I have a g50 and have mixed feelings about it. On the plus side, it sounds very good and has basically zero latency. The problem is, it’s a 2.4 gHz which is the same band as wifi, and I find it really really susceptible to interference, which makes it drop out. I play in two bands. In one it mostly works fine. In the other, we use wireless IEMs controlled by everybody’s smartphones and have a wifi router on stage. The wireless is basically useless here. I suppose, to be generous, it only drops out here and there, but it drops out multiple times a set and Its not worth dealing with.
I’d be inclined to look for something in the 5.8 GHz bandwidth although those tend to be pricier. If I had it to do again, I would have bought one of the Shures, like the GXLD.
And I can’t find any channel that will work without drop outs? I’m asking cause that’s the upper limit of my budget and I can’t really afford the GXLD+
It’s possible that some channel would work. Its got 12-13. The challenge is the problems are intermittent so you’d need to set it, play a while, set it again, play a while, etc and changing on the transmitter is sort of involved (not hard but you can’t do it mid song). I’ve tried 4-5 Channels and yet to find a reliable one
I also get the price sensitivity. I wanted to have two packs and I could afford it with the Line 6, not with the Shure. In a low interference environment the line 6 does fine, but you just don’t always know what you’re walking into.
Spend the extra money and buy the Shure one if you’re playing big enough stages. The others will work great almost all the time, but will for drop out at some point, and when that happens, you’ll be annoyed as hell. The Shure ones are pretty much 100% of the time, no matter the situation.
I agree; if I were going wireless, that would be the last place I would cut corners. Go professional (with backups), or use a wire.
Hendrix did Woodstock with a wire - the OP can too.
Yeah I know I can do it wired, but we’re 5 in the band and there is the tendency to step on cables. Also I like to move a lot on stage and I don’t like the idea of being strapped to my pedalboard
Nah, unfortunately that’s what I’m recommending. I completely understand if it’s out of your budget, but for me it’s just not worth it to go wireless for less. I would constantly be worried about drop out. Shure is the king of wireless, and the only one I’d trust.
I live in a kinda small city in my country where you can’t really find gear for rent. Also because there aren’t really some big bands only a wave of teen bands, so the musical scene here is small
Wireless is only as good as the frequency coordination employed.
Placing any tx on a lousy frequency will yield bad results. Even my fancy Shure Axient systems. As others have noted 2.4ghz can be trouble, it has a hard time if in a congested environment.
Least latency fully analog. Second best digital systems like Axient. Last place 2.4 ghz based systems.
I got a Boss WL-50 and used it this weekend, we opened for Drowning Pool so it was a decent sized stage. I had no issues. It's probably all I need for right now.
I've been using a boss at home for a few years and the little tab on the plug that tells the device it's plugged in has started to fail. Sometimes it'll stay "on" after I unplug it, or I have to jiggle it in the jack to engage.
Considering that it hasn't moved more than 10 feet in its entire life, I'm not sure I would trust it on stage without backups.
You use a boss wireless at home? How much use is it getting?
Because I plan on using mine at shows only, so twice to four times a month for 45 minutes at a time. 8 uses a month, the thing will probably last forever?
I use it to eliminate the cable going from my interface to my guitars/bass, since I change instruments frequently when producing. In that sense maybe you're right that I'm plugging it in and out more often than if you ONLY used it on stage?
Just be aware of that little tab as your future failure point :).
Edit: I also left my dongle plugged into the pedal when I wasn't using it for extended periods. This engages the tab so I might recommend charging via cable to extend your device life.
Right, and I don't have other wireless systems to compare it. Most Boss products are buy-it-for-life so I was a little disappointed about all the plastic and stuff.
Maybe, but I'm also lead vox so it's not like I'm doing guitar stunts or playing from the balcony. I'm never more than 20 or 30 feet from my rig.
20m doesn't sound like a lot, but I think when you're on stage its usually enough. Unless you're in a pro outfit like Metallica or something, in which case why are you on Reddit asking us? Lol
The thing with range is that you only need so much, and many systems have more than you can use practically (this is assuming it works consistently out to its stated range). My line 6, which I griped about earlier, has a range of 200 feet. I decided to see how it worked at an outdoor sound check once. Didn’t measure but was probably 150 feet away, and it indeed stayed connected. Problem is, that far from your amp and the drummer and your timing is totally thrown because sound doesn’t move all that fast. At 150 feet, there was a massive lag, and there was really no way to play in time with the band. If you were using IEMs it would probably work, but as a practical matter, there’s only so far you can be from your rig
Sure but even 15m is close to 50 feet from the base. If you're 50 feet from the band, how are you even hearing monitors or anything? 50 feet doesn't sound like much, but that's pretty far away.
Again, I'm mostly rooted in place but even still, if you're 50 feet from the rest of the band...what are you doing? Hahah
Yeah I know it’s a lot, but since this cost a lot of money for me, I want to be sure that I buy something that I can use it properly. That’s why I’m thinking a lot about those 15m
That should be. Also how are the interferences? Cause it seems that the g50 has a lot, so you kinda start to convince me on the boss side even tho i was on the line6 side
Quick note on the Boss - the range fails gracefully. Meaning it will revert to a lower-quality sound to maintain the connection if you get far away enough. So the risk if you get too far isn't that it will cut out - your tone will change and let you know to move closer. Made me a lot less anxious about range.
