Recommendations and suggestions?

[silverhead]

I am working with a 9-piece band who are looking at moving to a wireless system for their 5 vocalists. They're looking at all available products but I want to make sure they have a good understanding of the Line 6 option. Challenge for me is ..... I am a complete newbie with wireless audio. I am hoping to get some advice, guidance and recommendations from this fine community.

 

I have done some research and am leaning towards the XD-V55 system with the handheld mics. I would opt for the rackmount systems and also go with the XD-AD8 Antenna Distribution System.  I would house it all in a standard 4U (I think?) rackmount carrying case for security and ease of transport/setup.

 

Here are some basic questions as a starting point.

- do you think the XD-V55 is a good choice or would you recommend, say, the XD-V35 (non rack mountable)?

- is the rackmount route advisable? Do I need the XD-AD8 or is it feasible to have 5 desktop XD-V55/35 systems

- if I go with the XD-V55 desktop systems, what about ergonomics and table space? Do they stack? Do the 5 sets of rabbit ears become a problem?

- I will be connecting these systems to my StageScape M20d mixer and using the iPAD remote app. This involves a local Wi-Fi connection at the mixer. Will I need to locate the vocal wireless system some distance away from the mixer to avoid RF interference?

 

Any other important considerations I'm missing?

 

Any and all comments are welcome.

 

Thanks!

[Sheriton]

I would always suggest going for rackmountable option - it keeps things neat & tidy and makes for a much quicker and easier setup.

 

Personally, I would go with remote antennae and the AD8 as that's what I use - it gets good signal to all the receivers (no need to daisy chain) and lets you site the antennae where they need to be rather than them being stuck at the rack.

 

Lots of sets of antennae next to each other is bad news - each antennae also radiates a small amount of signal that can (worst case) cause interference to adjacent systems. This is just one element of the voodoo involved in making any wireless systems work well.

 

WiFi. Potentially a pain. The newer RF2 mode in the mics in theory allows you to leave a specific wifi channel free but at the expense of each mic using fewer frequencies and hence being less robust. RF1 mode is likely to trample all over WiFi and slow that connection right down. Might not be an issue with infrequent adjustments to a mixer. But yes, keep them well away from each other. If it's possible to run the mixer wifi system al 5GHz, that will help.

 

I'd suggest getting someone local who really knows their way around wireless systems to help you initially get set up. There is a certain amount of black magic involved along with a good understanding of how to locate antennae, how signals propagate, what elements of a building's structure may cause issues, what other devices may cause issues and how to avoid them, etc. If the drummer dumps his mobile on top of the receiver rack, you'll have problems.

 

You'll doubtless see some folks on here who haven't had much success with the L6 systems and blame the systems themselves for not being up to the job. I routinely use 10 of them in a venue with high powered wifi access points right next to the stage plus the inevitable room full of punters with phones in their pockets but never have any issues. I've been using wireless systems for 15+ years so have learnt how to get the best out of them - talk to people who really know their stuff. The low price point opens up the market to a much wider audience than it ever used to be which means people with less experience using the products. Wireless systems are never plug & play, no matter what the manufacturers may try to tell you. You do need a certain level of knowledge to get the best out of them. And never forget, a £5 cable is more reliable than a £5000 wireless system ;)

[silverhead]

Thanks Sheriton. Good useful suggestions. I'll definitely get someone knowledgeable to help with the initial setup. Glad to hear that the XD-AD8 works well.