Karaoke Forums

ok there's the whole thing about FCC, digital TV, possible interference, blah blah blah in 2009

I'll upgrade my mics when the time comes, but I need something now. So why spend a lot of money on something that may not work in a year? Why spend a lot on something to hand to a drunk?

I've heard the Audio Technica 252 is one of the better-sounding mics for under $100

Thoughts? Words of wisdom? Note: I'm not a KJ yet, but working toward that.

 woo hoo! 3 more points. MMMmmm... Jelly Doughnuts...
(I wish we could buy doughnuts in the forum shop.)

There are really cheap ones you can get on e-bay.  Personally, I bought AKG dual wireless mics.  One of the few set-ups I've seen that has two mics and it's $350.  Sure beats Shure at $550 with only 1 mic, and I've used AKG in the past and am happy with the sound.  I will only use Sennheiser, Shure, and AKG.

Also, from my understanding (I could be wrong) Digital transitions should all but ELIMINATE interference with TV.  Wireless uses analog signals.  The issue is will the frequencies still be there.  They should be.  Cell phone companies are buying up these frequencies.  

It would seem to me that with as HUGE as the wireless system is in all of our technology, be it internet or the music industry, etc.  there will have to be some type of conversion box made inexpensively for us that will switch our devices to frequencies still being output, as they have had to do for those that have analog tv sets to convert to digital.  

This is definitely an issue that needs to be discussed further though.

Randy

If interference and distance is not a factor I use these at my show and have had ZERO complaints .  Don't look at the price ....It is correct it is a dual wireless set up for $50 .....No of course its not as good as a $600 Shure  or a $300 AKG

But it is a DANG good CHEAP system for drunks and home use were distance and interferance is not a factor ...TRUST ME  :handshake:  :handshake:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=270328

read the reviews they are  dead on

Of the 3 reviews i just read, 2 of them say "they" are dead.

Consider a wired sm58...

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

I have the Nady DKW Duo-about $50 for a pair of wireless mics with one base. People will tell you they are crap. They work fine for me. The Audio Technica 252 is a better mic, more sensitive and a bit higher quality. I've seen them for as low as $81. For some reason most people don't like/won't recommend VHF mics. I don't know why. Either one of these will work fine. The AT is a good way to go, I've used them quite a bit, you won't be disappointed.

I just went to a place that had the cheap Gem mics tonight. They were awful, IMHO. The show used to have SM-58s, which suit me fine. But these were flaky all night, and sounded terrible in my opinion.

I particularly suffer from bad mics, as I am a deep baritone. The thinner sound of a tenor or female singer doesn't seem to have as much problem with cheap mics, from what I can see. But a voice like mine seems to need a good mic to sound decent.

I listened here and bought the WMS-40 AKG. It is decent, but I am going to get a Shure after spending about $600 on various cheaper wireless mics. I will still keep the AKG, and probably the Sennheiser Freeport, but I gave away my AS-990 mics to a church.

I agree with Stogie, VHF Mics will do a nice job in most cases, just make sure of the channel you are getting and that no stations operate in that range in your area, the same could be said for UHF. The difference between UHF and VHF transmissions is only the frequency range or 'band' they are in. The technology, or principle of operation is the same. UHF frequencies are higher so the componentry used in those devices must adhere to very tight tolerances, and therefore tends to be more expensive, which helps perpetuate the myth that the technology is better. The main advantage of UHF operation is that there is less chance of interference, which would allow for more devices in close proximity. Unless your using five or more wireless devices in close proximity, VHF should work just fine for you. Hey how about that, what was once old and unwanted just may make a strong comeback with all the UHF fiasco about to happen next year. For once, being a pack rat has paid off.

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Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

The subject asks for CHEAP wireless mics.

Nobody really needs to understand that a $600 Shure UHF mic  is far superior than a $50 VHF setup.  

No offense to anyone - I have and still do use the Gem.  They are EXACTLY what they are advertised to be - a cheap wireless setup.    With the corret EQ  they  can sound DECENT.  It isn't really fair to compare them too anything but OTHER cheap systems.  In a small bar with no interferance issues they are good.

Now if the OP thinks that $200-$300 is CHEAP ...then go for something better.

I've had an AT mic for a long time. I feel the AS-990 was a better mic, but you can't get them anymore.

To be honest, if I needed a mic upgrade, I'd probably go with a single Shure wireless, rather than a dual.

