Saxophones Wireless mic and reverb effects

[OldNotGrey]

Someone has let the product marketing team loose again!! - "ISOLO has 50 feet and 100 feet adjustable mode. Near Mode makes music authentic, and Far Mode has a stable connection and high quality recording function to boost your performance to a higher level."

So this would seem to imply that there is a signal compromise when selecting Far Mode which is a compromise of distance between transmitter and receiver over the depth of the signal being sent to maintain a "stable connection". Quite how Far Mode also has a "high quality recording function" is beyond me and seems like something got lost in translation between Taiwanese and English.

The proof would be found in personal use and it doesn't seem like anyone on this forum has so far used one. There are a lot of good well known wireless units out there which are proven to work (ie. Shure, Sennheiser, Audio Technica etc) which if purchased in the UK might provide you with a better returns policy option if you were unhappy with the product.

Lastly, my personal opinion would be to separate the effects because you are not beholden to them being within the signal path if you don't want to use them and consolidated functions (wireless, pre-amp, effects etc) have a habit of being a bit of a compromise when combined in a single unit (ie. jack of all trades, master of none).

If you do purchase one, it would be good to hear your own review and appraisal of the product for future reference.

Best of luck whichever you choose

 

[Vetinari]

Isn't 2.4GHz a wifi frequency?

 

[OldNotGrey]

Isn't 2.4GHz a wifi frequency?

Correct - Whilst there is also 5GHz available in the wireless world these days for home WiFi routers etc, I am not sure if any of this spectrum has been licensed/released for use for music broadcasting as yet (I'm a little rusty, so this may have changed of late)

 

[Vetinari]

All my wifi is 2.4GHz.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Hi Dave
At this stage I just want to...

The Boss pedal will give you much, much better results - and it's used by many sax players.

Cube's are well regarded, too. Regarding the mic, it depends how much you want to move and under what circumstances. Radio mics are great. I mean GREAT! 😀 But they're not for every situation. As Bear's already said, they pick up key noise. This isn't a problem at a rock show, or a soul or R&B gig because the rest of the band and the overall amplification hides any imperfections. In quieter situations, however, it could be a problem.

On the other hand, though, while they're great for rock/R&B etc, they're much more likely to feedback than a static mic, which can be a royal pain in louder situations. If you Google images of people using clip-ons live, you'll notice that the mic is almost always stuck right in the bell of the horn. This isn't for sound quality, it's to reduce the possibility of feedback.

When I first started using my mic, I had it set so that it pointed at the bell and also the G# so that it would pick up more of the overall tone of the sax. This worked quite well, but feedback became an issue at too many gigs. These days I have the mic here, which has reduced feedback to zero but requires a little more EQ work for the sound guys:

You wouldn't want to use a clip-on for recordings unless it was the only mic you had - partly because of mechanical noise and partly because the mic will be unlikely to have the same quality level as, for example, an SM58 that can be bought for as little as £50 second-hand.

How much moving are you thinking you may be doing while playing? If you were busking, for example, a mic in front of you (such as an SM58) would allow you to swing the sax around quite a lot with no noticeable audio problems. If you want to dance Leo P style or walk around then a clip-on is the only option. If you're not moving too much then the Boss pedal and a 58 or 57 would probably be much more useful when playing live, and definitely when recording, than a lower-end clip-on mic.

Just so you know, I play live 95% of the time with a clip-on, which I absolutely love, for the exact reasons you want one - I like to move, a lot. I am very definitely not anti-clip-on. However, there are times when the clip-on makes life much harder. For example, fading a note in is so much easier with a static mic as you simply start playing farther away and get closer as you want to get louder. You can't do that with a clip-on.

There's one song I play where the clip-on is a major pain specifically for this very reason. I have to repeatedly fade a low B. Easy with a static mic, a nightmare with a clip-on - especially as it's a rock/fusion type band so relatively noisy, which can make subtle playing even harder.

