Glad you guys are enjoying the video and finding it useful 🤘I did just upload a new video about a $50-$60 wireless that does NOT transmit on 2.4ghz or 5.8ghz. It's pretty cool, and you can watch that video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DSqdd--06hQ.html
I really think I’d use this for a live show. Unnoticeable tone quality drop out, has never dropped the signal, never runs outta juice if you play up to 4.5 hours. Not sure how much longer it will go!
@@Arcturian1111 would you spend $1200 on a MacBook Pro? How bout an iPhone 12 Max Pro? The myth of cheap chinese goods is over. The quality is as good as anything made in Detroit these days.
Hey Scott, thanks for all the info. So I have the $40 Getaria and it worked fine but the in about a year and not using them very many times at all, the batteries died and wouldn’t hold a charge anymore. They didn’t come with a charger, only the duel USB cable so maybe I used an inappropriate charger and shortened the battery life. I did accidentally leave them on charge overnight once so maybe that’s what ruined the batteries. I only play at home so if they cut out every now and then it’s not a big deal. Any thoughts on over charging? Also which one for home use only? By the way I split one open and got the number off the battery and found it online but it seemed more trouble than it was worth so I’m ready to buy another one. I also have a set that takes AAA batteries that works fine but I want another rechargeable set. Thanks again!
I don’t know how to replace the batteries on this, but other people claim to know how. But getting a wireless to work for over a year for $40 is a great deal. It really is. And I charge mine overnight all the time and have never had a problem with that, so I don’t think that would be an issue. As for what is the best one to just play around the house with, I would definitely say the cheapest one 😁
Great review. You are spot on about the psychoacoustics and how our brains interpret comparative audio. I’ve been an audio engineer since the 1980s and this was one of the things driven into me in my college courses. And I’m a firm believer in “if it sounds good, it is good”.
There's a bit of a problem with this though. The issue isn't how comparing both might make you pick the one that has your preference in that very moment (a very subjective thing), instead of which has the best sound (objectively). The issue is recognizing _why_ something is different. Some older people can't hear the higher frequency ranges as well as younger people can. So in general, an older audience might actually prefer a sharper higher frequency heavy tone, over something more balanced not even realizing it's a bit out of whack. But... the more balanced sound is probably the 'best' quality more objectively seen. Our brain also can quite quickly get used to a certain sound and won't hate it for long lol. Last but not least, anything that goes from analogue to digital and ends up thin in sound, probably _always_ is a worse quality sound. It's just factually true, as it directly reflects lower bitrate and lower resolution audio. Same goes for the old 16-bit 14.1kHz CD quality that's simply never going to be superior to audio with a much larger overall range, and higher bitrate depth (assuming it got recorded in that higher quality). From a practical point of view one instrument is only one piece within an entire composition of music. But... I'd still pick the highest quality signal whenever you can. Long story short, it might take a bit of a trained ear to really figure out which one sounds best overall. It's like comparing fine wine and feeling like everything tastes the same. It probably doesn't all taste the same.
@@PHeMoX I agree. And I’m one of those older guys where above 16k is gone now. So if something is messed up in that range I’ll never know. One thing though is that most of the tone high end overtones come at the amp stage and get added after the wireless stage. I find I can compensate for the tone difference at the amp input pretty close.
I have the Getaria. It's really nice that they're different colors, makes it super easy to keep track of which is which. I am actually going to order a second set so that I always have a pair charged and ready to go.
I second this comment, and I'll add that I've used mine frequently for almost 2 years without a single dropout ever (unless I break line-of-sight by wandering around a corner). Mine is the Getaria 5.8ghz that I got on Amazon Prime Day for about $40, range over 100 feet.
I also have a Getaria GWS-8.... sad to say the cheap power switch on the receiver failed on mine.... I'm looking for another brand to replace the receiver but also can be used with the Getaria transmitter... anyone know?
I used the Xvive for years in cover and original bands on bass and guitar and I never had any issues. My bandmates used them too and we never had any issues.
Only two I’ve had over last 4 yrs are Nuix and Xvive. I recommend Xvive. I will never use Nuix again unless it’s free. The casing broke for no reason on both Nuix I had… it’s more cheaply made to me. You need 3 good units if you are playing gigs, so that you have at least 2 if one goes out on you. I have 2 pair of Xvive, and am considering buying a 3rd because I would hate to be stuck without a backup.
FLdb1966 I would now, too. I have the guitera 5mghz version. It kills. And it never cuts out. Lasts as long as I've ever needed it. Check prices. These are high. Maybe because the vid is older? I paid just over $50 on Amazon. Finally, mine has 4 pairing channels, selectable by a push button.
@@ScottUhlMusic . I was able to get it on sale for $169.00. Yes, it’s rather expensive compared to the $40 and $60 ones, but it’s built like a tank and I really like the features on it. Nice review btw👍🏼
The BOSS WL-20 and WL-50 are fantastic and they are interchangeable. You can recharge them together or each piece separately. LED indicators are simple to understand. They are tough. I have physically dropped them several times with no worries. All those others with a moving hinge would not survive. The audio difference from a quality cable is imperceptible. They are not dorky looking like the others. They look smaller in size. They "feel" solid and sturdy. The "nub" is an on/off switch. You can depress it manually to get LED indication of battery life. Here is an undocumented tip: The receivers "remember" the last transmitter that was plugged into it. So, if you only have one transmitter, you don't need to "join" it to the receiver every time you are going to use it (even though it is not stated in the manual/user guide), just once. It's really stupid simple. I bought an open box WL-20 for $150. It is just like a guitar cable that has 2 chunky ends and the wire is invisible. When I realized how beneficial it would be to have a permanent receiver mounted to my pedalboard, I bought a WL-50 ($130 used). The transmitters are interchangeable with both different receivers. I also realized that the WL-50 receiver is powered directly to 9 Volts. It won't wear out like a batteried receiver will eventually. Brand new transmitters cost $90. So, if you have the WL-50, you would only ever need to replace a single transmitter if ever the rechargeable batteries inside it eventually fail. That's just $90.
In my opinion, the best option for a plug and play wireless system for guitar is the get one which is a UHF system. Because it's analog, you get zero latency. Unfortunately ALL digital systems have a slight latency, which might not be noticeable on its own, but adds up if you're plugging into an interface and using guitar amp VST on your computer, or if you're using a digital mixer (all of which add further latency. I'd recommend a UHF plug and play system such as the A8 original sound transmitter & receiver, or the Phenyx Pro PTG-12.
I definitely do like the Phenyx Pro for sure! I did a video on the 11. And you are correct that there will be latency, but when I plug into my HX stomp which is my normal rig, I do not notice any latency. Same with direct or into my Apollo interface. However.... when I plug into my iPad for looping you are correct that I do notice if. Because the iPad has latency, and then it’s compounded with the latency of digital. So it’s unnoticeable by itself, but if you add multiple latency together, it becomes noticeable.
Yeah, the analog stuff sucks for bass though. I've used several of various brands and the analogs just lose all the low end. Don't notice that with the digitals
To me, I would say “did any of those other ones sound bad?” Or were they still useable? IMO they all sounded completely fine and useable. Cable was warmer for sure, but to me they all sound great
You got it so appreciably informative, as a lot o’ work you’ve obviously put into this, that everyone can easily agree and give your review two thumbs up!
I am from Brazil. I didn't find any review in Portuguese that offered me as much information as in your videos. Congratulations and thank you very much.
Great video! Thanks for posting. For what it's worth, I've been using the Xvive U2 for 3+ years in a variety of indoor and outdoor venues and it's never cut out. I get 3-4 hours of battery life consistently. I recommend it as a budget alternative to the more expensive Shure systems.
My Transmitter battery is starting to die in my Xvive sadly...It's been a few years, but man...getting just the transmitter is 125 bucks Canadian, but if you buy the set, it's 199. :\ China can suck it.
I've been using the getaria ones for about a year just around the house and it works great. Can jam all they way to the fridge for another beer and never miss a beat.
The tone test takes me back - great idea to compare a cable ! The digital sound of CD players when they came out was often considered harsh in comparison with vinyl. You had to pick the CD sound you liked best. It's all a consequence of digitising an analogue signal - unless you go high end. In the tone test you get the brighter / harsher digital sound compared with the analogue cable sound. Since we want to lose the cable - as per the advice, choose the wireless kit with the sound you like. I am a Boss fan - so the WL20L (for active pickups) might do it.
