Karaoke Forums

Hi guys!

I need your help. I am looking into getting a wireless mic for our karaoke/videoke sessions primarily for convenience since our guests are having a hard time with the wires.

In this regard, please consider the following:

1) Budget is $400 per mic (I need 2x)
2) To be used at home only by me/friends/family (never taken out)
3) Used around 4x a month
4) Will be placed in our living room where our videoke gear is setup. It is only a small living room roughly 15sqm in size but opens up to the dining room which is also small.
5) Distance of wireless mic receiver to the mic is around 3m to 5m only. (max is 6 meters)
6) Won't have more than 2x wireless mics
7) I have a router and a 2.4ghz telephone in the living room (don't know if this will interfere with wireless mic)
8 ) Preferred to have a mic with a mute or on/off switch (like the Shure SM58s)
9) Preferred to have a mic with a good anti feedback (does this mean that i am constrained with dynamic mics only? condenser mics are not possible anymore? Its just that ive read somewhere that condenser mics are much better than dynamic.... but for a karaoke, does this also hold true?)

My system:
TJ Media Karaoke Player
Presonus 16.0.2 Digital Mixer
Sabine GRQ3122s feedback exterminator
Two QSC K10 active speakers
2x Shure SM58s wired mic (with on/off switch)
1x EV 767 wired mic
1x Shure SM7b hooked up to a Focusrite ISA One preamp
Macbook Pro (for recording)

I understand that wired mics have much better quality than wireless but during parties, guests trample over the wire. It is much more convenient if I use a wireless instead. I will still hook up a wired mic though (which I will use if its my turn to sing )

Anyway, right now I am looking at either the Sennheiser or the Shure wireless mics. Does the more expensive Sennheiser/Shure give better audio quality or do the higher models only give better wireless connectivity or capability for a farther distance of the mic to the receiver? Or perhaps its ability to be rack mounted or whatever.

Note: I don't need unnecessary features which will only be useful on a large stage for concerts, stage performance and such. This is strictly for home videoke/karaoke sessions only.

What I want is sound quality and a MUTE or on/off button like the one found in Shure SM58s

Thanks!

I now have 3 of these across my systems and plan on ordering 2 more to replace existing wireless mic installs.

Good sound quality, low handling noise, solid construction, and some features you specifically didn't want, but get for less than the price threshold you set.

And you get 4 mics instead of just 2.

One of my favorite features is each mic having an internal physical gain switch. I have set these to the LOW setting to virtually eliminate handling noise.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GTD-Audio-4x800 ... 2320536d35

-Chris

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-Chris

You can get good quality wireless mics for that. Addressing your dynamic versus condenser question, each has it's place. For live sound dynamics are typically best. They pick up short range sound from a very tight direction and reject sounds outside this tight zone. Some have a more narrow field than others. The Shure Beta, for example, has a tighter field than the SM58. That tight field helps with feedback rejection.

Condensers typically have an ultra wide field. They are much better for recording. You don't have to be right on top of them and a wind screen can be used to reduce pops and hisses before it's even picked up by the mic. Much better to eliminate those sounds then to try to clean them up later. These mics are best used in a very quiet, dead room. Dead meaning sounds are not bouncing off the walls creating a beginning reverb.

Your budget is perfect for the work horse mic in it's base package, the Shure SM58

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/handheld ... 58-capsule

This is a diversity mic, which means there are two paths for the wireless signal and the receiver can use the strongest of the two. You probably won't get the number of channel options and sturdy build of their higher end 58s but you don't need that for home use. You get the SM58 at a price point that fits your budget with the features you need and not paying for features you do not need. To me, this is the only choice you should consider.

I actually hate to say this because I am not that fond of the company. Yet I have had many people happy with the 4 channel Vocopro 5800 series wireless mics.

The one thing I noted is that you mentioned having a shure and an EV. I know that some people prefer Shure for it's response to Rock vocals. Yet the vast majority of professionals will tell you that the EV mic is a better performer over the shure mic. Believe it or not. The EV R300 mics that cost $299.99 each are awesome for the price and I think you would like them for home and end up spending less overall. Now do I think a $400 Shure vs a $299 EV wireless would be better. I would like to think so. Yet do I also believe that for the money you spend on the EV R300 is worth every last penny even when you run the penny over 100 times with a truck. YES!

There are many other brands that I believe are awesome for the money too such as Audiotechnica, Senn....
Even a set of AKG mics are nice too. Many of the home installs we have done have used the Peavey 1002 series UHF wireless mics. Very happy with those mics. Plus I like the 5yr. warranty.

