Wireless microphones - Church Tech Forum
Wireless microphones - Church Tech Forum
Wireless microphones
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From the wiki https://tech.lds.org/wiki/Sound_system_ ... nghouses):"The Presiding Bishopric has approved the use of wireless microphones in LDS stake centers. New and retrofitted sound systems being installed will begin to have one portable UHF wireless microphone system provided with the sound system. This one microphone is provided and cared for by the FM group.
Additional wireless microphones are available for purchase by the stake through Distribution Services. The wireless microphones distributed by Church headquarters are the only ones officially supported."
Our stake president has requested that we purchase 2 new wireless microphone for the stake center (1 is a replacement). According to the bolded portions of the quoted section above, we should be able to get one from the FM group and also purchase one from Distribution Services.
Well, our sound system was replaced only a couple years ago, but the wireless mic we have is not "cared for" by the FM group. And my initial queries lead me to believe that they are unaware of this policy, which is not the first time there has been something out of synch between what we read on the wiki/lds.org, and what the FM group is told through their channels.
Questions:
(1) I have searched through the online Distribution Services in the unit section attempting to find the elusive "officially supported" wireless microphone. Has anyone else had luck identifying these? Or will I have to -- gasp -- actually use the ?
In the absence of the availability of said officially supported devices, I will likely take the path of asking for forgiveness later.
(2) In terms of quality, one of the problems we have with the current wireless mic is that it works fine in the cultural hall but gets terrible feedback/interference/noise in the chapel. Which, of course, is where the visiting authorities use it. As we look for a new one, has anyone out there been pleased with their wireless mic? (And yes, we've changed the battery...) I have found a few suggested models in the history of the above wiki page, but am looking for some empirical data.
We have just received notice of a visiting general auxiliary member who has requested 2 wireless mics for a fireside. This is our 3rd event in the last 12 months with a visiting authority, and they have all requested 2 wireless mics. So... I'm rather eager to get this taken care of.
Any support and advice is welcome. I'd suggest going though a member of the stake presidency to talk to the FM group. In my experience, the FM group is far more responsive when approached by the stake presidency then by the STS directly.
sgcurtis wrote:We have just received notice of a visiting general auxiliary member who has requested 2 wireless mics for a fireside. This is our 3rd event in the last 12 months with a visiting authority, and they have all requested 2 wireless mics.
There's your ammo. Use it.
sgcurtis wrote:In terms of quality, one of the problems we have with the current wireless mic is that it works fine in the cultural hall but gets terrible feedback/interference/noise in the chapel.Feedback is a function of the mic hearing the speakers. The mic may be "too hot" for the chapel sound system. The wireless mic I've seen has a level control in the back so it can be adjusted. What kind of wireless mic do you have? I personally dislike lavaliere mics for PA work. The mic is too far from the speaker's mouth to get a good level before feedback. The mic the FM group gave us is a handheld.
As for interference/noise, that's a function of what frequency it's using. There must be something in the area that's causing problems. The only thing I can think of that is standard to church systems is the transmitter for the hearing impaired that operates on 72MHz. You may need to try another channel. Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.
So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location. To satisfy these requests from visiting authorities in the past, our stake has rented Sennheiser wireless microphones. They have performed flawlessly. The receiver units have the ability to scan their entire frequency range and identify which frequencies are currently free from interference. This coming weekend, we are having stake conference and have a visiting Seventy who has requested two wireless microphones for the Saturday evening session. We decided to purchase a pair of Sennheiser EW 135 G3s. I was able to get two brand new units (one channel B, the other channel G) from a store on eBay for $455 each. This particular model has a sync feature that allows you to automatically set the microphone to whatever frequency you have selected on the receiver. After selecting a frequency, you push the sync button on the front panel, then hold the microphone close to the front panel, where it receives an infrared signal and tunes itself to the same frequency. This operation had to be performed manually on the older models that we have rented. The Offically supported microphones are availble in (2) varieties. A handheld version, and a Lapel Mic. both are manufactured by Audio Technica, and represent somewhat of a custom kit made for the church by it's supplier from normal parts. Each kit includes (1) base station(ATW-R200), (1) Mic either the Lavalier and body pack(ATW-T210), or handheld variety(ATW-T220), and a carying case for storage.
If you are unable to find it through the online store, you can consider ordering through the FM group, who orders the same stuff but through a diffrent channel, and then transfer funds to cover the extra mics.
If you order them through the FM, you can order the entire Kit by its MTS (Meeting House Technical Services) Part Number:
Lavalier Kit - ATW--PKG
Hand Held Kit - ATW--PKG
Additionally you could order 1 Kit and alternate mics the MTS part numbers for those are the same as the manufacturer part numbers
For Volume Control, both of these mics have gain (volume) adjustments built into the individual mics in the batter compartement area in case you have to move it between rooms for regular meetings, and say sunday school classrooms. Steve Poulsen - Meetinghouse Facilities Technology Engineer
StevePoulsen wrote:The Offically supported microphones are availble in (2) varieties. A handheld version, and a Lapel Mic.
Any chance of getting a headset version? I find that lapel mics tend not to live up to expectations because they are too far away from the user's mouth. Feedback limits how far it can be turned up. Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.
So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
RussellHltn wrote:Any chance of getting a headset version? I find that lapel mics tend not to live up to expectations because they are too far away from the user's mouth. Feedback limits how far it can be turned up.While I am not aware of any plans to do so at the moment, I will check with the decision makers to see if it is a possibility. I suspect that like most things it will depend on how much desire there is. Steve Poulsen - Meetinghouse Facilities Technology Engineer
Re: Wireless microphones
Over the past 2 years my Stake in south central Pennsylvania have bought 4 Audio-tech handheld and 2 wireless lapel mic systems the same series. They work great with my FM manager and I walked way out in the parking lot and they were clear as a bell. We run then though a Mackie mixer. I also always remove the batteries when they are not in use, Use fresh batteries. I now get asked to do Conference webcast in other Stakes in the state. I wish the Church had a national account with Guitar Center. They do have fare prices. Bro Fish I would love to do business with you. Bruce M AllenElizabethtown Ward Executive Secretary
Lancaster PA Stake Technology Specialist A/V
Lancaster PA
Re: Wireless microphones
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Relacart.
When using a lapel mic for Gospel Doctrine say in the chapel, you will get much better results if you unplug the pulpit mic. Just need to open the cabinet and unplug the mic that's there and plug in the lapel mic. The reason this works better is because when you have two microphones (esp. the more sensitive mics) your total system gain is higher. When you close one of the mics--by unplugging it since you are not using it--you reduce the total system gain. This allows you increase the gain or volume on a specific mic to a higher level.An analogy is like a sink with an overflow drain. If you have two faucets flowing into a sink it will overflow faster than if you just have one faucet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_NstCb3hA
Another way to get the gain even higher is to filter out the troublesome frequencies using an equalizer like the Behringer MINIFBQ FBQ800. You can connect the wireless mic directly to the equalizer using a 1/4 jack plug and then plug the RCA back into the sound system (using a crab box if needed)
Re: Wireless microphones
I think the church systems use automatic mixers that take care of that. Only active channels are used. Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
Wireless Microphone Buyers Guide | Samson
A wireless system’s main purpose is to replace the cable that connects a microphone or instrument to an audio system. Yet this technology has dramatically changed almost every aspect of live sound. “Why go wireless?” is a question from days gone by. Now the question is “Why not?” Once upon a time, wireless microphones were unique to the point of being a novelty. Their installation and operation required a bit of technical know-how—and patience. Beginning in the early s, Samson was one of the first wireless manufacturers offering affordable solutions that helped shape modern musical and theatrical performances. Today, Samson offers wireless microphone systems for many applications including musical performance, theatrical production, fitness instruction, video production, presentations, and houses of worship.
