Karaoke Forums

Ok, let's see who does what...Who uses Cordless mics and who uses Corded ones and why for each? Peronally, I think that as long as you have a decent set of mics with good quality, they're fine for bars, clubs, hotels, etc. With the background noise in places like that, the mic specs can far exceed the normal ear's ability to distinguise the difference. I use cordless. However, I keep a set of corded in my case for backups. Only had to use one of them one time, and sure was glad I had them with me. Most of my singers appreciate the cordless ones more cause they don't have to be tied to the end of a cord. I also like the cordless mics as sometimes I do songs like "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body" or "Devil Went Down To Georgia" where I like to get out in the crowd and mix it up with them. The crowd sometimes likes it when you get out there in the middle of them rather than staying tied to a stage or a TV set.

Opinions???

Ron:
Like your idea of the freedom that cordless can afford, backed up by the relative reliabilty of the corded. You also eliminate your singers' occasional tendency to swing a mike around by it's cord. I have heard cordless mikes of varying qualities. Which do you use?

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You Can't Sing? THat doesn't Stop Anybody Else!

I use both. I put out two SM-58's on stands and have a wireless 58 that I give them if they want it or if a large group is singing. I haven't found a need to go totally wireless yet. The only people that I have found that want to work the crowd are soloists, so I really don't need more than one wireless. If I was doing more upscale places instead of just bars I might reconsider but for now I like only having to keep track of one wireless.

I use 2 corded mics for singers and I do have a cordless mic for myself for making announcements and for groups over 2 people .. The corded mics are good quality not GREAT but good SHURE PG58'S.
I used to have a duel wireless setup for singers which they loved ..Unfortunatley going thru 2 of them and too much $$$$ wasted from people who were either too drunk or too stupid too realize you can't throw - drop -spike or eat them has caused me to rethink my mic investment--Don't get me wrong If you are a regular at my show and I know you are not too DRUNK you can use my cordless ...But if I don't know you ...forget it ..I want you on a leash where I can keep an eye on my equipment

I have one cordless Shure UT 58 (the SM58 UHF system) and two of the corded PG-58s. Was thinking of going with 2 cordless, but I agree, too many unpredictable drunks - especially since I do a lot of fill-in work at locations where I don't know the crowd. My Thursday show is with a house system with two battered Shure cordless (forgot the model #) - they should have been replaced long ago - it is a rowdy transient madhouse, though fun.

A cordless though is essential for DJ work - wedding toasts, interacting on the dance floor, etc.

For the budget-conscious, those PG-58s are pretty decent. About $50 each with either an XLR or 1/4" cord last I checked.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

I have two sm58 hardwired mics.( i love my singers ) A couple of mid level cordless for certain occasions and numerous lowlevel mics for fools and drunks. I sing on a cordless SM 58 that has a killer sound. I will loan out my cordless for the right price ( its a good bribe right ? )

I have two corded (actually three if I need the other) mics, and one cordless.

Two corded, one cordless handheld, one cordless headset. Some nights I use the headset, depends on the place and crowd.

I have 2 corded Avlex mics, and a Mipro wireless. Mipro is big in the body mics such as for theatre, but they make great handhelds also.

Corded mics are great for karaoke if the mics are not going very far and the acoustical dynamics are not requiring alot of color... A.K.A if the system is symple.. you don't need alot of money into the microphones to make your show sound great.

Second if your stage is a wide open dance floor like Ron's is... Wireless Microphones are a MUST. alot of times those mics travel over 500' and ths sound quality needs to be great too.. Now i do Sing at Ron's show and I Don't buy his Equipment. But I do Admit he did a great job of getting an
excellent bang for his buck. although I personally would not use the products myself unless i had to.. although his CD+G player is on the same lines as my 3 drawer. Still the quality is there without excesive volume in a sound sensitive environment.

In my experience I have found wireless mics to be unreliable and expensive. I use Shure SM58s with cords. The SM58 is nearly indestructable. If you are going to go with a wireless get the most expensive system that you can afford. The cheaper ones will break quckly and will most likely fail on you in the middle of a show.

Cords versus wirelss does not have much effect on the sound, it is the quality of the mic that makes the difference. A cheap wireless system may not sound as good due to the fact that the signal is compressed then transmitted via radio waves and then decompressed. In a cheap wireless system this means that the signal is degraded.

Most KJs that I know that have used wireless mics usually have a pile of dead ones. I can't afford to replace my mics every 6 months to a year.

