Biohazard Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Hi, wireless guitar leads are damn expensive, but was just wondering. It would be pretty cool if you could actually make them. So, can you make them to as good a quality as the mass produced ones on the market. Whats the technology behind them, is it just radio frequencies that the signal is being transfered by? Thanks for any information guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 radio shack makes a nice one. that you can cut off the microphone lead and put a guitar plug on.. like 49 bucks for transmitter adn receiver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted June 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 That could work as good as the wireless guitar lead systems that are on the market? So what exactly should I search for at RadioShack? Wireless mic transmitter and receiver? Thanks Ansil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtailed Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 If you're happy with the sound you'd get from a radio shack wireless, then you probably had one crappy cable before... Seriously, yes these things are expensive, but the only economy you can make with a wireless is not buy one at all. Cause a cheap one will screw up your tone, add nasty distortion (peak easily), compress in a cheezy way (they use compression to limit the dynamic range, but a cheap one will sound like you're going through an old DOD compressor pedal, actually worse than that), have a short range (drop outs are uncool), get interferences (did you see the Spinal Tap movie?), and so on... Seriously, you'll end up using your cable instead. As for making one, that's like asking "Can I build a computer from scratch?". Yes you could, but it would cost you a fortune and would perform like one that was build 30 years ago, because this is one of those things that HAVE to be produced in large number to be viable. Now, if you do really want a wireless (I for one, couldn't live without it), do yourself a favor and save 400-500$ and get on the Shure The Guitarist UHF systems (the UHF part is important), you'll be glad you did. They're really good for the price. And stay away from the low-end Audio-Technica models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted June 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 Ok, thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 well thats some good advice . but you shouldn't just throw away every notion that you can use somethign from radioshack. for instance, if biohazzard had said. "i am a semi pro giging musician and i wanted to know if i can build me a prograde wireless system" i would have replied.. "yes you can but you would be better off buying one unless you have extensive knowledge in tuning coils and smt work and all the theory behind it to properly make one that will keep out every known interference and u should also have a large shop with all the tools and parts at your disposal and buckets of time to do this with. not counting making your own pcb boards or designing them in a CAD program and having to wait while a professional comapny makes them for you." this would have been a complete answer. but on the same hand. we have plenty of people at the diy forum who have canibalized basic wireles mic transimitters and beefed up the power and fidelity of them using the basic principles and mulitple people building them and suggesting modifications or improvments to the designs. the result we have a couple people overseas in europe and other places who made there own wireless and actually do gig with it and have wonderful sounds. such as acutally brekaing down the guitar signal into three seperate signals to transmit them without needing as much or any compression. and then recombinign them at the receiver end. all this built with standard components in a few days time and relativly cheap with very professional results. being that i used to design and rebuild myown RC circuits. i happen to know what the average person can do without getting into too much theory. so in a nutshell you can actually get a really good sound via cracking open the ratshack device and tweaking the internal gain.. beefing up the transmitter section, changing out some of the cermaic dipped caps for better grade tantalum and or film or silver mica's if you have the time and money to spend. and still have a nice sound that will work for a beggining progect and later lead you to make your own decisions on where to go from there. personally i can build my own wireless and do it pretty cheap and throw in extras that i havent' seen on any wireles.. but when i use one for a gig what do i go with. this. http://www.wwbw.com/AKG-WMS40-Diversity-Gu...ug-i95371.music or the samson version. i don't even know or care about the specs.. to me it sounds great and thats what i like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtailed Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 such as acutally brekaing down the guitar signal into three seperate signals to transmit them without needing as much or any compression. and then recombinign them at the receiver end. all this built with standard components in a few days time and relativly cheap with very professional results. Hmmm,that sounds interesting, it seems to me that the compression/expansion part is usually what's lacking on budget wireless systems. That was the major problem with the audio technica I tried (as well as a budget AKG system). I wish company would spend more time finding solutions to make things better without costing too much, instead of just finding solutions to make things cheaper... (like using a 0.25$ chip for compression) With my Shure UT4 system, the only real problem I've encountered was the low B string on a 5-string bass (I don't care, I play guitar) which distorted the signal. My bassist had to move up to the ULX system which is definitely cleaner but twice the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 i have to agree there with you.. have you looked at the diy wireless kit over at mark hammers site. now this is a pretty advanced one for its time. but nto as good today. they decided to add distortion to the thing as to not have to worry about the bandwidth as much but it also does clean too. has a touch switch built into it to switch between the two and well its a nice little unit. my old guitarist had a nady that just sounded like P.O.S so i know where you are coming from,a nd i hope i didnt' come off to stong there. soemtimes i give short and to the point answers and dont' think of the other possibilities. and someties i know particular peoples skill levels and what they can do for the amount of money they wish to spend.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 I bought my Shure wireless over a decade ago, spent just over $100, and I've played through it all over, including an airbase and a National Guard radar station, without any problems. Even with my 6 and 12 string basses, I haven't had any problems with distortion or bandwidth unless I try to send it too hot a signal. I A/B'd it with my 20 foot Spectraflex cable, and there aren't any audible differences that anybody I've played with can hear. I'm sure the new Shure wireless products are far superior products (they must be - they cost a lot more), but I'm not convinced I need any more. Since my bandwidth is 30Hz (low B ) to about 6kHz ( cutoff of my 10's), this seems to work fine for me. My biggest problem has been trying to keep the receiver from flying across the room every time I move. My too sense, I'm no Tone God, so YMMV. With that kind of performance at that price, I sure wouldn't bother trying to homebrew one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 including an airbase and a National Guard radar station, without any problems. ← gotta love "this is spinal tap" when the guitarist is playing and all the sudden you here a pilot landing through his amp. thats one of the greatest movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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