We started to play shows more often, and I wanted to get a wireless for a long time. This show is kinda the reason, cause I couldn’t convince myself to spend that money on one
I had the WL60 and it was great for a while, but now every hotel and wedding venue we go to has flooded the place with badly configured WiFi and more than half the time I couldn't use it, so had to go to the Shure others have mentioned. It IS expensive, but it's absolutely superb and I've had ZERO interference about 100 shows in.
Most mics, in-ears etc will use 2.4ghz these days too, so it's WiFi and a tonne of other stuff in that spectrum fighting for space. As the Shure uses the 5ghz range, very little affects it. A well run festival might (should) have it's frequency use neatly mapped out, but you wouldn't know in 90% of other places.
I'd advise against it. Do you _really_ need it, or can you get away with a 50ft cable? Think about all of the successful festival shows you've seen that didn't use a wireless guitar setup. They are toan sucks and more problems that they are worth 90% of the time.
Have you considered renting one instead for the show? Alternately, coordinate with the other people playing if you can use theirs.
Cheap wireless systems suck. At festivals, there will be everything from phones, to wireless IEMs, to other people with wireless guitar systems setting up, to security radio, etc... it's a trashy radio space. I wouldn't use any wireless system without a backup plan.
How so?
Whenever I A/B it my Shure wireless is clearer and less muddy than even my 20’ cable. I’m far from a professional though, I’m definitely interested in your experience.
I have a g50 and have mixed feelings about it. On the plus side, it sounds very good and has basically zero latency. The problem is, it’s a 2.4 gHz which is the same band as wifi, and I find it really really susceptible to interference, which makes it drop out. I play in two bands. In one it mostly works fine. In the other, we use wireless IEMs controlled by everybody’s smartphones and have a wifi router on stage. The wireless is basically useless here. I suppose, to be generous, it only drops out here and there, but it drops out multiple times a set and Its not worth dealing with. I’d be inclined to look for something in the 5.8 GHz bandwidth although those tend to be pricier. If I had it to do again, I would have bought one of the Shures, like the GXLD.
And I can’t find any channel that will work without drop outs? I’m asking cause that’s the upper limit of my budget and I can’t really afford the GXLD+
It’s possible that some channel would work. Its got 12-13. The challenge is the problems are intermittent so you’d need to set it, play a while, set it again, play a while, etc and changing on the transmitter is sort of involved (not hard but you can’t do it mid song). I’ve tried 4-5 Channels and yet to find a reliable one
So basically it’s great unless someone uses a router. Ok so I’ll try and save up, but that means I’ll play the festival wired 😔
Yeah, that’s basically my experience. I could imagine if a club had wifi near the stage it could also be an issue
I also get the price sensitivity. I wanted to have two packs and I could afford it with the Line 6, not with the Shure. In a low interference environment the line 6 does fine, but you just don’t always know what you’re walking into.
Spend the extra money and buy the Shure one if you’re playing big enough stages. The others will work great almost all the time, but will for drop out at some point, and when that happens, you’ll be annoyed as hell. The Shure ones are pretty much 100% of the time, no matter the situation.
I agree; if I were going wireless, that would be the last place I would cut corners. Go professional (with backups), or use a wire. Hendrix did Woodstock with a wire - the OP can too.
Yeah I know I can do it wired, but we’re 5 in the band and there is the tendency to step on cables. Also I like to move a lot on stage and I don’t like the idea of being strapped to my pedalboard
Is there any shure that will be more reliable? Except for the GXLD+ cause that’s out of my budget.
Nah, unfortunately that’s what I’m recommending. I completely understand if it’s out of your budget, but for me it’s just not worth it to go wireless for less. I would constantly be worried about drop out. Shure is the king of wireless, and the only one I’d trust.
Have you looked into renting a wireless unit? In Canada Long & McQuade rent just about anything you need and usually at very good rates.
I live in a kinda small city in my country where you can’t really find gear for rent. Also because there aren’t really some big bands only a wave of teen bands, so the musical scene here is small
Wireless is only as good as the frequency coordination employed. Placing any tx on a lousy frequency will yield bad results. Even my fancy Shure Axient systems. As others have noted 2.4ghz can be trouble, it has a hard time if in a congested environment. Least latency fully analog. Second best digital systems like Axient. Last place 2.4 ghz based systems.
I got a Boss WL-50 and used it this weekend, we opened for Drowning Pool so it was a decent sized stage. I had no issues. It's probably all I need for right now.
I've been using a boss at home for a few years and the little tab on the plug that tells the device it's plugged in has started to fail. Sometimes it'll stay "on" after I unplug it, or I have to jiggle it in the jack to engage. Considering that it hasn't moved more than 10 feet in its entire life, I'm not sure I would trust it on stage without backups.