Feel free to go to facebook and send us a friend request at MADPROAUDIO CLEVELAND and then you will be able to see different things we post that can always be helpful in the future for you.

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MADPROAUDIO ~ DISABLED VETERAN ~ FAMILY OWNED COMPANY

Thanks for the replies. I will be looking at the mics you've mentioned.

How about the Sennheiser G3 series? I've been googling around and people seem to love it (much more than the Shure 58). Any of you tried both the G3 and the Shure 58 wireless?

Thanks

About 2 years ago, I purchased 2 sets of the Sennheiser EW-G135 wireless Mic system (B-series --- transmitting on the 600 mghz frequency... the A and G-Series transmit in the the 500 mghz frequency range). I made sure I had purchased the B series due to the FCC regulations that were set in place about 2 years ago). I love these Mics. I haven't had any problems with them, and I believe they are very comprable to the SHURE 58's.

As for price, they retail for a little over $600 each, so that may be a bit over your budget. Don't buy these on e-bay from those overseas people who are selling them for under $400 each. Chances are you are buying a counterfeit Mic.

To MadProAudio's point - I have used Vocopro 5800 mics for almost 4 years. I like the sound and the price. But the build quality is crap. Drop one and it may or may not work anymore. Usually it is just the weak soldering of the wires in the mic, but I have had a few now that just stop. Also, mic interference can be an issue.

I recently switched to the GTD Audio mics that I mentioned in my other post. Same price point as the Vocopro, but much better build quality and feature set.

-Chris

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-Chris

I echo Chris's recommend for your needs. You do not need to spend the $400 per mic, here are the same for even a little cheaper. These sound MUCH better than the Vocopro then Madproaudio recommened. Plus if one does happen to get dropped accidently and breaks, replacement mics are $36.
Someone actually gave me a dual mic system that I recently added to my shows (with a lot of reluctance). However have found that they are holding up quite well and have surprisingly no handling noise (like you get in other cheap mics). Here is a better price than the link Chris supplied plus Amazon has a better return policy than ebay.
http://www.amazon.com/GTD-Audio-G-787H- ... d_sim_MI_8

No it's not a Shure, Sennheiser or other 'major name brand', but with very slight eq tweaking - you will not know the difference and you'll save yourself around $500 and have 4 decent wireless mics. Especially with your 4x per month requirement, I am using mine 7 nights a week with no regrets. Like Chris I may just end up getting the 4 mic system to replace my current dual mic setup & Shure PGX/58 single I currently run. Check it out. Again if you don't like it, Amazon has a great return policy.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I also recommend the GTD Audio mics. I haven't tried the 4 mic set that Chris and Lon are speaking about. I've only used the double set which is true diversity (2 antennas per mic) and I have received nothing but major compliments on them from singers throughout the years.

http://www.amazon.com/GTD-Audio-Diversity-Wireless-microphone/dp/B007LB8CLA

At $219 for the set, it'll be very hard to find any mics that come close to their quality at that price.

Hard for me to recommend lower quality stuff when someone comes with a budget that fits the Shure wireless and they are obviously wanting quality due to the budget. Go check out Shure's repair policy and plan before you buy. The shure I recommended will probably last you as long as you want to use them with minimal costs down the road.

People are having all kinds of sync issues with the EV MadPro recommended.

If I were going to recommend something else based on quality of sound and performance I would recommend http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/UX1000-MC

I still use this as my own personal mic for the sound and response. But they can not be factory repaired so I have a hard time recommending them. As it is I have had to do my own component level repairs on the mic to keep it rocking and it will not ever get dropped by anyone else but me for the reset of it's life.

Here is reason why I recommend 4 mic systems in general - There are 4 mics.

The Shure may be better quality, but if you only have 1, and it breaks, then you either have zero wireless mics or you are subbing in a "lower quality" mic.

The Vocopro and GTD Audio mics actually do sound pretty good and they can be EQ'd to sound really good. Break one and you have 3 left and all for less than a single Shure.

That said, if I was doing anything BUT a karaoke show where a bunch of drunken 20 (and 30 and 40 and 50...) yr olds were the primary customer, I would buy 4 Shure wireless mics.

-Chris

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-Chris

But the budget is for 2. $800 for two mics. They probably have wired mics to back up as well. The OP deserves to get the best quality they can for that. They will probably not be happy at all for spending $600 and settling for lower quality or higher quality mics that will have a more limited life cycle. Now maybe the OP needs to go to a Guitar center and test some mics out if they want the best sound for their voice but don't skimp if you have a budget for $800. You will most likely regret it. Case in point.. I went budget and bought the Line 6 lower end for $300. I can't stand how it sounds (Anyone want to buy it?). The Shure wasn't that close in price then but if I were buying today, spending the extra $50 on the Shure would be a no brainer.