I’m glad you liked it. However, since this video I have decided NOT to compare to cables. I think we spend too much time a/b comparing with headphones on, and instead we should just focus on if it’s useable. Not “oh, the 1k is a little brighter.” That’s just me personally. Thanks for the comment!
I get what you're saying Slackster56, however a CD does objectively sound much worse than a vinyl that plays back at the correct speed on a high end record player with an LP that is not warped or too worn down. It's not even a debate, even when a CD has a more reliable playback (for around 10 or so years, after that, it can actually start to fail. An LP mostly depends on how often it was played back.).
@@PHeMoX what BS lol. There is no such thing as "objectively sounds better". It's completely subjective. People have been saying that "CDs degrade" for years and years. I have CDs that are 20 years old or more, and not once has one failed. And even then, I have them ripped on my computer. However, I do have many vinyls that skip. I'm not saying one is better than the other. I'm just saying you're not correct.
I've got 2 sets of the xvive, one silver, one black, while on stage one set on charge to swap between sets, never had a problem, no tone or volume loss, bought them when they first came out, maybe they made them better at first...
I got them right when they came out and it worked about 85-90% of the time at first, but now it hardly ever works. It’s definitely the one I have the most trouble with. But my friend uses it all the time and has no problems except at one venue. Very strange
I use the xvive for about 3-4 years now... never failed... never had problems... sounds great in my setup... very reliable system imo... if the battery dies one day (and if i'm not able to solder in a new one) i'll buy it again... sorry for my bad english :) I should say that my band uses 3 of those xvive units and none of them failed once... maybe just luck
What you said about A/B comparisons is so true in so many different products. Often people are convinced to buy something more expensive over something cheaper and usable, because of the direct comparison. In reality, like you mentioned, unless you have those two same products and are using them both at the same time you're not even going to notice the difference. To quote JHS, if it sounds good, it is good.
I have been using the Getaria 5.8ghz with the 4 channel selector consistently (16-20hrs a week) for about a year now and have had zero issues yet. Seriously great value especially as you can get the 5.8ghz for under $50 when they are on sale. I only paid $40 for mine and seriously regret not buying a second set when the sale was still going on. I believe a new set of the latest 5.8ghz model with the 4 channel selector are going for $55 USD as of this comment.
Bought one of the LEKATO ones. I had the transmitter on my acoustic/elec, which I was playing in my van in the parking lot outside our church (Drive-in due to Covid). The receiver was plugged into a mic'd amp in the lobby. Worked like a champ & I had several folks wanting to know how the heck I did that.
Something else you didn't mention about the cables is that they darken per foot. This is something that I discovered years ago by accident while I was testing and designing a solid core guitar cable that was very high-end for an audio company. When we played it against a 10-ft guitar cable the guitar cable was darker. When we played it against a 25-ft guitar
Wow, the cable leapt out as kinda muddy. But as you say, when you play it first it sounds fine. This is exactly like editing photographs. I strived for years to make my photos look like the image I captured before my brother pointed out that he can edit a photo ten different ways and love all of them so "make a good looking photo" :) These all sound good so at the price you can't go wrong as long as they don't drop out. Thanks for this!
Thanks for the analysis (and warnings) for these systems. I really had no idea that a cheaper system was worth the purchase and since I am trying to 'uncable,' I think the ammoon 5.8 will be what I will pick up. Thanks again! BTW - sounds like you have had quite a touring career. Hopefully the world will continue to move towards 'normal' and you can get back out there.
Scott, great video, as usual... you are very thorough and on point. I have the Boss, Xvive, and Ammoon and have had issues with all at different times. What I like about the Boss, that I use with my Katana Air and Waza, is that I can leave it connected to the guitar, and it goes to sleep (due to a motion sensor) when I am not using the guitar, and then I can wake it up (and the Amp), and just start playing!
I have two different Lekato sets and they're superb, especially for the money. I did a cable test when I first got them and couldn't hear any loss at all but same as your findings they are slightly brighter, had them 2 years and still get 5 hours plus battery life.
Great no BS overview! Thorough, impartial, and you highlighted several relevant pieces of info that would be easy to gloss over, or sweep under the rug, i appreciate that quite a bit. Solid video. Throwin a sub your way.
