $195 for an antenna when the entire unit was $175. I probably also need to do more testing at the event. Generally, I plug things in, hang the mic over my ear, then walk around the altar area making little "ssh" noises (not full speech). I probably could have un-covered the problem last week and could have made adjustment on the channel being used. The officiant used the hand-held to capture the B&G vows and it was flawless (as usual). Seems the bodypack is the only thing I'm running into issues with.

One more side question. I've noticed the battery level indicator seems to drop pretty fast on the bodypack I'm using. Is it possible that the battery contacts being corroded could be dropping power received from the battery, which could obviously impact the signal being sent out?
The optimal length of the antenna is based on the wavelengths sent/received .. you might luck out there as at 500MHz, the wavelength is just about 2 ft. (the length of that antenna). The downside to that antenna, is that it is omnidirectional, as opposed to the paddles which are close to unidirectional and won't have as much gain in the desired direction.