Karaoke Forums

I am going to be getting Bluetooth capable speakers and a wireless video system, effectively eliminating my rack that contains my mixer, mic receivers and my power conditioner. I am going to be left with three USB mics, my computer, a Bluetooth transmitter, a wireless video system, my singer's monitor and my new speakers. I will have my original setup as backup until I am positive that what I am attempting to do works out. The speakers are not only Bluetooth capable but rechargeable battery powered so my concern over power outlets is moot.I'm not accepting any gig over 5 hours because the speaker's battery life is rated at 5 hours.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

wireless audio... sure, go for it.
But karaoke... I highly suggest you test before buy.

1) you may experience latency issues between audio and video
2) intermittent static issues
3) Possible failure to wireless device
4) Sync issues disrupting singers if using for karaoke.

just sharing some of my experiences when I decided to go "Wireless"

I decided on Portability over wireless. but that's just my opinion.

I used Bluetooth once for a wedding...

I used my iPad with karaoke software (Tricerasoft) and loaded the 2 songs they were singing. I have a Bluetooth receiver that I put into one of my stereo lines.

We were able to do a test run prior to the wedding. The singer started the program when it was her time to sing the required songs.

It worked pretty well, but it was a unique situation.

I was interested in doing the same thing, so I could run the gig remotely, but I didn't feel comfortable with the equipment enough to go through with it. If I'm going to run a wire in case of emergency, I might as well use the actual wire.

I am interested in wireless TV HDMI transmission, but I am also worried about latency times.

Let us know how it goes!!!

don't think i would trust bluetooth in a venue yet for audio, though i love the wireless idea.
it's not a lot, but there is latency in bluetooth, though the audio spectrum can be fully sent if it is at least bluetooth 3.
what speakers are you specifically talking about?

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Have had a change of plans for ditching the conventional mixer due to personal concerns about mixing the mics with the vocals, decided that I was giving too much control with the volume of the mics to the singer, who might not know how or when to make any adjustments to the mic's volume.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

I would be really wary of a totally wireless system. Too many things could go wrong. Too many opportunities for buzzing and other interference. I HATE wires, but life is easier with them, IMHO.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

I run my speakers wireless in large areas, and where I need more than 2 mains. The Sony guitar systems I use are 1 of Sony's few attempts at "pro sound". I have zero issues with dropouts, lag, static, or any other issue that KNF mentioned. Smoothe, I ran cables a couple of times, not anymore.

I have also tried wireless video, but with less success. There can be some waviness/static in the video on occasion, which is unacceptable to me. I am still trying though.

I would trust UHF/VHF wireless infinitely more than bluetooth.

UHF/VHF signals go around physical objects and through walls pretty effectively. When I step between my phone and my bluetooth speakers when they are 6-10 feet from each other, the signal drops.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Have also decided to go with a Bluetooth capable version of a pair of speakers that I use to have. I am giving up 200 watts of power and an hour of Battery life but I have owned 2 pairs of the same brand of speakers and except for the fact that the passive ones are basically old and I didn't like how I was having to connect with wires to the active ones, both were great quality gems that I found. They are by no means big boy brand speakers but for the size of the speakers the bass is comparable to what you would expect 15" brand name speakers to put out, not that I run heavy Bass when I play. They have always been crystal clear in their sound and I expect the new speakers to provide the same quality sound of the two speakers that I have used in the past. In fact until the new speakers come in, I will be using the old passive pair. None of the big boy speakers offer the benefit of passive speakers of not having to worry about outlets for the speakers and the benefit of not having to worry about matching the amplifier with the speakers.
The speakers that I was originally considering was made by Acoustic Audio and the ones that I have decided to go with are Podium Pro. As I said, both offer something that is not offered by EV,Yamaha, Behringer, Peavey or QSC. That, the fact that the speakers that I have chosen offer both the bluetooth and the wired option and personal experience with other products from the manufacturer are the primary reasons that I have chosen these speakers. I personally am hoping that the Bluetooth option pans out but am leaving the wired option open to me by choosing the speakers that I am choosing to use.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Bluetooth is, for the most part, good to about 30 feet, and not very reliable even then. I have taken my UHF units to at least 100 feet with no issues.

At one time, I used a Radio Shack video transmitter/receiver combo at a gig so people could sing along using the bar TV. Since the transmitter/receiver used composite video, and I was running HDMI, the setup was from the computer to a powered HDMI splitter, one lead went to the singer monitor, the other a converter to composite video. Plug that into the transmitter and then put the receiver in line of site at the other side of the bar, then plug the composite video into the tv.

The video was serviceable, but I never fully liked it. It was subject to a lot of interference.
People walking through the line of sight could drop or degrade the signal.

I also think because of how much processing was done, and the signal strength of the splitter, I didn't get a powerful signal as if I just went directly from the man source.

Wireless is ok, but it's expensive add on tech that most of us dont really need at most shows.

There will be a delay in the video feed, you can count on that. It will really frustrate your good singers who are used to the words and music being in sync. The drunks won't care.

Podium Pro is sold at Wal-Mart. How do you expect to be seen as a professional when you're using Wal-Mart speakers. I'd be embarrassed to admit that.

Call me a hack if you want but it doesn't change the fact that what you claim to be nonprofessional equipment actually performs at the same quality of what you call professional, they sound just as good as spending the extra money as the pair of EV ZXA1'S that I use to have and I don't need to have outlets or extension cords to power them. Yes they limit the amount of hours I can accept for a gig, but I really don't want to work more than that limit anyway. I will just turn down any gig that goes beyond that. I have always said that it doesn't always matter if you have name brand recognition equipment. As long as the equipment can provide you with quality sound, who really cares where you got it. It's different with software. I personally would never go back to a winamp based hosting program unless it's AutoKDJ and then again, Winamp's keychanger plugin really doesn’t cut the mustard so even that is out for me, and the reason is the same reason that KaraFun is out for, they lack one important feature that I consider a must for any software to actually call themselves a professional karaoke hosting software and that is rotation management. Because for me any feature that allows me to concentrate on more important duties is helpful for me. I'm going back to using a kiosk but in a different way that I did before. It has the convenience of a phone app but allows me to help stop singers from trying to cheat the rotation system because they aren't the ones who are actually entering their request. I added a person to my team to aid me in this, further allowing me to concentrate on the sound and calling up people to sing. I have instigated a rule and if I get a person coming up asking me what they put in, I know that someone is trying to cheat the system because the rule states that only the person who is singing will be allowed to put in the request. But while I may be a software snob, I am definitely not anecessarily equipment snob unless you are using equipment listed as karaoke amplifier or mixer. But I am open to at least testing out equipment that may not be standard name brand equipment because I have found some gems that actuallysaved me money and sounded as good as the name brands. I had EV speakers, passive and active and the speakers that I have decidedto go with, I already know what they sound like with the mixer that I am getting. I have made up my mind, finally that I am going to forget about Bluetooth speakers and just keep using cables. I am not going to be getting either Bluetooth speakersbut am going back to the Podium Pro active speakers that I had before. I know exactly how they are going to sound because I had them before at the same time that I had the mixer that I had before. In my opinion, despite being half the watts of the EV ZXA1'S, the sound quality really didn't change.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

I don't think I'd trust the bluetooth at all. I have some UE Boom speakers for personal use. They sound amazing, but there is a delay in the transmission. This is especially important not only for the lyrics synchronization, but if you're doing precision DJ work, you won't be able to blend your songs.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

half the watts doesn't change the sound as much as you loose a ton of headroom.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens