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UHF vs 2.4GHz Wireless Unit?
- Thread starter Butch Bobcat
- Start date
You'll be safe with the 5.8G wireless units for several years before that frequency starts to get polluted. You'll mainly only be competing with 5G WIFI signals. The frequency range that 5.8ghz wireless units cover is just above the top of the 4G phone's frequency & it's well under the bottom end of 5G phone's range. One of the biggest downfalls about going with a higher frequency unit is that it doesn't travel as far & can't travel through walls/obstructions as well as the UHF. It is, however, faster in terms of sending signal from transmitter to receiver so for your need, the LEKATO unit would be perfectly fine as will the Shure unit that you currently have. For the price, it may not be a bad idea to get the LEKATO & just keep it as a backup.Sadly, 2.4 has become a SWAMP! In my opinion, ANYTHING ELSE is an improvement. I've been through three Line 6 systems and a GLXD14 already, and those random 2.4 dropouts can be stage killers. Sure, the GLXD14 has auto-frequency search, but do you really want to have to rely on your signal dancing around all night between frequencies, just to keep a clean, stable connection? Plus, these days 2.4 is competing with every person in the audience with Bluetooth and Wireless on their phone (and every router within a 1/4 mile). Please note, all of them worked great about 90% of the time. Actually the line 6 systems were better overall, but still had random dropouts at the worst times possible (at least for me). So, since I didn't want to spend $700+, I went "retro" and picked up a Shure PGXD14 which still uses the 900hz range (the old wireless phone range from 20 years ago) and it's been rock solid!IMPORTANT NOTE: I live in the USA and have no future plans to tour Europe or Australia, so I'm not breaking any frequency laws. (and at 66 my aspirations for being a touring arena rock star are in my rear view mirror...loll) Also, I've heard good things about 5.8 recently, as you fellows have been discussing. Please, tell me more about that particular LEKATO model your using and where to find one?
I agree! I'd been warned 2.4 was filling up a years ago, but I had no idea (back then) both Bluetooth and WiFi would be slamming 2.4 as they are now. My goal is to have systems that are dependable, and reasonably affordable (I simply can't justify $650+ for a wireless). So $50 for a dependable backup (I can literally throw in my case) sounds perfect! Thanks again!
FYI. I've been told Shure will be discontinuing their "long running" GLX based systems by the 4th quarter of 2022 (I'm not sure if this includes the pedalboard variant). As you probably know, they've already discontinued their proprietary SB902 (16 hr) batteries. There is "supposed" to be a brand new "replacement" system scheduled for release prior to Christmas of 2022. I have no idea if it will continue to use 2.4hz and/or the current SB902A (11 hr) proprietary batteries in this upcoming "replacement" system. So, If you already own a GLX system, you might want to consider stocking up on Shure SB902A's while they are still easy to find. Best Regards All!
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Glad I found this thread! My zillion year old Sennheiser is giving me issues. Plus I find the need for two wireless systems now. One for a Jazz bass with active electronics and one for an Ibanez EUB. I have been looking at this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007UHG2EY/ref=pe_2313360_641578600_em_1p_0_lm but maybe I can run two separate Lekato's into a splitter? Any ideas?
BTW My old Sennheiser is consuming several 9V batteries per night so I like the rechargeable aspect of the Lekat or others like it. It's hard to find something that will stand up to active electronics...
BTW My old Sennheiser is consuming several 9V batteries per night so I like the rechargeable aspect of the Lekat or others like it. It's hard to find something that will stand up to active electronics...
Juan, just buy two Lekato systems. 5.8 GHz, works with my active basses, less than $60 USD each on Amazon. Problem solved.
Thant;s what I'm thinking. As long as they work fine being side by side plugged into a Morley A/B switch box.
Whatever you choose, try to stay away from 2.4.
Ordered two today for June 14 delivery. First gig with them will be June 25.
Over here in Europe, we try and put things outside of the 2.4GHZ as much as possible. It is cluttered. Microwave ovens, TVs and even cars have WiFi now.
It's close to impossible to stand on a stage and not pick up at least half a dozen WiFi networks.
We've had WiFi problems more than once and upgraded our wireless router to a 5GHZ model, which worked like a charm up until now.
I'm running Shure IEMs that are in the 800Mhz area. I cannot detect any latency and so far have not encountered a stage with problems.
The Shure units have that handy feature where it'll scan the band and then select the best frequency. My old Thomann IEM did not have that and you had to reset the frequency on both the sender and the receiver by hand and find a good frequency by trial and error.
Also, latency stacks. If you use a sending unit with just a few ms of latency, through maybe some kind of DSP and then get it back to you through another unit with just a few ms more, it'll become hard to tolerate.
It's close to impossible to stand on a stage and not pick up at least half a dozen WiFi networks.
We've had WiFi problems more than once and upgraded our wireless router to a 5GHZ model, which worked like a charm up until now.
I'm running Shure IEMs that are in the 800Mhz area. I cannot detect any latency and so far have not encountered a stage with problems.
The Shure units have that handy feature where it'll scan the band and then select the best frequency. My old Thomann IEM did not have that and you had to reset the frequency on both the sender and the receiver by hand and find a good frequency by trial and error.
Also, latency stacks. If you use a sending unit with just a few ms of latency, through maybe some kind of DSP and then get it back to you through another unit with just a few ms more, it'll become hard to tolerate.
Got the two Lekato WS - 50's. Charged them up then changed the channel on one. Put one on a Jazz bass and the other on an EUB then plugged the receivers into a Morley A/B switch. Worked perfectly in the home studio. Yippie!
Glad to hear it worked for you, Juan!
- Feb 20, 2009
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to be clear, that's got nothing to do with the wireless; the radio signal from your instrument to the base is traveling at a significant percentage of the speed of light
you're just getting far enough away from your amp that the time delay of sound waves through the air is creating the latency; it would be the same if you were standing that far out with a long cable