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AKG WMS 450


Quincy

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Hi All,

 

I am looking at setting up my own live sound engineering business, and have spec'd most of the stuff I want.

 

The only problem I have is the radio mics, I am wanting two presenter sets and am currently with the AKG WMS 450's, although I just can't fully convince myself this is the right choice.

 

Has anyone got any experience with these or can someone recommend anything around the same price band that they are happy with?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Andrew

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Well - they're ok. They're just not popular considered against the usual ones.

 

Buying presenter systems isn't difficult. Choosing the content is. Clip on mics are great for conferences, video etc - they're not used much for live sound. Headworn mics are much more popular now.

 

The problem you've not mentioned is that of frequencies. Read around the forum for all the current issues on the new allocations. To be brief. The AKG operates on the deregulated ch 70 allocation, and after 2012, every non-professional organsiation, disco, DJ, wedding video firm etc will be trying to use just 4 channels - that's it. Everyone else will be on the licensed channels, down in the channel 37/38 area. If you buy the AKG, you cannot tune the lower bands, if you buy low band stuff you cannot operate on the ch 70 allocation. So at this moment - what should you buy?

 

You'll need to read the forum in depth and form your own conclusion.

 

There will be some great deals soon on dealer stock on the old channels as they clear them out for the new.

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Hi Paulears,

 

Thanks for your replay.

 

I only found Blue Room yesterday, and I have been doing lots of reading around, hence head in shed now!!!!

 

The work I plan to do is presentations / stage work, not really band work to start, thought presenter systems and then I can get which ever head mics I wanted.

 

I hear what you're saying with regards to channel 37/38, will have a look into licensing costs or does anyone know off the top of their heads?

 

Thanks

 

Andrew

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

I have just been on the jfmg site and if I have this right, the licence goes something like this....

 

Shared mics

2 Year - my choice, saves £10

UK Wide, non-exclusive.

Cost £135

 

Does this sound right?

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You've looked in the right place - the big spanner in the works now is that when you look at the kit, especially on the net - not huge numbers of dealers are telling you which is which. Many, I suspect are deliberately keeping quiet so they can flog off their old 'wrong band' kit to unsuspecting end users.
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Right, I think I have it, I'm going to stick with getting the 450's, as they are a great price for their spec, and although I can't find millions raving over them, I can't find a bad word against them either.

 

The radio waves aren't exactly busy up here, and then in a couple of years when everything has (hopefully) settled down, they will still be sellable (ch70) and hopefully have enough in the bank by then to get some nice ch 38 replacements.

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The radio waves aren't exactly busy up here, and then in a couple of years when everything has (hopefully) settled down, they will still be sellable (ch70) and hopefully have enough in the bank by then to get some nice ch 38 replacements.

 

 

Andrew, bear in mind channel 70 is likely to get a lot busier, when 67,68 & 69 are no longer. All the people out there with ch.67-70 kit that aren't eligible for funding, because they either missed the boat or use the licenced channels without a licence, will be crammed into ch.70.

 

As you are currently at the planning stage, rather than having x number of definite bookings where you can specify a suitable inventory, I would be inclined to hire rather than buy. That way, you will have the flexibility to try out and familiarise yourself with a wide range of kit and then say 12 months down the line, look at what kit you have hired the most & like the best, with a view to buying, if the annualised TCO works out less than the annualised hire charges.

 

It's too easy nowadays with the web to make a shopping list of kit you think you may need, when in reality you will probably need something quite different.

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Hi Tony,

 

Yes I am still in the planning stage, but interest is starting to grow and hoping to have work coming in soon.

 

I would look into hiring, but there arn't any for quite a distance. Do you courier?

 

How much would I be looking at to hire a radio mic in ch38 from the likes of yourself?

 

To date I have managed to get some bits off ebay, I managed to get a faulty xenyx 2442fx mixer for £50 which I fixed for £1 and also and Ashton wireless mic at a bargain price as the kids school uses these with no problem at all.

 

I am looking to get a Behringer EP2000 amp and Behringer B215XL speakers along with the AKG 450's.

 

I spent a while on the active / passive speaker route and in the end decided to go passive, if only on the basis that then I know where all the mains is, ie with me and I don't have meters of mains leads going around the venue.

 

If anyone can see any holes in the above, I would love you to point them out now rather than later please :D

 

Thanks

 

Andrew

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I would look into hiring, but there arn't any for quite a distance. Do you courier?