I bought a Xvive system - because I could. I already use a Shure GLX D guitar system, had it for years and it has never failed, always rock solid. But - I also really like TC Electronic pedals, though I'm not a effects-heavy player, less is more in my book. The TC Electronic 'TonePrint' system simply does not work through the radio. If you are not familiar with tone print, it's a system where you hold your phone near your pickups and a patch gets sent to your pedals. This allows for far more parameter changes that with just the knobs on the pedal. It's a good system if you like that sort of thing. I haven't tried it with the Xvive, but I am willing to bet that tone print won't work with those either.
Scott, that was probably the best review of any product I have ever seen! Very nice job and thank you. As soon as the Covid scare is over, I'll probably follow your advice!
This video is freaking amazing and so in depth and answered every and any question I had. Also ones I didn't even know I had lol. Thanks so much. I'ma try the Ammoon ones!
I'm surprised you didn't address the frequency loss on the cable more. This could well be a significant advantage to using the (better) wireless models. Be interesting to see both frequency response and dynamic range response via cable vs wireless.
Like I mention in the video.... I can hear the difference when I sit down and A/B them... but I don’t really believe that for tone. My philosophy is “does it sound good? If so... use it.” When I plug these in, I never go “oh this is awful.” It sounds good, and I adjust my tone accordingly, I think that is definitely a better way to focus on tone personally.
All guitar cables have distributed capacitance which, combined with the impedance mismatch between the pickups (around 10k ohms) and the cable (around .07 k ohms) causes a loss in upper midrange and high audio frequencies. When you place one of these transmitters on the guitar, it's equivalent to making the cable very short. The higher audio frequencies will be louder since the cable isn't filtering the signal any more. The brighter tone is not a bug, it's a feature. You can get the same effect by putting a buffer amplifier at the guitar.
i have - Getaria and i never had a problem with even when i put though harmonizer pedal no lag in my vocal i still use my nady 200 foot rang good old stuff back in 80s that was the best you can buy
Scott, thanks for a thoughtful overview of these reasonably priced wireless systems. Please note that your Ammoon links to Amazon no longer work. Further, all the links to Amazon from Ammoon's site are also broken. Based on this, it looks like Ammoon is no longer in business.
I bought an XVive a few years back. Used it in my home studio, practice outside of house, church (100’+). Never had a problem. It has worked 100% of the time. This brings up the question of environmental factors. What’s good for me may be the pits for someone else because he lives next to an electric substation or there is quite a bit of commercial travel on the lines. It’s a "crap shoot". Don’t buy something that is influenced by the environment just because I said it works at my house. You may like some features one has to offer but the bottom line is does it work in your area or environment and that you don’t know until you get it, plug it in and use it. Give it a good workout. Play at your house or studio, friend’s house nearby and across town, band rehearsal area, whatever area you can think of to give it the opportunity to perform in places where electricity and frequencies are varied. Good luck. 😷🤘
Exactly... environment is different everywhere. Xvive gives me nothing but problems about 50% of the time. Also, I literally played with another guitar player who used the Xvive. Same stage... same time... his worked and mine didn’t. Even with his off mine didn’t work. This is why I recommend for $100 ($50 off of the Xvive) to get 2 different wireless. One on 2.4 and one on 5.8 👍
And also... keep in mind that a $40-$150 wireless system is NOT never going to fail you. Realize it’s still a great product for the price point... but it’s not perfect
I've been using xvive with an active bass for a while now, never had any problems with it. Only one occasion I started to get a little humming out of nowhere, but changing the frequency completely solved it. It's quite strange for me that others experience so much trouble with it.
Just discovered your channel, this is the first video of yours I have watched and I really appreciate the level of detail and your editing chops. Liked, subbed and I would buy you a beer if I could. Great job.
I could tell the Boss and the cable straight away. I have the Boss unit. I got it used, except it had hardly been used at all for about $100. I'm ver familiar with the sound. I built an unbuffer device (basically a small transformer, a pot and a capacitor to make it behave and sound more like my cable, especially into my fuzz face. I love my Boss WL20
Wish I would have seen this prior to buying two of the same unit. This is a very through review with with almost no little idle chatter. A lot of information here. Thanks.
Thank you! I appreciate it. I try to make sure my videos don’t have the long filler info in it and get to the point. It drives me nuts when people do ramble on when I’m trying to learn something. So I’m glad to hear that I don’t do that. Thanks!
