[Mat Nieuwenhoven]

On Tue, 1 May 2018 20:07:33 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I realize I'm broaching a very broad subject in wireless mic systems. Since I have very little experience with such, I'm hoping to gain some insight and warnings about mines to avoid. Here is the quick summary of my situation....

I needed a wireless lavalier/lapel mic system in a hurry and found a used PylePro WDM4400 system on a reliable audio site for $100. The reviews were in agreement - the lapel mics have no pick-up to them, but the rest of the unit w/ the headsets is solid. I experienced the same. So I am seeing three budget-minded options to consider pursuing:

1) Keep the system and find good lapel mics to replace the stock ones. (How much money would I need to spend on each mic to get great pick-up and good sound quality, and compatible with the transmitter?)

2) Return the system and shop for another turnkey system w/ better stock mics. (Having trouble finding anything below $200 with strong positive reviews. Would I be naive for thinking it's possible?)

3) Go piece-by-piece to compile a nice system. Biggest concern with this approach is interoperability of the various components. Granted I'm new to this arena of audio, but I get the feeling mics-transmitters-receivers from different manufacturers are rarely going to work together. So I'd probably have to settle on a brand with budget-friendly quality that makes components that play nice together. Any suggestions??? 8/

Budget quality. If I'm trying to find a unicorn, feel free to tell me that too. No point in wasting time if the odds of my finding what I need are infinitesimally small.

Recently I chatted with an audio engineer of a local non-profit
station, which is always short on budget. Their reporters don't use
dedicated equipment, they use everybody's own smartphone with a
cardioid mike plugged in. I forgot to ask which types of mike, he did
say that most people preferred a handheld because it gives them
something to hold/hide behind.
He said he never had such good audio; somehow multiple smartphones
were combined into one network, must be a specific app or group chat
or so. I don't know what the latency was in their setups.
Anyway, it was cheap (=budget friendly).

That said, for the specific outside event where I talked to him,
non-station people were handling the mike, and he used a standard
Sennheiser wireless handheld mike+receiver.

Mat Nieuwenhoven