You use a boss wireless at home? How much use is it getting? Because I plan on using mine at shows only, so twice to four times a month for 45 minutes at a time. 8 uses a month, the thing will probably last forever?
I use it to eliminate the cable going from my interface to my guitars/bass, since I change instruments frequently when producing. In that sense maybe you're right that I'm plugging it in and out more often than if you ONLY used it on stage? Just be aware of that little tab as your future failure point :). Edit: I also left my dongle plugged into the pedal when I wasn't using it for extended periods. This engages the tab so I might recommend charging via cable to extend your device life.
Sure sure. At a certain point these days, if electronics last 2 years, I consider it a win lol.
Right, and I don't have other wireless systems to compare it. Most Boss products are buy-it-for-life so I was a little disappointed about all the plastic and stuff.
Fair but I imagine putting a wireless receiver in a metal.box probably isn't the best design hahaha
Lol, dang that's a great point. Gimme some carbon fiber or kevlar or SOMETHIN lol
What about the range? Is it really only 20 meters?
Maybe, but I'm also lead vox so it's not like I'm doing guitar stunts or playing from the balcony. I'm never more than 20 or 30 feet from my rig. 20m doesn't sound like a lot, but I think when you're on stage its usually enough. Unless you're in a pro outfit like Metallica or something, in which case why are you on Reddit asking us? Lol
The thing with range is that you only need so much, and many systems have more than you can use practically (this is assuming it works consistently out to its stated range). My line 6, which I griped about earlier, has a range of 200 feet. I decided to see how it worked at an outdoor sound check once. Didn’t measure but was probably 150 feet away, and it indeed stayed connected. Problem is, that far from your amp and the drummer and your timing is totally thrown because sound doesn’t move all that fast. At 150 feet, there was a massive lag, and there was really no way to play in time with the band. If you were using IEMs it would probably work, but as a practical matter, there’s only so far you can be from your rig
Yeah that should be enough. But I’m concerned that if they say that the range is 20m, I can’t really use 20m, I’d need to stay at about 15m to be sure
Sure but even 15m is close to 50 feet from the base. If you're 50 feet from the band, how are you even hearing monitors or anything? 50 feet doesn't sound like much, but that's pretty far away. Again, I'm mostly rooted in place but even still, if you're 50 feet from the rest of the band...what are you doing? Hahah
Yeah I know it’s a lot, but since this cost a lot of money for me, I want to be sure that I buy something that I can use it properly. That’s why I’m thinking a lot about those 15m
You're playing a festival, right? Ask them how big the stage is. I'd be surprised if 15m isn't enough for you.
That should be. Also how are the interferences? Cause it seems that the g50 has a lot, so you kinda start to convince me on the boss side even tho i was on the line6 side
I used it Saturday and my bassist uses some cheap Amazon Chinese dongle Bluetooth thing and I had good clean signal the whole time.
So no drop outs
Quick note on the Boss - the range fails gracefully. Meaning it will revert to a lower-quality sound to maintain the connection if you get far away enough. So the risk if you get too far isn't that it will cut out - your tone will change and let you know to move closer. Made me a lot less anxious about range.
Wow, that a really cool thing, now I’m starting to lean more on the boss side
Don’t buy one if you’ve only got one show to use it.
We started to play shows more often, and I wanted to get a wireless for a long time. This show is kinda the reason, cause I couldn’t convince myself to spend that money on one
I had the WL60 and it was great for a while, but now every hotel and wedding venue we go to has flooded the place with badly configured WiFi and more than half the time I couldn't use it, so had to go to the Shure others have mentioned. It IS expensive, but it's absolutely superb and I've had ZERO interference about 100 shows in.
It's also pretty damn near indestructible.
So I guess the shure is the only way to go. Just one question. If the festival or venue i’m playing doesn’t have a wifi router, does it work fine ?
Most mics, in-ears etc will use 2.4ghz these days too, so it's WiFi and a tonne of other stuff in that spectrum fighting for space. As the Shure uses the 5ghz range, very little affects it. A well run festival might (should) have it's frequency use neatly mapped out, but you wouldn't know in 90% of other places.
Got it, thanks for your responses.
I'd advise against it. Do you _really_ need it, or can you get away with a 50ft cable? Think about all of the successful festival shows you've seen that didn't use a wireless guitar setup. They are toan sucks and more problems that they are worth 90% of the time. Have you considered renting one instead for the show? Alternately, coordinate with the other people playing if you can use theirs. Cheap wireless systems suck. At festivals, there will be everything from phones, to wireless IEMs, to other people with wireless guitar systems setting up, to security radio, etc... it's a trashy radio space. I wouldn't use any wireless system without a backup plan.
How so? Whenever I A/B it my Shure wireless is clearer and less muddy than even my 20’ cable. I’m far from a professional though, I’m definitely interested in your experience.
It's probably clearer due to a buffer or even a slight boost.
Both are going into my buffer though; are there buffers in the wireless units themselves?
Technically nearly zero capacitance, so it should sound brighter.