Speaking of Cheap wireless microphones, Has anybody ever used HISONIC Wireless microphones? They seem to make many different models reasonably priced at their website www.hisonic.net

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Man Must Know His Limitations -Clint Eastwood

The following information is provided by Shure :

February 17, 2009 is the completion date for transition from analog television broadcast to digital television broadcast (DTV). All broadcast television stations will be required to operate in what are now channels 2-51. Only DTV stations will remain on the air. The analog stations will be gone. The former TV channels 52-69 are going to be reallocated for other purposes; one of them is Public Safety, which will be using Channels 63, 64, 68 and 69. The rest of that spectrum will be primarily used by communications services in devices that resemble cell phones.

Wireless microphone or personal monitor system products that operate in these former television bands may begin to suffer more interference from these services. That doesn't mean that the systems won't work any longer. But users will probably have to change frequencies to avoid these new services.

There's still likely to be a fair amount of open spectrum in different places around the country on some of the frequency ranges. In some places though, it may be difficult to operate as many systems as previously because there may not be enough spectrum for all of it. If users have frequency-agile systems, they'll be likely to continue using that system with very few problems in the foreseeable future.

Shure will not sell equipment that operates on channels 52-69 after February 2009 and they haven't sold equipment in that range for some time now.


see also :

http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/PressRoom ... ets_record

I consider $200.00 to be cheap for a wireless mic. I guess if I had to, I would pick the *shudder* VocoPro. They seem to hold up somewhat, and sound halfway good -- if eq-ed properly.

I just know that had I to do it all over again, I would have just spent the money for the Shure.

They should: they sell more outside of the US. And those cuntries are not affected.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Won't foreign countrys want to see our HDTV, too?

No; because the Japanese made HDTV are better and they do not interfere with the mic.  :D

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Just used my DKW Duo again tonight and there isn't a thing wrong with them. I took the inner foam out from the wire mesh cover and use an outer foam cover instead. Works just fine for what it is, a cheap wireless mic. I've used worse mics when I have been out singing Karaoke in bars. I've used some nasty looking and poor sounding wired mics that weren't as good as my cheapo DKW Duo. At $50 for the two mics it is a no brainer. They seem to have very good battery life too.

You would have zero chance of me being a regular at your show if that was the mic I had to sing through. At least give the singer a choice of a decent wired mic.

I'll venture to say that you've never even used the mic that I OWN and have used many times-you don't know what you're talking about. You know nothing about the mic other than the price and the other information I have posted here and that's how you made up your mind that it's no good.

You're a microphone snob!

I've used lots of different mics INCLUDING the one I was talking about.

You wouldn't come to my show? People go to shows all the time and use crap mics much worse that the one I own and was recommending to Randy. Most singers don't have a clue.

I would be willing to bet that if you didn't know which mic you were using you couldn't tell the difference between a $100 mic and $500 mic, but you're such a know-it-all all of the time, you think your way is the only and best way to do things. You pontificate all the time. It's sickening.

The guy who started this thread was asking about INEXPENSIVE wireless mics, not Shures or Sennheisers or $200, $300, $400, $500 mics. If that's what YOU like to use then go ahead, but you don't know ANYTHING about inexpensive mics and that's what he was asking about.

I would be willing to bet money that the majority of people here couldn't tell the difference between a $100 Audio Technica 252 and a $500 Shure or Sennehiser if the brand was disguised. Even if they could, unless they are a professional vocalist performing in front of a paying audience what difference does it make? A $100 wireless mic is plenty good enough for any Karaoke bar. The difference in sound quality is insignificant.

If you have a bunch of money to throw around then go ahead. Lots of people DON'T!

If you want to go off because you have cheap mics, go ahead. But don't think that I can't tell the difference. Maybe you can't -- I can. You don't pay $50.00 for a decent wireless mic, and my experience with Nady and the reviews of Nady seal the deal.

As I said, for those who can't tell the difference -- give those mics to them. But for those that can, give them a $100.00 wired microphone, or even something decent like the $60.00 EV Cobalt or something, or even an XM8500 for $30. Those mics are reasonable -- yours aren't.

Last show with a Nady mic, I left and didn't come back. It was incredibly poor, and had handling noise like you wouldn't believe. The KJ was gone from the gig shortly thereafter. He couldn't tell the difference, he said. Seems everyone else could.