I firmly disagree with a point that said SM58s are geared toward rock. Lots of crooners, soft singers and country songs are sung wonderfully on the SM58s all the time. They are not my preferred mic but until you sing on 20 different mics, it's hard to know. Plus, you have to consider they may have parties where they do not know who might be singing and that is where the SM58 shines.

I'll give a plug for the Audiotechnica digitals. going price between 2-250. Long battery life, excellent reception, and crisp clear sound. Mine have "hit the floor" a few times and survived.

After re-reading the OP, go with the Shure mics. You have not skimped on much of anything so why start now.

-Chris

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-Chris

I would have to agree with Chris on that statement, because you do one heck of a great home system that most pros would love to have.

Yes, I agree. Audio-Technica/Digital Reference are awesome sounding mics and built very well. I've been using them for years. Very reliable, very sturdy and great sound. Highly recommended.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

They are not very rack friendly. The antennas being in the back would pose a problem for me and for anyone else that would like to rack mount them. The antennas should be in the front or at least give you the option. The Audio-Technica/Digital Reference mics antennas are also in the back but they give you the option of bringing them to the front.

Anyway, GTD Audio or VocoPro... Seriously??? Why buy crap. Get the good stuff and leave the toys at home.

Yes, you can get 4 mics for the basically the price of one Shure. And there's a reason for that. Remember folks, you usually get what you pay for. Sometimes I just don't get the mentality of the folks on this forum.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

May I take this opportunity to wish your lovely wife a very happy holiday season!

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

I am surprised that GTD audio is even up for consideration considering the guys question. Example; I would of easily mentioned Audio2000 if I had wanted to go cheaper. Where some of you have had great success with GTD, I have had many MANY people tell us otherwise. It's not even an American company from what I know of to begin with and many people say they like the quality of the GTD, but whenever they needed help, they expressed that they thought the service was a joke.

At least with Audio2000, they are always going out of their way to help people. I base my picks on many factors and not just the quality. I purposely did not mention Audio2000 because of the guys budget and it seems he takes a higher level of pride in his direction. Of course there are cheaper mics with great quality for that money.

That's why I even mentioned Vocopro. I am not a personal fan of their company, yet I must admit to knowing people have liked them a lot (yet they did not like the company itself).

Going back to the GTD. I can EASILY buy a truckload of wireless mics that would CRUSH a lot of what is talked about here and sell them cheap. Yet I could not in good conscience place profit over doing right by people. I already know that in the long run, the type of support I would provide would not meet our personal expectations for the customer. YES, I would agree that GTD has had plenty of people liking them, and still wish to point out that there is still a HUGE difference in overall long term cost of ownership/headache factor when you compare GTD to mics such as AudioTechnica, Senn, Shure, EV, Peavey, etc. (Even our own perception/opinion is subject to rebuttal and we are not even saying we have the right opinion here either). Customers deal with less exposure to the real workings behind the scenes.
As a retailer, we are exposed to much more talk behind the scenes about product.

Another example; Going back to Vocopro. A long time ago I dealt with about 75+ Vocopro mixers that came out on the market with the blue voltage meters built into the mixer. Nice looking. Yet had nothing but issues throughout the year with them. Yet they were selling like crazy. The people the received ones that worked, LOVED them. (My brother was one that had his for 5yrs. and we thought it was an awesome mixer for the money). Yet I personally knew of countless other people that were really upset over the issues on the boards that had defects. (These experiences shape long term perception of product). Hope that made sense.

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MADPROAUDIO ~ DISABLED VETERAN ~ FAMILY OWNED COMPANY

One of my customers goes to church with the owners of Audiotechnica on Sundays and everything I know about they owners of that company is really nice. They are based here in Ohio. I rarely ever sell the Audiotechnica even though I think they are a super solid company. For church installs, I personally believe they are the number one choice here because you can simply drive over to their facility and pick up a replacement part if needed. Everyone has their reasons why they choose product and the same goes for even us. On the surface, we should sell tons of Audiotechnica mics, yet we do not because we concentrate on overall factors when choosing things. Example; We love Electrovoice, yet with the strong presences of Peavey and them having so many products under one roof. It's tough to concentrate on EV all the time when the consumer needs more choices. Believe me, if EV had everything you needed in Audio, they would be unstoppable. (Sorry for rambling, my mind simply works that way)

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MADPROAUDIO ~ DISABLED VETERAN ~ FAMILY OWNED COMPANY