Radio Mics....

[YourBigEvent 0]

I think I know where you are coming from. There is nothing wrong with the budget end of the market, but it's a bit like people who choose to buy shirts from Asda and shirts with designer lablels. I never got that, always bought on price until I bought a designer shirt. Four years later it was still going strong. There is something to be said for looking at quality brands.

 

To be honest, that was why I made the comment to Robin earlier about trying my SM58. There is a really noticable difference and it certainly isn't anything to do with brand snobbery. Pay more and you generally get more.

 

My residency (sorry Robin, you'll be fine!) has Kan twin decks installed. First night I decided to use CD's and not the laptop and the venue manager caught me at the end of the night to ask why the tracks had skipped and stopped a few times. Because although I try to look after my CD's, they have a set of budget CD decks. I own Denon DND4000's and have never once had a CD skip on me. Don't we try to tell our clients that "you get what you pay for"?

 

That said, I would be the first to hold my hand up and say I can't always afford the best - especially as this pays for my food and mortgage! That's why I guess I am asking for more expensive options that I might be able to find 2nd hand.

 

Thanks again for the advice....keep em coming

 

 

Exactly !

 

 

BTW Ralph Lauren shirts for me

[Andy Dunn 0]

All I would say is that not all amateur products as you put it give the impression to clients that they are amateur.

For instance I use one of their top end lasers and I get various comments on how good/bright it is.When they then ask who it is made by very often they don't believe it.

 

And no I'm not talking about a laser cluster!

 

Obviously if you can afford it, then buying top end kit is the way to go for reliability/resale etc.

 

But back on topic I use a UHF Shure58 and they are great,if you look around the professional S/H dealers they can be had for around £175 if your lucky.

Maybe this is outside your budget at the moment but I would suggest waiting and going for one of these.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

I, too have never had, or going to have anything with KAM written on it.

 

Snobbery - Probably.

 

I run a quality professional company using professional quality equipment.

 

You get what you pay for. Spend more on your equipment and cry only once.....

 

Don't really agree with that. It's like saying Skoda's are pants becuase they wern't any good 20 years ago. In fact Skod's are very very good

 

I own top quality equipment , such as Denon, Pioneer, Mackie, Martin, and so on. No Badge snobbery!!!!

 

PS I drive a Hyundai 4x4. Why? because it has a 5 year warranty, and it's breakdown rate according to Which is the lowest of all 4x4 vehicles they tested :rant:

Edited April 7, 2009 by Norfolk DJ

[Revelationroadshow 0]

I understand some of the points being made hear but I would never buy an item on brand alone, and therefore I'll never write one off for that reason either. The reason I am bigging up the KAM radio mics is because I have had my fingers burned with budget gear in the past, including some terrible budget tadio mics. But I tried the Kam before I bought and was delighted. I've honestly never found anything better, including the Shure. Which isn't a knock on Shure because I love my corded SM58s, far better than any other corded mic I've used (although I haven't tried Kam... )

 

Oh, and when I first started out, I had a very old, well-used, second hand Kam twin CD deck and mixer and I never had a problem with it. It still works as well today, no skipping, no hassle. (And it's red!!!)

 

It's all down to personal experiance, which is why I'm not dissmissing the KAM out of hand, but my own experiance has been somewhat tainted by some fairly appauling KAM audio kit.

[bigMCben 0]

Trying to get back to the question, would another angle to solving your problem be to look at a feedback destroyer, giving you more headroom for your existing microphones?

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Trying to get back to the question, would another angle to solving your problem be to look at a feedback destroyer, giving you more headroom for your existing microphones?

 

mmm, maybe - tell me more

[superstardeejay 0]

I wouldnt bother with a feedback destroyer, they're rarely used in pro audio. Better to kill the source of the feedback with a good mic than try and treat the symptoms afterwards.

 

[UKHero 0]

I wouldnt bother with a feedback destroyer, they're rarely used in pro audio. Better to kill the source of the feedback with a good mic than try and treat the symptoms afterwards.

 

Lol We have been here before I think

 

Nik

[Kingy 0]

I wouldnt bother with a feedback destroyer, they're rarely used in pro audio. Better to kill the source of the feedback with a good mic than try and treat the symptoms afterwards.

 

Spot on Ken, as usual.

 

The reason I don't like the Kam range of radio mics is they sound "thin". Can't think of a better description, but up against my benchmark (Beyer Dynamic TGX60) desk mic, I expect anything cordless to sound similar when used. And the Kams don't. Not even close. So I dismiss them for my market. Same applies to ALL the budget range.

 

Snobbery? Possibly, but I prefer to think of it as a quality issue, where my quality is simply higher than some folks.

 

Don't take it personally..... :karen:

 

[Revelationroadshow 0]

As Robin already know (as I texed him last night from my residency), I do need to eat a little humble pie. I now realise that my lack of trust in KAM audio products was in fact a lack of trust in Gemini products!

 

The CD decks I find so apauling at my residency, which I earlier in this thread suggested were KAM and which had therefore given me my particular misstrust of this brand on closer inspection turn out to be Gemini!

 

Therefore, it is Gemini kit which I need to avaoid.

 

Maybe Robin would consider allowing me to borrow his KAM for a gig so I can try it out.....

 

I'll get my coat!

[Kingy 0]

As Robin already know (as I texed him last night from my residency), I do need to eat a little humble pie. I now realise that my lack of trust in KAM audio products was in fact a lack of trust in Gemini products!

 

The CD decks I find so apauling at my residency, which I earlier in this thread suggested were KAM and which had therefore given me my particular misstrust of this brand on closer inspection turn out to be Gemini!

 

Therefore, it is Gemini kit which I need to avaoid.