I pick BOSS. (1) battery life is IMMENSE and I don't experience any noteworthy degradation after 1.5 years of use and weekly recharging. (2) In those 1.5 years, it never cut out. (3) It sounds very close to the cable. I even guessed 4 and 5 correctly as cable and BOSS. Just like the cable's resistance darkens the tone a little bit (and we got used to that), the BOSS does something similar. The others sound too hi-fi for what I play. If you want your tone to be closer to a ~10ft cable and something REALLY reliable, take the BOSS. :)
I've had a Xvive for a few years, playing reasonably small venues in the UK and I've not had any problems with it. One big consideration for people who play Telecasters, Les Pauls etc is that they cannot take the weight of a guitar landing on it if your strap malfunctions - I'm onto my 3rd transmitter (and new straplocks). It would be interesting to see how the price of additional transmitters compares between brands as the Xvive ones are almost as much as buying a pair.
Thanks for compiling these for review! Well done. I am a bedroom guitarist. I have the Xvive, and in my environment, I do not get any dropout as you experienced in your clip. I wish I had seen this review before buying it, though, because those cheaper ones are compelling.
I'm impressed sir. This is a fantastic review. And I agree with you on the frequencies used. 5.8 is much less crowded than the 2.4. But even then it will matter which channel in the 5.8 range the device is using. I'd love to see a manual channel switching option on these things. Also, we have to remember that these are "inexpensive" electronic devices made in a factory with little quality control. You can bet on a 10% failure rate as well as another 10% that just sucks for whatever reason. BUT....like you said, even at a $100 price range to have two different devices on two different frequencies that work well 90% of the time is hard to beat. Once again, well done on the review. I like your style.
Nailed it completely! These are inexpensive.... they are meant to be produced in a high quantity for a low price. Sennheiser or Shure want high quality for a higher price. You get what you pay for. If they don’t work, you can return it, or you are out $40-$60. It’s not the end of the world. But when they DO work (and most of them do), it’s well worth it for sure!
I have 4 of the red woodgrained Ammoons and 2 Xvives and both brands support 4 channels within their basic frequency range (5.8ghz for the Ammoon & 2.4ghz for the Xvive). I have no problems using all 4 Ammoons at the same time even with multiple WIFI devices in use in the same room. I now no longer use cables at open mic events I host!
Isn’t this sort of WiFi theory.. 5.8 RF wave length is longer so technically it’s better for distance…with latency. 2.4 wave length being shorter is what?? A more saturated compressed signal wave and nearly immediate signal transmission.. does anyone have a better take on this?
@@johnmahoney4841 Sounds about right. Higher frequencies can carry more data (this being an analog signal converted to digital and sent as packets of binary code) but they are more subject to interference. The water content of your body can disrupt the signal, whereas ow frequency signals have little trouble passing through whatever but cannot carry as much data. This hold true even if we stay with the realm of analog. Look at the differences in fidelity and, for instance, the capacity for stereo transmission across the broadcast radio spectrum - which is why talk radio dominates the low fidelity, monaural transmissions of AM radio. That signal travels far with little power pushing it. FM, on the other hand, can send hi-fi stereo (and more, with certain innovations over the last decade or two) but you'll notice that limited range very quickly as you drive away from its tower, despite there often being an inordinate amount of wattage blasting through the radio transmitter antennae.
@@johnmahoney4841 At any rate, it's a good bit more complicated when we're dealing with packets of data. There's a channel call Branch Education you should look up. Excellent animations and narration explaining how all sorts of complex things work, and one of their videos explains this stuff far better than I ever could.
You're sense on the tone debate is extremely helpful dude. I'd find myself dialing and adjusting my tone all the time and being so damn tangled and confused as to what's good or bad. Then I realize after my ears adjust that anything I dial is the best thing ever. I lose practice but at least I learn about tone XD.
I also recommend watching this video to help: Choosing the Right WIRELESS SYSTEM - A Comprehensive Guide ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Xi2JcMomjQ0.html
This is one of the most honest and frank reviews I’ve ever came across 👏🏼👏🏼 I wish more people would create similar style of review videos. Hats 🎩 off to you buddy 🤘🏼
Have had the Getaria for a year and am always amazed by it's sound and reliability. Practice situations. Being straight about battery life is so helpful; disposable electronics. Plan to buy more. Great show, thanks.