Wireless Basics
All wireless microphone systems require three elements: Microphone, Transmitter and Receiver
The Microphone
The microphone captures sound waves and converts them into electrical signals which are fed to the transmitter. Coming in a variety of formats and designs, selecting the right microphone will ensure the best results in any given situation, from handheld, lavalier, headset, earset to clip-on instrument microphones. In the case of Guitar and Bass Wireless Systems, a 1/4″ plug that is connected into an instrument’s output jack is used in place of a microphone capsule.
The Transmitter
The transmitter has two main functions. The first is to provide power to the microphone—if needed. The second is to take the signal from the microphone, convert it into radio waves, and send it to the receiver. Transmitters are designed to be compact and unobtrusive. The transmitter is often in the form of a beltpack, or it can be incorporated into the body of the microphone, or connected by way of a module.
The Receiver
The receiver is the last stop for the audio signal in a wireless system. Once the signal is received from the transmitter, it is converted back to an audio signal that can be connected to the house mixing console, a personal combo amplifier, your PA system, as well as a personal computer or digital camera. Be sure that the receiver for the wireless system you choose has the right outputs to connect to your other equipment—or make sure you have the necessary adaptors needed to make the proper connections.
Analog vs Digital
Wireless audio systems use radio waves to carry a signal. Virtually all analog wireless audio uses a system called frequency modulation (FM)—when referring to a digital wireless system, the technique is called frequency shift keying (FSK). The term itself is descriptive of the process: The frequency of an electromagnetic radio wave is modulated (that is, continuously varied) by an electrical audio wave, or digital in the case of a digital system a digital bit (represented by a 0 or 1). The radio wave itself is inaudible, since it is well above the range of human hearing (which only extends as high as about 20 kHz). Its sole function is to carry the signal over long distances—thus, it is called a carrier signal. It is only when a radio wave is carrying information that it can be referred to as a radio signal.
The question of which type of system is better or worse is not so straightforward. Each type of wireless method has it advantages and disadvantages. There are factors not related to the transmission method that can make a system sound better or be preferable for your application, such as the microphone, or size/design of the receiver.
Digital wireless microphone systems tend to have better dynamic range and frequency response as well as not incurring noise at the end of the wireless range. Analog systems have to compress the dynamic range prior to transmission. That isn’t to say analog systems are noisy, modern analog wireless systems have been designed to include high-quality audio sections that are heard on the biggest stages and broadcasts around the world. However, analog systems will broadcast better at the end of the wireless range, although with audible noise, whereas with a digital system may drop out completely.
Latency is the time delay between the signal input and output in a system. Analog systems have virtually no latency, while digital wireless systems experience some amount of latency. The amount of latency that can be tolerated depends on the application as well as the people involved. For speaking or video applications, latencies under 20ms are acceptable. However, for performance applications, especially those where a performer will be able to monitor themselves or need to lock in with a band, latency generally needs to be much lower to be acceptable.
Both analog and digital systems’ performance can be diminished by RF (radio frequency) interference. When using a UHF or VHF system, you need to coordinate the frequencies to avoid direct interference from active TV broadcast and other wireless sources, as well as other performers using a wireless system. Many digital wireless systems do not give the user the ability to select the operating channel, instead they automatically scan and hop between frequencies to avoid interference from other devices in the spectrum. And with the number of wireless devices (including WIFI) taking up bandwidth in the frequencies ranges that digital wireless microphones operate, limit the number of systems that can operate simultaneously.
Some Closing Thoughts
Wireless microphones are great. They can eliminate long and unsightly cable runs. They provide heightened levels of mobility to dynamic performers of all stripes. They offer great convenience to news gathers and online content creators by offering cable-free connections, plus discreet and unobtrusive mic placement. Samson brings continuous innovation to the wireless microphone industry, creating systems that are designed to ensure your audio requirements are achieved for whatever your application.
The company is the world’s best wireless conference mic system supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
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