Line6 Digital Wireless Audio Troubleshooting

As the environment is the biggest factor in wireless audio performance, there is a chance that certain environments and circumstances will not allow for satisfactory performance. This can be verified by successful performance in a different environment.

 

Pre-Qualification: First Things To Rule Out

• Use the factory power supply
• Try fresh alkaline batteries (a couple of times if it’s a battery problem), not rechargables
• Try on more than one channel
• Try in more than one place/venue
• Check the transmitter LEDs during drops/interference. RF dropouts result in the green LEDs going completely off.  Even one green LED means the signal is present and something other than the wireless system is causing the problem. If you see full red LEDs followed by quickly shifting back to green, it means that the system has re-synced (normal if the dropout is too long). The red LEDs come on only if the intended signal from a Line 6 transmitter is not present.  In this case, they are showing RF competing for the same space.

 

Interference

 

Symptoms

• Reduction of RF LEDs on the front panel that indicate usable RF signal strength
• Audio signal muting

 

Possible causes

• Trying to function at too great a distance
• Having unintentional transmitters, such as walkie talkies or in-ear monitors, too close to a receiver
• Significant amount of close-by RF signals within the same 2.4GHz range (Wi-Fi, microwave ovens, etc.)

 

Suggestion

• “Walk test” your system in advance of an event over the entire desired range to verify that sufficient RF signal is available to avoid mutes from occurring
• With transmitter off and receiver turned on, scroll through the channels.  Red LEDs indicate stray RF on that channel.  Choose channels that exhibit the least red LEDs.  Note:  Line 6 wireless WILL still operate but at reduced range.

 

Decreased Range

 

Symptoms

• Reduction in range in general
• Reduced range indoors vs. outdoors

 

Possible causes

• Blocked “Line of Sight” between the receiver’s antennas and the transmitter’s antennas
• Barriers such as walls or  air-curtains can impede the path of radio waves
• Transmitter strength reduced if it must pass through walls
• Transmitting through earth (receiver in basement)
• Human bodies absorbing RF energy
• Cupping the bottom of the handheld mic (covering the antenna)
• Beltpack transmitter is used in pocket or next to skin
• Receiver antennas for the XD-V systems are very close to other intentional radiators in the same frequency band such as Wi-Fi wireless access points
• Incorrect cables on paddle antennas (requires low-loss 50-ohm cables; e.g. LMR-195)

 

Suggestions

• Improve “Line of Sight”
• Use the XD-V70/G90 with remote paddle antennas and separate the antennas by several feet.
• G90 Users: Make certain that you have the proper antenna jacks selected in the setup window. C&D are the front antennas and A&B are the rear. The units may work even if you have it set incorrectly, but the range may be only 10-20 feet. There is also a position for “both” as the G90 can be used with 4 antennas for increased reliability.

 

Weak Audio (thin audio output compared to other wireless systems)

 

Symptom

• Weak and/or noisy audio output

 

Possible causes

• Gain/trim settings on mixer need adjustment
• Plugging into a “line level” input
• Plugging into a channel with pads engaged
• Using a TRS plug in the ¼” unbalanced output
• The “Environment Filter” may not operate correctly if signal is too weak, especially when using lav mics

 

Suggestions

• Adjust gain/trim as if using a wired microphone
• Connect the XLR output on the receiver to an XLR input on the mixer
• Use a mono plug in the ¼” unbalanced output, never a TRS plug
• Turn “Environment Filter” off

Dropouts (“Audio” vs “RF” dropout: different paths to correct)

 

Symptoms

• Audio signal interrupted

 

Possible causes

• Transmitter on “low” power to save battery life and reduce RF interference to other devices
• Local conditions in one or more venues, e.g. a large Wi-Fi installation in close proximity, metal walls/roof
• Instruments or amps being used are faulty
• Signal chain issue
• Blocked “Line of Sight” between the receiver’s antennas and the transmitter’s antennas
• Transmitter is muted
• Loose antennas
• Antennas straight up and down or too close to walls
• Other XD-Vs/Relays operating on the same channel
• Unused transmitter too close to receiver
• Receiver’s antennas near any transmitters such as laptop computers with Wi-Fi switched on, In-Ear Monitors, walkie-talkies, etc.
• Using a substitute power supply
• Batteries dying or unseated

 

Suggestions

• Switch transmitter to “high” power
• Try a different venue to reproduce problem
• Try multiple instruments/amps to reproduce problem
• Trace signal through chain one component at a time. “Audio” LED lights when signal is received.
• Improve “Line of Sight” by moving receiver or taking transmitter out of pocket
• Unmute transmitter. On the G50/G90/V70 transmitter, the LCD screen remains lit when in mute mode.
• Raise antennas to 6-8 feet high while avoiding obstacles such as metal posts, walls, etc.
• Ensure antennas are connected firmly and splayed at 90 degrees with nothing touching them
• Ensure each system has its own unique channel to operate on
• Move intended transmitter closer to receiver than unintended transmitter to eliminate “near/far” issue.  Switch closer transmitter to “low” power when possible.
• Provide ample distance between the XD-V receiver and other transmitters. The distance will depend on the strength of the transmitter and the gain of the transmitting antenna.
• Use the factory power supply or one that can supply the required 9v DC current: XD-V – 350 ma, G30 – 200mA, G50 – 300 mA. If you are using a pedalboard supply, it must be able to supply this amount of power to the receiver in addition to whatever else you have plugged into it.
• Reinstall batteries or replace them.  If using rechargables, try with standard alkaline to test.

 

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