I've tried a lot of these too and the best one for me was the Boss, its more reliable signal and dosnet interfere with other wireless like the wireless mic, the Boss battery built in lasts for a good few hours before a recharge is needed. The Boss is also more robust compared to the others. I still have the number one ones but I dont use them much only for back up.
The boss is definitely the best one on 2.4ghz for sure! No question, because it’s very well built and it scans for the best frequency. But I still think the price point is a little high for something on 2.4ghz. Just my personal opinion
I build networks for a living - wifi being part of it. In general, 2.4g has better penetration and range where 5.8g has more bandwidth available per channel, but doesn't penetrate or carry as far. Use that to your advantage. Small club with brick / cinder block walls? 5.8g will probably be fine as the walls block out a lot of the outside interference. Another trick you can use is loading a wifi analyzer app on your phone and just look at what sort of SSID's are showing up on each of the two bands. If you see a bunch on 5.8 and few on 2.4, use the 2.4. Whatever your case may be. Bottom line is you are effectively sharing the air with computer wifi. Compared to a computer, you're not using much, but because you're sharing, your usage may not be what's causing the issues.
Thanks for commenting! Definitely hope it helps some people out. I did do an in-depth video on 2.4Ghz for wireless gear here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RCrFKKr8WUA.html
I use the Xvive $150 and Lekato $40 at church with no problems, always have cables ready just in case. With either system I can walk the church 65-70 feet no problem. The $40 Lekato I use it on active and passive bass and the $150 Xvive on guitar. Take this for what is worth. Another piece of info if interested, we use three different wireless mics and wireless translation system all at the same time with no problems also three guitarists all use the Xvive at the same time. It all works fine! I love no cables to step on or trip over.
My Xvive worked for years with my old active bass (9volt system) but with my new active bass (18volt system) it does the occasional pop. Xvive support say the active ouput level is too high :( The bass does have a trim pot which I have turned down as much as possible which has improved things a lot but there is still the odd pop which is not cool during a gig so only use the Xvive for sound checking now.
Yup! My babicz acoustic. That’s my baby (along with my PRS). Babicz has a really cool design with the strings, and also has an adjustable neck that’s really cool.
@@DanHomeAtLast Yup! That's correct. When my wife and I went to see Steven Wilson back in 2015, she took notice of how much I loved that guitar..... and bought it for me as a wedding gift! She's a keeper for sure!
Cable was a sure bet. Picked #4 before the reveal. Was considering one of these wireless transmitters. You’ve helped make my decision easy. I’ll stick with my monster cable. Thanks for this.
That’s why I included it. Everyone is different, and to me, all the other ones sound fine. However, you can definitely still look into the more advanced wireless systems like the Sennheiser EW series (which is the wireless I use most of the time). Cheers
@@ScottUhlMusic I appreciate you taking the time to reply. If I find a good deal on a higher end system, I may jump. But I’ve made it this far without a wireless system, so it’s really just a luxury/curiosity type thing really. At 60-100$ I can feed that curiosity. The other units really jump up. But I’m sure they’re worth it. But the #4 track sounded so full, I was hoping it wasn’t the cable. Lol. And that was just through my phone speaker. So I can imagine the difference with headphones . Plus, half my guitars are active. So I’d half to research them a little better. Thanks again!
I really appreciate this review. I just stumbled upon your channel. I liked the way you did the comparisons. You’re right on about the psychology behind tone. The idea of getting two units on different frequencies is a good idea. I’d never thought of that.
Glad it was helpful! I think this video will help you out if you do want to use it live: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Xi2JcMomjQ0.htmlsi=NbydiaFW8RaD83rx
I’ve had the Xvive for a few years and never had a problem. Couple gigs a week, at church, home and practices. Think I’ll pick up something on a different frequency for back up after hearing your experiences, but the Xvive has held up well over time and are solid units. My two cents.
Me too. I have 2 sets and I’ve been using them for years! I always take 2 guitars to a gig and I just put a transmitter in each guitar. It makes guitar changes very fast!
Same. I've had my Xvive for about three years and have had no issues in clubs, outdoor shows, etc. It really blew my mind in the tone test - totally unexpected to me.
I've basically been looking to either justify getting the BOSS, or eliminate it. When you did the demo, I took notes, and the clear winners were 1 (Getaria) and 4 (cable). I wrote that 5 was OK, meaning I wasn't completely happy with it but if the price is right I would get it, and it turned out that was the BOSS system, the most expensive one. You just saved me a lot of money. The BOSS is easily the most impressive on features and technology, but I'm not playing in venues surrounded by various wireless systems, mostly it's just me, so the bottom line is sound.
