When we’re talking about microphones and instruments onstage, which is better: wired or wireless? The advantages and disadvantages are consistent whether you’re in a gigging band, leading worship at church, or running sound in a lecture hall. To determine which is the best for your application, here are some benefits of both wireless and wired microphone systems.
Advantages of Wireless Systems
- A huge advantage of wireless over wired mics is the fact that you aren’t tethered to a specific stage position. And even if you don’t normally walk around much during a performance, it’s much more comfortable to perform when you’re not attached to a cable.
- You have a much cleaner-looking stage without cables running all over the floor, which also makes it safer for musicians and stagehands.
- Never get shocked by a microphone again – if you have ever put your lips to a mic and then felt a shock, then you know how awful it feels. This is due to grounding issues, which don’t occur when using a wireless microphone transmitter. I have had the misfortune of getting shocked so bad one time I actually saw a spark come off the microphone. Use a wireless mic or guitar rig, and you won’t get shocked.
Advantages of Wired Systems
- With a wired mic system, your roaming range is determined by the length of the cable: you can’t roam farther without dropping your mic or instrument, but your signal doesn’t suddenly stop. Wireless systems have an operational range too, though it usually is hundreds of feet instead of dozens: roam too far with a wireless, and your signal quality may suffer or drop out altogether.
- Wired systems support as many microphones and instruments as you have inputs on your mixing console. Wireless microphone systems are limited to the amount of available wireless bandwidth: if you happen to be in a broadcast-heavy environment with many competing wireless signals in the air, you may find that you aren’t able to use the maximum number of wireless mics your system would normally allow.
- Wired mic and instrument systems don’t require battery power the way wireless transmitters do, so in that regard a wired system will always be seen as more reliable. As long as you’re using fresh batteries, this shouldn’t be an issue, but it’s one more thing to consider before hitting the stage.
It’s worth noting that many stage acts use a combination of wired and wireless systems for their performances. The things I’ve mentioned above are important considerations, but remember that it’s not as simple as saying one is better than the other. For example, going wired means not worrying about fresh batteries, but it also means you have dozens or hundreds of feet of cable to keep in good shape to avoid cable faults.
The important thing to know is that modern wireless microphone systems are easier to use and more affordable than ever, but you do have different things to consider to make sure everything works as well as it can. If you’ve been thinking about moving from your wired rig to a wireless system, there’s never been a better time to do it.