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Wireless Microphone Features To Look For
You need to identify wireless microphones systems that have the features you will need both now and in the future.
1. Separate Both Power and Mute
A very commonly requested feature of a mic system is having separate power and mute switches. When you have a transmitter and a receiver speaking with one another, they are essentially locked onto the same frequency.
During this time, nothing can mess with that system unless it’s another system on the same frequency. That being said, when you have your receiver on and your transmitter off, no signal is being transmitted. Because of this, your receiver is likely to pick up just about any signal being transmitted on the same frequency. Even if it’s a single signal, it can completely wreck performance or destroy the message.
Having a completely separate mute option, you can effectively mute the signal stemming from it when you don’t want to be broadcasted. You can allow your transmission switch to remain in the on-position which can lock the transmitter directly onto the receiver to avoid catching stray signals.
2. Diversity
You want to ensure that you are shopping for an antenna system that has 2 different antennas. Having a system with a single antenna is a negative because they will be much more susceptible to dropouts. Having twin-antenna systems is a big advantage because the system will be using 2 different antennas. Therefore, if one of them happens to drop the signal, the other will be right there to pick up where it left off. You will likely be able to tell if it’s a diversity system if it has 2 detachable antennas.
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3. Low Impedance
You will find a lot of professional wireless microphones will have balanced outputs. This is true for the connection that connects directly to your mixing console. Having balanced connections can help to provide a reduction in noise and other issues that could present themselves when the signal leaves the receiver in question.
4. Batteries That Are Rechargeable
Having a system with rechargeable batteries can be a big advantage. A lot of the more updated systems will have high-performance batteries that can last anywhere from 8 to 10 hours per day. These batteries are generally capable of going through as many as 1,000 charging cycles at a time which can save you a lot of money in the long run. A lot of the systems may even tell you how many hours are remaining on the charge you’re on to make it even easier to avoid running out of juice.