Max

You are absolutely right about the quality of the mic having the most affect. A good cordless & receiver is a must for many jobs I do, like weddings, whereas in the small bars, really not so. I'd rather have a $50-$100 Shure corded dropped, than a $300-$400 cordless obviously. One venue I work has a house system with two cordless and one corded Shure - the cordless ones get top use (and are higher quality), but they are very banged up. One was finally replaced about two months ago as it kept cutting out and finally died (not on my night). About two weeks ago, I noticed a major dent on the new one. "Wasn't on my shift!", but could have just as easily.

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

I use wireless mics..... and allow my singers to use them too
I use the Audio Stream AS-890 dual mic set.

For those of you who complain about the cost of replacing a wireless set. I honestly feel more comfortable with a wireless mic. I also feel that being stingy with the wireless is unfair to the singers.

Granted the wireless may be nowhere to be found when the drunken bar patron comes up, but chances are he is not going to be singing beyond that first song, as i will tell them they are too drunk to sing.

OK, let's get analytical
Musician's friend lists the Shure TV58D for $299

Let's say the mic lasts for 6 months (as a low-life span figure)
$300 /(6months*12 shows a month)=4.17 per show that mic is costing you

The SM58 wireless is said to be one of the toughest wireless mics. I have seen hosts have these mics for years..... only replacing the top wire ball on them ($10 each)

Obviously, the mic is not going to work if spiked like a football on the floor, a wired mic would not work either
If a patron does the above action, it is not an accident, it is a mallicious act. and i would infact tell the venue/client that they are responsible for the cost, they can either make the damager pay them or me for it, or whatever, but somebody would owe me a mic. Would i call the law and file a report.... YEP, it's called criminal damaging (just the same as if the drunk had broken a table) A host that allows patrons to damage his gear with no financial repayment will not be able to stay in business long

A wireless mic can be damaged just the same at a wedding....

Damaged gear is a cost of doing business

My thoughts exactly!
I know you are not a spring chicken at this...

But i don't give the singers cheap mics..Quality is everything in my shows.. and my equipment is insured.. but the deductable doesn't touch but half the cost of a vocal mic. wired or wireless.. (in retail value)

Wireless usage may not be feesible if damage by careless patrons is likely. Also the need to purchade good quality 9 volt batteries constantly can add to the cost of doing daily business. I started out with corded Peavey mics, very good and sturdy. I moved to Audio-Technica mics, wireless 3 years later in 2000. I bought 6 since I am a 3 mic show.

Since I have also used Audio Stream 890's too. I have had then dropped very little, but the venues I use are less abusive than many KJ's play. Were I in that kind of environment I would use my Peaveys. I keep a battery use log on my cordless mics. Wireless use is best served after getting some time, experience and money earned under your belt. You can start off with em, but I would recommend from experience starting off corded first.

I'm still using the wireless. Added an Audiotechnica 3000 series and love it. What I do though is allow everyone to use it except for the younger kids who are allowed into the show until 8:30, and the drunks. They get the old mics, which are still cordless, but wouldn't hurt so much if something happened to them. Do still maintain a couple corded for backups though.

i'd trust the kids more, cause they are more than likely to hold the mic with both hands.

Geez, what about those of us that only have one show a week?

Using your analysis, $300 (you forgot shipping and handling, but let's not split too many peas here!) 6 months 4 shows a month)= $12.50 per show.

Granted, that's still a low cost venture. But I have other costs that eat into that as well.

Just bought a new mixer, new discs, cords, etc.

We can analyze it all we want. Yes, in six months time, it will be fairly easy to break it all down. But you're still talking if you start saving NOW, it will take six months to utilize what your saying. OR go into debt for that amount now, and try to budget paying yourself back in six months.

OR you could even go further. The Audio Technica wireless mic that Rat Shack has is $99.00 (you'll need a $4.00 1/4" to 1/4" or 1/4" to xlr cord to go with it to hook up)... no shipping and handling... they're in most major cities. and most of us could get this with ONE gig or two.

The quality is really quite good. I have people that request either this one or the shure wired I have...

Matt

I use corded SM58s due to:

1. Performance.
2. Cost.
3. Durabiltiy.
4. Simplicity.
5. The lack of a need for batteries.

This isn't to say that I havn't given consideration to wireless mics or that I'll never get them, it's just that it's not in the cards right now.

Gee HMMMMMMMMM, kojak you left alot of doors open to be shot at.. but i'll let the peanut gallery do it...