Hopefully it's obvious that I'm not saying don't get a clip-on (I'd hate to go back to a static mic on stage ... most of the time anyway 😉 ), but I think it's good to know the pros and cons so that you can decide which route is best for your specific requirements.

 

[sax panther]

Hi
That is great, Would you mind letting me know what mic, transmitter, receiver you went for. And if you can get delay, reverb or should I just be reliant on the Amp for this ,like the Cube. The Isolo Choice set up is £425.
Thanks look forward to the transmitter pictures.
Chris

Mine is an LD systems WS Eco16. I think I paid about £160 for it. There are no effects, I don't use effects when playing live. If I'm recording at home I've got a USB Blue Yeti mic, and I add any effects that I want using audacity.

The transmitter is the kind that is designed to clip onto a belt, but I wanted to attach it to the sax instead. Hopefully the pictures have attached properly...it only lets me do two at a time so I'll have to do a follow up post. I had to buy a nylon screw and nut set, and thread that through the hole in the keyboard (1st pic), then buy a metal bracket from B&Q and bend 1/3 of it back on itself (2nd pic). Then use the nut/screw to attach the bracket to the sax, clip the transmitter on, wind any spare cable around the bracket so it doesn't flap around, then clip the mic to the bell.

 

[sax panther]

here are the pics of the transmitter and mic attached, and the receiver box.

Not as sleek looking as the isolo, but a bit more versatile (it comes with an adaptor to plug into a normal XLR to use as a wired mic - this needs phantom power though), and the receiver is multi channel. Not as portable as the isolo - I can't quite fit it in my sax case - but it does all go into a small flight case.

I used this set up to play numerous festivals this summer - in particular I was jumping around like an absolute loon at victorious festival on Sunday and it hasn't let me down, fallen off, lost signal etc.

The trombone and trumpet player in my band both use a Shure GLXD14UK/B98 - similar arrangement to mine, with a belt clip style transmitter rather than one that clips straight onto the instrument.

 

[sax panther]

n particular I was jumping around like an absolute loon at victorious festival

To use VeggieDave's example, I displayed all of Leo P's enthusiasm, but none of his technique (for both dancing and sax playing)

 

[sax panther]

thread that through the hole in the keyboard

grr - meant key guard. Predictive text.

 

[christravs]

here are the pics of the transmitter and mic attached, and the receiver box.

Not as sleek looking as the isolo, but a bit more versatile (it comes with an adaptor to plug into a normal XLR to use as a wired mic - this needs phantom power though), and the receiver is multi channel. Not as portable as the isolo - I can't quite fit it in my sax case - but it does all go into a small flight case.

I used this set up to play numerous festivals this summer - in particular I was jumping around like an absolute loon at victorious festival on Sunday and it hasn't let me down, fallen off, lost signal etc.

The trombone and trumpet player in my band both use a Shure GLXD14UK/B98 - similar arrangement to mine, with a belt clip style transmitter rather than one that clips straight onto the instrument.

View attachment 13330View attachment 13331

Hi
That is really helpful thinking the Sansom Wireless 77 may be the answer !
Thanks again
Chris

 

[christravs]

The Boss pedal will give you much, much better results - and it's used by many sax players.

Cube's are well regarded, too. Regarding the mic, it depends how much you want to move and under what circumstances. Radio mics are great. I mean GREAT! 😀 But they're not for every situation. As Bear's already said, they pick up key noise. This isn't a problem at a rock show, or a soul or R&B gig because the rest of the band and the overall amplification hides any imperfections. In quieter situations, however, it could be a problem.

On the other hand, though, while they're great for rock/R&B etc, they're much more likely to feedback than a static mic, which can be a royal pain in louder situations. If you Google images of people using clip-ons live, you'll notice that the mic is almost always stuck right in the bell of the horn. This isn't for sound quality, it's to reduce the possibility of feedback.

