{"id":18296,"date":"2016-03-24T06:08:31","date_gmt":"2016-03-24T13:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sharefaithblog.wpengine.com\/?p=18296"},"modified":"2017-10-17T11:09:15","modified_gmt":"2017-10-17T18:09:15","slug":"wired-wireless-mic-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharefaith.com\/blog\/2016\/03\/wired-wireless-mic-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Wired VS Wireless – Which Mic Is Best For You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are always pros and cons to using wireless on any type of device for both pastors and worship leaders and it’s one of the most common questions I get. In this article, I\u2019ll show you great examples of when a wired device (microphone or in-ear monitor) is a better choice over wireless and when wireless would be the better choice.<\/p>\n

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<\/b><\/b>When to Use Wireless<\/i><\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The freedom to roam is the primary reason to employ a wireless system. If this is a necessary element of the application, a wireless device has to be considered.\u00a0 <\/span>However before choosing a wireless over wired system, have you considered the microphone choice?<\/span><\/p>\n

Will you need a hand-held vocal, lapel, and headworn microphone for the pastor or body pack and cable for the guitarist? What type of microphone will be required, a moving -coil (Dynamic) or a condenser?<\/p>\n

What polar pattern or pick-up pattern is called for (Check this guide)<\/a>?\u00a0<\/span>The microphone that might be best suited for your application may not be available in a wireless version. So let\u2019s choose the appropriate microphone first.<\/p>\n

If the one using the microphone or in-ear monitor is stationary, is there a compelling reason to use a wireless? The keyboard player or drummer are typically sitting or standing in the same place so your church could save a lot of money by using a wired device.<\/p>\n

Do you really want all of your background vocalists each having their own wireless microphone?\u00a0 <\/span>You may want to consider making them into a small choir and applying a wired microphone or two for the group or individual wired microphones on stands might be another solution.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen worship leaders with a wireless microphones standing motionless in front of their\u00a0floor monitor. Are they really able to move in this scenario? Not really, as they\u2019re basically tethered to the wedge in order hear the mix.<\/p>\n

If you want the talent to be mobile, complete the circle by making everything wireless.\u00a0<\/span>Give them wireless in-ear monitors, wireless guitar and wireless microphones. Now they can move wherever they need to while playing, singing and hearing their mix.<\/p>\n

Speed and Efficiency in Set-Up <\/i><\/b>is often used as a valid reason to use wireless systems. It saves a lot of time when you connect the wireless rack to your mixer and hand out the transmitters and you\u2019re ready to rock. Not having to cable everything or\u00a0 <\/span>uncoil \/coil a snake, as in portable church set-ups and teardowns is very efficient. However, have you thought about the time required to install new or freshly charged batteries, finding frequencies that work, and setting up the antennae. There are additional things to think about, now more than ever, if you decide on using a wireless system. Turning on a wireless system (especially an analog one) and having it work properly will require some homework, so be prepared.\u00a0 <\/span>Manufacturers are researching and developing wireless systems that will work outside of these TV bands. The System 10 technology by Audio-Technica<\/span><\/a> would be a great example of a type of technology that is sonically pure, easy to set up and affordable for the smallest of churches.<\/p>\n

Aesthetics.<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>Nobody wants to see the cables, or trip over them. Clean stages are nice to look at and safe.\u00a0 <\/span>Again, if this is a reason to go wireless, it\u2019s not the best reason as you can hide cables. Tape them down with carpet-matching gaff tape. There are many ways to address this. It might take some work but spending hundreds of dollars more to not<\/i> see the wires doesn\u2019t make much sense to me.<\/p>\n

If you find yourself needing a microphone while\u00a0 <\/span>standing in a baptism pool, use a wireless microphone just in case there is current in the water from a faulty ground. I don\u2019t know of anybody who has been electrocuted when using a wireless microphone.<\/p>\n

So what advantages do wired microphones offer?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
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  1. Fidelity<\/i><\/b>: Many times they will sound better. Analog Wireless systems employ a process known as companding and affect the fidelity, especially in the low frequencies, which is why many bass players don\u2019t like to use wireless. Digital wireless is different and doesn\u2019t need to compress and expand the signal on a radio wave. It\u2019s much closer to a \u201cwired\u201d sound. So I will concur that digital wireless can sound as good as a wired microphone. <\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Wider selection<\/i><\/b>: Not every microphone that you may want\/need is available in a wireless format. <\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Reliability<\/i><\/b>: It\u2019s on a wire, a direct connection. Unless the wire is bad, you\u2019re going to get a solid connection to the system. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Other considerations:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n