So I'm going to jump in with a bit of detail around wireless frequency ect. This is coming from a engineer with some background in wireless product design. While you are right that congestion is an issue, and can be a big one at both 2.4 and 5.8 as are both heavily used this should not be an issue with the low volume data stream from these units. Even on channels, sub bands within those frequencies, that are shared they should do fine (They can not share a channel with a device with the same digital hand shake, this is a different use of the term channel) The main difference is 2.4, better penetration and coverage, 5.8 higher data load but limited range and object penetration. On your home router with means 5.8 faster but 2.4 further. 5.8 can have problems getting through a human body at the strength these small transmitters work at so keep that in mind. I would always choose 2.4 at this low wattage transmission. The other thing with these no base station devices is both transmission and receiver are power and antenna limited. The plug in base stations will have much better aerials and will be able to expend a lot more electrical energy finding, cleaning and boasting the signal they receive. If you can upgrade the receiver to a base station system do so. On Tone, removing a cable that can be effected by loads of electrical interference should give you the truest tone. Its not really possible to fully shield a 10 meter guitar cable.
Thank you for this explanation! I appreciate it. I’m can only share my personal experience with these (which I’ve used for over 100 gigs), but it’s great to have a more detailed explanation. Having the base receiver is definitely nice, and I have that with my Shure units. But the portability of these things are so nice. Especially for me since I have so many groups that I play with and different configurations. Thanks again 🤘
I have a Lekato 5.8ghz one that is very similar to the Aamoon 5.8. That one works excellent. I also have the Xvive U2 that is almost unusable for live. I tried to contact them a few times about my issues and they never responded. Thanks for doing this review!
The differences between the 2.4ghz and 5.8ghz models sound like they are related to the frequencies themselves. The 5.8 GHz band was added to create more bandwidth. The transmitter and receiver talk 5.8 billion times per second compared to 2.4 billion so you can communicate with more devices but the range is shorter because you're using more than twice the power. The effective range is also different than the specs. It's not a hard limit the way it's listed on amazon. You can compare it to a wave pool. The force of the wave will dissipate when there are more people and long cycles (2.4ghz) will have more force and more range than shorter ones. However, the longer range of 2.4ghz signals also adds interference. 5.8ghz signals will drop off more quickly so you can have more 5.8ghz systems in the same area without problems. One thing you didn't mention was your home wifi. I'm assuming you're on 802.1n possibly with 802.1g active but with nothing on it. You may also have a free SSID from your ISP that operates on the 2.4ghz band which is also not being used. Bluetooth and other devices also use 2.4ghz. That may have been the source of the drop-offs depending on how busy each spectrum and channel were and whether anything switched channels while you were playing. The 2.4ghz will gradually become more reliable for products like this as more devices move up in the frequency spectrum. The opposite will happen for 5.8ghz although less so because of the lower range. Bluetooth will probably use the 2.4ghz spectrum because of the increased range and longer battery life vs. the negligible improvement in quality. I could be wrong though. It also depends heavily on location. They should all be more reliable outdoors unless you happen to drag your cable modem and a bunch of wearable devices onstage with you.
Wow great comment with a ton of extra info! Thank you, I appreciate it! I do know from experience that I have much more luck with 5.8 thank I do with 2.4. I do need to investigate it more and do a full video as to why. Thanks again
Regarding battery life: I bought an el-cheapo 2.4 GHz Muslady set and ripped out the transmitter electronics then hot-glued it to the inside of the guitar cavity - along with a bigger 18650 lithium battery (in a battery holder) and a tiny USB battery charger module from AliExpress. There was some soldering required, but you don't have to be an expert at it. That improved the battery life a lot - and you can still recharge it using a USB cable. When the battery eventually dies (years from now) I'll just replace the battery. I also replaced one of the tone control pots with a push/pull switched pot - so the transmitter can be turned on by pulling the tone pot. It'll work wirelessly even with the guitar cable plugged in - which may be useful for some people I guess.
