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Wireless mics for school


pluto

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I am after some advice. I work in a large secondary school and do all the tech for the school shows. Recently one of our drama teachers has mentioned getting some new equipment.

 

She has suggested we buy 10 new wireless mics for the school show and panto. We currently have some old trantec ones but they are showing there age now. I was wondering if it may be more economical to just hire them in when we need them. We would probably only use them about twice a year and only for about a week each time. I don't know how much 10 decent wireless mics would set us back. Can anyone point me in the direction of good places to look to buy mics from or companies that would hire them out to us. I assume the hire companies would also supply licenses for them. We are sited about 30mins outside of Glasgow on the west coast of Scotland.

 

 

 

 

She has also mentioned the idea of buying a wireless comm system. I don't get this as we have a perfectly good set of 5 Granite comms which work fine but she seems hell bent on looking into the wireless systems. Are these very expensive??????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

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She has suggested we buy 10 new wireless mics for the school show and panto.

 

She has also mentioned the idea of buying a wireless comm system.

 

I can hear the BR community across the globe sharpening their keyboard-pencils and cracking their knuckles for a good-old typing session...

 

school --- money-burning-a-hole-in-pockets --- wireless-because-anything-wireless-must-be-best-and-most-sexy-and-that-cable-thing-is-so-old-hat

 

 

 

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** laughs out loud **! I am loving the reply from kgallen!

 

Schools do love to spend money, but certainly not in the right places. I can categorically state that unless your stage at school is that big, and the shows you put on are complex enough to have production tracks, then spending upwards of £4000 on wireless comms is a very poor choice.

 

However, back to the question in hand. Wireless mics are a great investment, or it would be if we could be certain as to how long CH38 will be available for. You can of course sub in mics as and when you need them. You dont have to put up with the servicing or indeed the licencing for them. The only issue with subbing in the kit, is when a headset breaks, you obviously have to pay for it. Which inevitably will happen, being a school.

 

Trantec are still making wireless mics. You can pick up a 4-way "Racked & Ready" system for around £2895 + VAT, that includes either belt pack or hand held transmitters. They do larger systems too and can be found here - https://www.10outof10.co.uk/acatalog/Racked__n__Ready_System.html

 

As a comparison, Sennheiser are one of the most trust worthy & bullet proof brands, with great EW100 systems starting at £439.00 + VAT per way. Yes, they take 2 x AA batteries rather than a single AA for the Trantec's but I find the build quality and reliability is so much better than the Trantec. Perfect for schools with prying hands (kids). Check out some of the Sennhesier stuff here - https://www.10outof10.co.uk/acatalog/Professional-Wireless.html

 

Or, of you are looking for a bargain, maybe some ex-hire kit would be suitable? https://www.10outof10.co.uk/acatalog/ex-hire-Microphones.html

 

But, it really all comes down to preference & budgeting.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck!

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Google "radiomic hire near Glasgow" & make a few phone calls - don't even THINK of buying (ditto for wireless comms - if she is really keen buy her a couple of cheap PMR radios - they won't get used, but nor would your thousands of pounds worth of radio comms equipment).

 

E2A: your Trantec mics may well be VHF, in which case they will work with hired-in UHF ones. Does "showing their age" just mean the cables are looking a bit tatty?

 

 

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Hiring would make the best sense,£4390 to buy or hire in at around £50 per pack(about 8 shows worth),you can bet if you buy, 3 shows down the road bits have gone missing,got broken or arent the latest must have technology.But of course school budgets are a mystery were they can spend sevral grand to have something sitting on the shelf unused for months,but cant get the funds to buy essentials like text books or paper
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Great answer, thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** laughs out loud **! I am loving the reply from kgallen!

 

Schools do love to spend money, but certainly not in the right places. I can categorically state that unless your stage at school is that big, and the shows you put on are complex enough to have production tracks, then spending upwards of £4000 on wireless comms is a very poor choice.

 

However, back to the question in hand. Wireless mics are a great investment, or it would be if we could be certain as to how long CH38 will be available for. You can of course sub in mics as and when you need them. You dont have to put up with the servicing or indeed the licencing for them. The only issue with subbing in the kit, is when a headset breaks, you obviously have to pay for it. Which inevitably will happen, being a school.

 

Trantec are still making wireless mics. You can pick up a 4-way "Racked & Ready" system for around £2895 + VAT, that includes either belt pack or hand held transmitters. They do larger systems too and can be found here - https://www.10outof1...ady_System.html

 

As a comparison, Sennheiser are one of the most trust worthy & bullet proof brands, with great EW100 systems starting at £439.00 + VAT per way. Yes, they take 2 x AA batteries rather than a single AA for the Trantec's but I find the build quality and reliability is so much better than the Trantec. Perfect for schools with prying hands (kids). Check out some of the Sennhesier stuff here - https://www.10outof1...l-Wireless.html

 

Or, of you are looking for a bargain, maybe some ex-hire kit would be suitable? https://www.10outof1...icrophones.html

 

But, it really all comes down to preference & budgeting.