When I first started using my mic, I had it set so that it pointed at the bell and also the G# so that it would pick up more of the overall tone of the sax. This worked quite well, but feedback became an issue at too many gigs. These days I have the mic here, which has reduced feedback to zero but requires a little more EQ work for the sound guys:

View attachment 13324

You wouldn't want to use a clip-on for recordings unless it was the only mic you had - partly because of mechanical noise and partly because the mic will be unlikely to have the same quality level as, for example, an SM58 that can be bought for as little as £50 second-hand.

How much moving are you thinking you may be doing while playing? If you were busking, for example, a mic in front of you (such as an SM58) would allow you to swing the sax around quite a lot with no noticeable audio problems. If you want to dance Leo P style or walk around then a clip-on is the only option. If you're not moving too much then the Boss pedal and a 58 or 57 would probably be much more useful when playing live, and definitely when recording, than a lower-end clip-on mic.

Just so you know, I play live 95% of the time with a clip-on, which I absolutely love, for the exact reasons you want one - I like to move, a lot. I am very definitely not anti-clip-on. However, there are times when the clip-on makes life much harder. For example, fading a note in is so much easier with a static mic as you simply start playing farther away and get closer as you want to get louder. You can't do that with a clip-on.

There's one song I play where the clip-on is a major pain specifically for this very reason. I have to repeatedly fade a low B. Easy with a static mic, a nightmare with a clip-on - especially as it's a rock/fusion type band so relatively noisy, which can make subtle playing even harder.

View attachment 13322

Hopefully it's obvious that I'm not saying don't get a clip-on (I'd hate to go back to a static mic on stage ... most of the time anyway 😉 ), but I think it's good to know the pros and cons so that you can decide which route is best for your specific requirements.

Hi Dave
A lot to take in so appreciate you taking so much time. Thinking now Sansom AwxWireless 77 system combined with BossVe20 and Rowland Cube Amp, hopefully several used versions on EBay.
Thanks again
Chris

 

[Veggie Dave]

Thinking now Sansom AwxWireless 77 system

I think they're the best system in the 'non-eye-wateringly expensive' category.

The only hassles I've had with mine are:
It prefers to not be right next to another radio receiver. 30cm seems to cure any issues (if you have them).

The mic can move on the transmitter. Clipping the transmitter to the top of the bell cures most of this. A bit of tape helps, too, if you get really energetic.

The mic is quite bright, which can really help the sax cut through if you're playing in a rock/R&B type band. If you prefer it a little darker, you can easily EQ the high frequencies. Battery life is good on the transmitter. With the mic where you can see it in the pic above means no feedback on even truly, stupidly, pointlessly loud stages.

At gigs I use the XLR out straight to the desk.

 

[christravs]

Thanks again , think i’m more or less there, will probably get a new Sansom mic with used Ve20 Boss effects pedal and Cube Amp.

Good to have a forum !

 

[John Laughter]

I think you have enough info now but if you do end up with a body pack as shown above, this might help;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjIUir4o0K0

 

[christravs]

Thanks John a new option, I am pretty certain the Sansom Airline 77 Wireless mic is the way forward but Sax.Co.Uk site no longer stores this, so Gear4Music next email.
Thanks again.

 

[John Laughter]

Welcome Chris. Good choice from what I have read about it and from what users have said about it! Wireless can be fun

 

[Colin the Bear]

Sansom Airline 77

Does any one stock this?

 

[Veggie Dave]

I remember reading last year that they were bringing out an updated version but I can't find any info anywhere now. It's as though they've just stopped bothering with the wind system all together.

 

[John Laughter]

Check out the warning at the bottom. Just saw it;

Samson

www.samsontech.com

https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/di2-ethylhexylphthalate-dehp

 

[christravs]

Hi

The attached photo is from E Bay this week. Looks like an upgrade on the positioning of the transmitter and a smaller transmitter itself.
On sale in USA checking availability in UK.
Thanks