 

Maybe Robin would consider allowing me to borrow his KAM for a gig so I can try it out.....

 

I'll get my coat!

 

Same level in my eyes.... :ads:

[superstardeejay 0]

Same level in my eyes

 

'Fraid so, and probably same factory. These and many more (numark, citronic etc) are what we generally call 'dj grade' equipment, they're usually offered by DJ shops who are dealers for their respective brands of semi-pro CD players and turntables as well. Now respect where due (I'm a DJ too y'know) but in my mind, one should aim for manufacturers who've made their names based on their particular ('core') speciality; for example Mics by Shure/Sennheiser, turntables by Technics, CD players by Denon/Pioneer, mixers by A&H/Formula Sound etc. OK my list isn't exhaustive and ok it's just my opinion. Don't say you can't afford any of the premium brands...they MORE than pay you back over time.

 

:chad:

 

 

 

[DJ Shuggy 0]

i have had two of these KAM mic kits before, I bought one and had it replaced under warranty and both the receivers broke down too ..!!!

 

YES when they worked they sounded great and NO feedback at all. But i would say they

cannot stand the test of time.

 

I now use and AKG system that i cannot fault.

[Revelationroadshow 0]

I now use and AKG system that i cannot fault.

 

Out of interest, which AKG system?

 

On a slightly different route for a moment, have a chance of a Shure PGX4 reciever without the mic. Does anyone know if it's possible to purchase just the SM58 radio mic without the reciever (or indeed does anyone have one they don't want!). Alternatively, if you match the frequencies, can you use another manufacturers mic with the Shure reciever?

[Norfolk DJ 0]

As Robin already know (as I texed him last night from my residency), I do need to eat a little humble pie. I now realise that my lack of trust in KAM audio products was in fact a lack of trust in Gemini products!

 

The CD decks I find so apauling at my residency, which I earlier in this thread suggested were KAM and which had therefore given me my particular misstrust of this brand on closer inspection turn out to be Gemini!

 

Therefore, it is Gemini kit which I need to avaoid.

 

Maybe Robin would consider allowing me to borrow his KAM for a gig so I can try it out.....

 

I'll get my coat!

 

Ok Matt no need to eat humble pie as KAM did use to have a cheap and cheerful reputation. I think it's better now. Agree about Gemini CD player. I bought one about three years ago, and returned it as it was pants.

 

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Ok Matt no need to eat humble pie as KAM did use to have a cheap and cheerful reputation. I think it's better now. Agree about Gemini CD player. I bought one about three years ago, and returned it as it was pants.

 

I will give you a bell over the next few days - maybe I could try out the KAM early next month?

 

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

'Fraid so, and probably same factory. These and many more (numark, citronic etc) are what we generally call 'dj grade' equipment, they're usually offered by DJ shops who are dealers for their respective brands of semi-pro CD players and turntables as well. Now respect where due (I'm a DJ too y'know) but in my mind, one should aim for manufacturers who've made their names based on their particular ('core') speciality; for example Mics by Shure/Sennheiser, turntables by Technics, CD players by Denon/Pioneer, mixers by A&H/Formula Sound etc. OK my list isn't exhaustive and ok it's just my opinion. Don't say you can't afford any of the premium brands...they MORE than pay you back over time.

 

:chad:

 

Tend to agree with what is being said here, but I am not so keen spending £250 on a microphone. I would rather spend £100 on a decent mic which does the job well and spend the difference on putting it towards say another lighting effect. All well and good if you intend singing on the mic, bit most of us (as far as i know) don't. The same principle applies to headphones, some members on here will spend £100 on a set of phones :fright:

 

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Tend to agree with what is being said here, but I am not so keen spending £250 on a microphone. I would rather spend £100 on a decent mic which does the job well and spend the difference on putting it towards say another lighting effect. All well and good if you intend singing on the mic, bit most of us (as far as i know) don't. The same principle applies to headphones, some members on here will spend £100 on a set of phones :fright:

 

Ah now you may have just made my point for me. If I was simply looking for a radio mic for ME to use to chat from ther decks, the slightly dodgy SM58 I already have would be more than OK, in fact a cheap £100 KAM would be a very interesting proposition. BUT.... that's not the intended use. The mic I get will be given to wedding clients to use at the top table. The moment a mic used for this suffers from ANY form of drop out, or the user holds it at groin height and the people at the back can't hear them, it's ME who gets the blame, not 70 year old dad who's got no idea how to use a microphone!

 

That's part of the reason I would like to go branded!

 

By the way, still want to find out if I can buy a PG58 UNF mic without the reciever or if I can use any UHF mic with a SHure reciever - see my earlier post

[Mick H 0]

Out of interest, which AKG system?

 

With ref to the AKG products I use the wms 40 twin set up, http://www.musik-produktiv.co.uk/(s(6zkagu...-vocal-set.aspx I only bought it as my Warrior set died and when I tried to get them repaired I found you can't use VHF mics in Europe, as I was offered a good deal by this dealer I went for it. I must say they are well worth it, great range, no drop out and very rare do I get any feedback at all, battery life is good and only 1 x AA battery in each, yes I would say they are good stuff.

[superstardeejay 0]

possible to purchase just the SM58 radio mic without the reciever

 

Yes indeed. And you get a choice of which handheld as well, the PGX system is compatible between transmitters eg SM58/PG58/SM86/Beta58 etc, you register the frequency of the base station with the mic by an infrared link under the battery cover.

 

Regarding using different makes of mic with the shure PGX base, it may work but the audio response of these advanced systems (companding) is proprietory and may alter the sound considerably if tried with a third party transmitter.

Edited April 11, 2009 by superstardeejay