Thanks for the video. I purchased two sets of the Getaria 2.4 GHZ and they work well. I run one from the guitar to the pedal board and one from the pedal board to the amp. I have an electric, an acoustic electric, and an acoustic with a $12 Amazon hole pickup and they all work well. I had dropout when I rested the transmitter on my thigh and had it completely covered. The only time I picked up any strange noise was when I powered on the Ovation style equalizer on my acoustic electric and then I turned down the presence just a smidge and opened up the transmitter and the noise went away. It seems like most of the noise and hum you might get are the same you would with a cord. This is a pet peeve of mine, so I've learned that tightening cords and jacks, wiggling pots and volume knobs, and turning down the gain a little will get rid of most of the noise without killing the tone you want. I just want to play more frequently without having the mess of cords, so the cheap ones are great for me.
Glad they’ve been working for you! And you have the right mindset... you are not going to get a PERFECT wireless system for $40-$60-$100 dollars. But for the price point, these are really amazing units... and if you take the advice that I give at the end, you have a pretty reliable system for only $100. Cheers!
This is pretty helpful, but I feel as though you can only really do a proper test on them if you use a lot of punch and overdrive. I used to have a lot of problems with a cheap wireless transmitter because it worked well when we tested it with a clean sound, and then when I went to do a gig with it, it didn't give me nearly as much gain as it should, especially for tapping solos and stuff like that.
I would recommend watching this video that I did: 5 MUST-KNOW Tips for Cheap WIRELESS MUSIC GEAR! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kUNBHi5F3aQ.html
I can explain what is happening. Routers use wide bandwidth and auto select what channels are best. Routers can stomp over the single narrow bandwidth of unit. Routers can easily use 4 channels width in turbo mode
Thanks for sharing this. I think I need to really go in depth into 2.4 to really get an understanding of it. Not just “it’s on the same frequency as WiFi and Bluetooth”. Thanks for the comment!
cable has a capacity, a resistance and an inductance which add to those of the guitar. guitars used to be designed to sound good when connected to the amp via an 18ft cable. when you're using wireless devices instead, the guitar will sound a lot brighter.
I bought the Getaria set last year. I haven't had any problems with it at all. I can walk all over my house and even in the basement and it has never cut out on me. I'm not in a band just a house player. I highly would recommend these to anyone wanting to try this kind of wireless and doesn't want to spend alot of money on a set. 👍
Especially for playing at home, I would definitely recommend these no questions. I do gig with them as well. Just make sure they aren’t near a WiFi router
Haha. I found that out at Christmas. Wife and I were doing a Zoom chat with the family. I had a Christmas song I was gonna play, and ya, WiFi cut out and we lost our Zoom. 🤣
I have used several of your examples, and agree with you 100%. I currently run the 5.8GHz Amoon with no issues yet. You can likely crack it open and replace the internal battery on the cheap as well like an old iPod
The Ammoon one is definitely my most reliable one for sure, no question. And I definitely would not know how to replace the battery haha. That’s above my knowledge for sure
@@ScottUhlMusic I have 4 of the red Ammoons which have all been used concurrently with fellow musicians (using acoustic electrics) and have had no problems. This is over a 2 year period, so far! I also have 2 of the Xvive sets and have had more problems with them -- one receiver's battery died 1 week after warranty expiration and I have it disassembled to see if I can replace the battery (battery is well glued to the circuit board and I've been unsuccessful in detaching it). I much prefer the Ammoons over the Xvives even if they were the same price!
I'm using the Getaria 2.4 GHz system in my home. I can literally go three rooms away on different floors and there are no issues. I have a Wi Fi network in my home running both 2.4 and 5.8 bands and over 20 devices that are connected (Amazon Echo, Ring, Tablets and cell phones)..
I am in the market for a set of these...Your video totally cleared it up for me and it sounds like you have plenty of experience with em. Going with your 5.8/2.4 all bases covered advice. Thanx and rock on. :)
I actually have the Boss wireless set up for my accordion and the other band have all kind of wireless set ups and I have never ever experienced any cut out like it was mentioned in the video. So far, I am very glad with my purchase but now I am interested on the other cheaper set ups, main reason being is because it can be very practical for the guitar player and the bass to simply plug and play when ever we practice.
The boss is a pretty reliable 2.4ghz system, but it’s still 2.4ghz. Like I mention in the video, a friend of mine has zero problems with 2.4 but I have ran into a bunch of problems with it. But the boss has saved me multiple times though, so it’s still worth having. As long as you found one that works great for you, that’s what counts
