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Which Wireless System Is The Best?

By Bruce Hathaway

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 20Aug2011
Word count: 567
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Wireless mic systems have been been around for a while now. Which wireless system is the best depends on what you are going to use it for. People encountering a lot issues with interference might find relief with one system, while another application doesn't require that same expensive equipment, because interference is less of a problem.

A wireless system in this sense, is something that transmits sound on a radio wavelength to a speaker or other piece of broadcasting equipment. They are popular with people speaking, singing, playing instruments or otherwise needing amplification of sound while on stage. Removing the wiring reduces the number of things to trip on or get tangled up in.

One of the major issues is whether to choose a system that runs on VHF or UHF (although there is a third choice now, which is digital). Because UHF systems tend to cost more, there is a perception that they are the better choice. This can be the case, but it certainly is not always true.

UHF systems do tend to encounter less interference, but as well as being more expensive, they also tend to have shorter battery lives than VHF systems. Parts for UHF systems are typically more expensive as well as the original purchase itself. If you are encountering a lot of interference while using your equipment, UHF might be the way to go. But it can be overkill in simpler situations.

Whether you choose to purchase a UHF or VHF-based system, having frequency agility is essential if you are at all concerned about interference. In many areas, both UHF and VHF frequencies are widely used, and you will need the ability to adjust until you find one that is not. Frequency-agile systems come in different forms-- a moderately agile device might be good enough for some applications, but one with a very wide range of possible frequencies will be necessary in other situations.

New digital systems are also a possibility. These are low-powered devices that rarely encounter interference, and are not that expensive anymore. Signals are less prone to degradation when transmitted via digital information, because the receiver never has to "guess" at what the signal it got was supposed to sound like. Digital UHF or VHF is technically possible, although those terms tend to be used to denote the traditional analog systems while the digital ones are lumped together under one label.

A feature that is good to have and not that expensive anymore is antennae diversity. This means that your antenna looks for the strongest signal and chooses that option. It keeps your sound from cutting out on you unexpectedly because the signal was not strong enough. True diversity systems have two antennas, and are relatively cheap and common now.

Digital systems are the most effective choice for the price these days, and are comparable to high-end UHF systems in many cases. However, this type of expense might be unnecessary, and VHF systems do a fine job in places with less interference. Consider the battery life of the system if that is a concern.

We hope that this article will shed some light on the subject of wireless systems and help in choosing the one that's the most useful.

Bruce has achieved a lifetime of producing and engineering at his recording studio, Excello, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He is also a microphone expert with extensive knowledge of wireless microphone systems.

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