 

We don't dry hire. Not sure where you are in the North East, but I'm sure there are plenty of good rental houses in and around the big cities and it will be worth developing a relationship with at least one. TMC in Bradford get a thumbs up, but of course that may be miles from you.

 

To date I have managed to get some bits off ebay, I managed to get a faulty xenyx 2442fx mixer for £50 which I fixed for £1 and also and Ashton wireless mic at a bargain price as the kids school uses these with no problem at all.

 

This may be OK for the school fete, but anything more mission critical, I'd be nervous. You need to identify your target market and look at what your established competitors are using. There is a big difference in quality (and price) between kit aimed at the DJ/Karaoke market and pro audio. A secondhand budget mic intermittently failing in the middle of the VP's address would be a catastrophe.

 

I am looking to get a Behringer EP2000 amp and Behringer B215XL speakers

 

Not sure about the EP2000, but the EP2500 is widely considered to be amongst this manufacturer's better products, it is widely used on the free party scene, which seems reasonsble testiment to it's ruggedness.

 

I would look for some secondhand branded speakers rather than buying Behringer boxes new. They really don't sound very nice at all (IMHO). Also, do you want a 15" box? Again, it all comes back to identifying your target market, but when buying a general purpose system for a startup business, you'd likely be better off with a pair of 12" boxes that can either be run passively (full range) for vocal/BGM applications, or run actively over a pair of 18" subs for live music/DJ applications.

 

I spent a while on the active / passive speaker route and in the end decided to go passive

In pro audio, "active" and "passive" have different meanings to the dave doubledecks definition. A box with a built in amplifier is a "powered" speaker and one without a built in amplifier is "unpowered".

 

Hope this helps.

 

Tony

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I have just been on the jfmg site and if I have this right, the licence goes something like this....

 

Shared mics

2 Year - my choice, saves £10

UK Wide, non-exclusive.

Cost £135

 

Does this sound right?

 

That applies now, I don't know of any agreement to keep these prices post 2012, so they may well go up. Either buy cheap Ch70 and be prepared to write them off after 2012 or hire ch60/70 until it settles down after 2012.

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Hi Tony,

 

Yes, the second hand mic is intended as the backup hence the questions about the 450's.

 

I am having to target at the smaller/lower end of the market and work up from there, hopefully to much bigger things.

 

It is budget limitations thats the problem, I would love a set of sennheisers and so on, but have to come back to reality :)

 

OK, by passive I meant un powered for the reasons given - still got lots to learn :)

 

Would you recommend any speakers at that end of the market?

 

I am really appreciating the feedback from you all.

 

Thanks

 

Andrew

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Your terminology is fine.

 

 

In pro audio, "active" and "passive" have different meanings to the dave doubledecks definition. A box with a built in amplifier is a "powered" speaker and one without a built in amplifier is "unpowered".

 

d&b and HK, just to quote a couple are quite happy with active and passive. Powered and unpowered is an 'ok' alternative - most of us are happy using both.

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Ah ok, this boils down to money.... as usual.....

 

HK AUDIO PRO12 PREMIUM PRO PASSIVE PA SPEAKER £409 each from Digital Village

 

Where as

 

BEHRINGER EUROLIVE PRO B1220 PASSIVE PA SPEAKER £167 each from Digital Village

 

I am looking to move up to this spec as soon as possible and I am also starting to make contact with hire companies, but is there something in between?

 

I do have a problem with hiring, see it as dead money in a lot of cases (but not all) when I can buy for example the behringers and then in the future looking at selling them and no doubt the difference will be a lot less than hire costs, or keep them as spares.

 

Arrhhhh where's the book of answers????

 

Thanks

 

Andrew

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Your terminology is fine.
In pro audio, "active" and "passive" have different meanings to the dave doubledecks definition. A box with a built in amplifier is a "powered" speaker and one without a built in amplifier is "unpowered".

d&b and HK, just to quote a couple are quite happy with active and passive. Powered and unpowered is an 'ok' alternative - most of us are happy using both.

"Active" does not necessaily mean "self-powered" though. Both active and passive boxes can be either powered or unpowered, so the clarification is helpful. d&b make active and passive boxes (or boxes that can do both), even though they do not make any that are self-powered.

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HK AUDIO PRO12 PREMIUM PRO PASSIVE PA SPEAKER £409 each from Digital Village

 

Arrhhhh where's the book of answers????

 

Check around a bit for pricing on your equipment choices, for example, the HK's can be found for a little less at Thomann

Link Other suppliers are available.

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