 

I hope this helps. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

thanks, it is a waste as they would only be used a few times a year,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Google "radiomic hire near Glasgow" & make a few phone calls - don't even THINK of buying (ditto for wireless comms - if she is really keen buy her a couple of cheap PMR radios - they won't get used, but nor would your thousands of pounds worth of radio comms equipment).

 

E2A: your Trantec mics may well be VHF, in which case they will work with hired-in UHF ones. Does "showing their age" just mean the cables are looking a bit tatty?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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As a school Technician, we purchased a rack mount of 4 trantecs that are used infrequently, but are there ready to go when required. I then hire more to supplement them for the main productions, meaning we only get them when needed.

Wireless Comms are not needed from my point of view-I have students running the shows, so I know where they are if they are are on wired headsets!!!!

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I see this one from both sides. In education, funds for capital purchases come from very different pots to funds for show budgets. Capital budgets are frequently available on a "use it or lose it" basis whereas production budgets for shows can be so tight that a couple of hundred for mic hires is a big problem.

 

Like Tregilibob, I've bought a four way rack that gets used quite regularly for small events but for the bigger shows, it's always a hire to supplement them. Seems to be a best of both worlds solution. When setting production budgets, it's essential that hire costs are fully factored in though.

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Your usage levels are way too low to make purchase remotely sensible; especially as your drama teacher will not have factored in on going annual licensing costs - which wont come out of capital budget.

 

If she really wants to spend money, then I'm guessing that investment in lighting or control would be of much greater benefit to your school and students.

For the outlay required to purchase 10 mid-level RF mic's and a basic wireless system (£10k+ exVAT), you could get:

 

> digital sound desk (if you don't already have one) & remote stage box

> ETC EOS family/ Chamsys/ Avolites entry level lighting control system

> 6-10 decent intelligent LED lighting units

 

These are the kind of items that make an immediate and real difference to upping the options for the school shows (and disco's, regular events etc.)

 

Couple these with the hiring of radio mic's and additional lighting when required and you will get far more VFM from the schools capital spend and the students will get experience using real world kit that the keen ones will encounter after they finish with school education.

 

You are based in my neck of the woods and I probably delivered CPD Tech Theatre training to your teacher when I worked in Ayrshire & Inverclyde. This is the kind of stuff I was regularly asked about and the reply was always the same - buy what you use week in, week out; hire what you use every few months.

 

For any advice on who/what is available locally to you, PM me and I will be happy to help.

If she is dead set on buying this kit, then Sono Vie; The Stage Group & GBR are your local friends to get fair advice, pricing and, most importantly, good after sales when you need it - 20 mins before show start and something doesn't work!!!

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Also worth remembering that drama teachers move on, taking their ambitious ideas with them.............

 

...and that even the best radio mics don't solve the underlying problem that Little Johnny can't be heard because actually there is no sound coming out of their mouth, not that they aren't "mic'd up"... A common misconception that a radio mic solves the quiet-one-can't-be-heard in the school/small/village/town hall context.

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My 2 pence...

 

Hire in the radio mics... BUT. Buy yourself a load of mid range headsets. Then when the kids break the headsets (which they will) your not shelling out for DPA's or similar that most rental houses will provide.

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Buy yourself a load of mid range headsets. Then when the kids break the headsets (which they will) your not shelling out for DPA's or similar that most rental houses will provide.

Good thinking. When I was hiring out Trantec kits to schools & drama groups they went out with the cheapest lav mics I could source & the MKE2s & Sonys stayed at home. That way, when they trashed a mic, provided they hadn't taken the Lemo apart & lost the inner shell bits, I could just write it off FoC & reuse the Lemo.

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Good luck with the Drama Teacher!

 

We have some of the Audio Technica System 10 mics and are quite happy with them. All the usual caveats apply.

 

We need to have some mics around in school so the students can get used to them. Hiring is fine if the crew know what to do with them but students need time to play and learn what works and what doesn't. (We apply the same logic to moving heads which are now more affordable.) Remind your Drama Teacher that batteries and headsets are effectively consumable and need to be budgeted for.

 

I'd be hard to convince that we need wireless comms. A £10 cable is more reliable than a £1000 wireless system. And, the last thing I want is my crew wandering about instead of staying at their post.

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