Wireless system(s) for the Music Man Majesty (mag+piezo)

[Simuz]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for a wireless system for my Music Man Majesty. I need to go "stereo wireless" in order to manage both the magnetic and the piezo pickups channels and I already know that, sadly, it doesn't exists a stereo wireless system: so I need 2 systems and a split Y cable (please prove me wrong and save me).

Has anyone figured out the best way to achieve this?

The best option I've found is to go for:

• 2 Boss WL-20. Another option could be the X-Vive but I think it would be as cheaper as less reliable than the Boss.
• a 3D printed "strap-pack" capable to keep both of them stick to the strap
• a Y TRS -> TS (Left) TS(Right) cable.

I fear a bit the fact that the Boss uses the ring (or the sleeve, can't remeber) to charge the device. This souldn't be a problem with the Y split cable, but what if sometimes I would just like to plug'n'play it? Should I switch the stereo->mono output configuration of the Majesty to make that work (if it works)?

In other words: what is, in your opinion, the most easy/reliable solution for me? Any advice will be well accepted.

Thank you in advance.

 

[beej]

So I came across this on a forum a while back- stereo wireless. No idea if it's any good, but it's inexpensive so might be worth a shot:

LEKATO 2.4GHz Wireless Guitar System Transmitter Receiver 1/4

Features: Clear Signal Transmission: Wireless guitar system, 24bit / 48KHz stereo lossless digital transmission sampling rate, <12 ms latency, more than 100 feet effective range, 2.4GHz signal transmission, low latency no signal loss, low noise, professional sound quality. Widespread Use...

lekatodeal.com

(You can also get it on Amazon.)

Failing that, you're looking at 2 units. Unless you don't need the piezo and mags at the same time, in which case you can put them both through the wireless, and simultaneously switch pickups on the guitar and patches/outputs your pedalboard at the same time.

 

[Simuz]

Thank you @beej for your answer.

You're right, I forgot the Lekato system: it seems it's the only one stereo wireless on the market (except from the same system from other brands, like the Getaria one). Unfortunately I'm really scared about its reliability and I would like to avoid it, after a few months of researches.
Still, it's pretty affordable and it would make sense to give it a try anyway... At least I can send it back to Amazon.

And yes, I need to process mag and piezo separately.

I know this is a very specific use case in a world of mono instruments, but this lack of stereo wireless is really annoying.

 

[beej]

Certainly worth a shot. You could by a second at that price and have a backup ready to go

I'm surprised there isn't more on the market, actually. Piezos on guitar have been popular for years, you'd think someone would have a wireless that could handle 2 channels.

When you say you "need to process mag and piezo separately" ... are you going to be using the mag and piezos at the same time? Or will you be switching between them? (e.g. playing piezos, then switching to mags, etc.) If this is the case, you could make do with a single channel wireless, since you could route the ouput of the wireless through something foot-switchable.

 

[Simuz]

So, I don't need to use both the piezo and the mag at the same time (at least it's not my current goal).
At the moment I'm using a single (mono) wireless system switching between them by using the switch on the guitar. But here's the problem: I'm lazy and I don't wan't to do that anymore.
Since I'm using a Line 6 Helix Floor my final goal is to use 2 different inputs, one for mag and one for piezo, and control the mix/routing of both by foot through the Helix.
That's what you said, but it seems that you have an idea to achieve this with a single channel wireless. Am I missing something?

 

[beej]

Well, if you use the mono (blended) jack, then you can switch between mags & piezos via the toggle switch on the horn. Whatever you select (mags, piezos, or both) will run through the output into the wireless. So that part is easy.

On the pedalboard side, you have a few different options. You could switch presets on the Helix (not sure if you can snapshot using a different input, maybe that's an option too), simple enough. Or, if you don't want to touch your presets, get some version of an A/B box (tons available or you can make one) and run the ouputs into the two Helix inputs.

So then you'd switch the toggle on the Majesty plus change the patch on the Helix (or just hit the A/B box) at the same time. One extra step.

Not as elegant (or lazy ... hah!), to be sure, but probably a more reliable solution for live.

 

[Simuz]

Understood, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. And it works as well, of course, but sometimes I have a fast change between the piezo and the mag sound: so I need to press the footswitch, toggle the switch on the guitar and maybe I'm also singing some backing voice. I'm aware that it's not a so big problem, but it would be fantastic to skip the "toggle the switch" part. And that's all!

Anyway I'll give a try to the Lekato and let you know in the next days. Fingers crossed!

 

[beej]

Good luck. Interested to hear your thoughts when you've had some time with it. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[BUC]

Even if you can't snapshot turning the input on/off you could almost certainly snapshot the volume/gain of the input to achieve the same thing. I use a piezo with Helix and I basically have the Piezo always on at the guitar and just turn it on/off with patch changes that use different inputs, I haven't tried the piezo or this particular wireless.

A wireless would be nice as nothing is as overpriced and undependable as a 15ft stereo Y cable with a 90 on the TRS end. Those things are minimum $60 and you're lucky if they last a year.

And while I've seen a ton of pro's use Piezo's very effectively, I've rarely seen a bar or club player use them. I think they're actually decreasing in popularity, although I have no idea why.

One great example of piezo use would be EBMM artist Travis Larson. If you get a chance to see them live, it's definitely worth it.

 

[Simuz]

@BUC thank you, I'll watch some videos of Travis Larson to better understand how he manages the piezo.

Could you please explain better how you set the Helix preset to achieve the same thing only by using the volume/gain?

Thanks

 

[BUC]

Travis Larson used to use Digitech stuff believe it or not. But when Digitech got orphaned he moved on to something else and I'm not sure if he went Line6 or AxeFx?

But it's pretty simple: On the Helix you have an input block at the beginning of each signal path. I think it defaults to ALL but you can select each individual input for a discrete path. If you have GUITAR selected for a patch, it really doesn't matter if the piezo is transmitting to the AUX INPUT since the AUX INPUT isn't selected. So you can have the piezo sending from the guitar all the time, it's just not going past the input of Helix unless you also have that AUX input turned on.

If you switch from a Piezo equipped guitar to one without, you can actually use the same TRS cord and patches as long as you don't select a patch that has either just AUX or dual inputs.

You can also use IRs to get some more acoustic realism out of your piezos. If you search online there's actually some free ones available for you to test out that are Taylor IRs. Try here, but I also think there's others: Acoustic IR Sample Pack (Free) - Worship Tutorials

If that didn't clear anything up just let me know. I use the piezo all the time and find it absolutely necessary for gigging. I leave you with Travis Larson:

 

[Simuz]

Yes I understand what you are saying, but it does not solve my "problem" about the wireless system: I know how to manage piezo and mag in Helix from 2 different inputs (and there are many ways to do that, thanks to our beloved Line6) but I can't have those 2 separated inputs by using a single wireless system. As you told I should go for a TRS cable with the Y at its end (or with a double wireless system with a shorter Y cable from the stereo guitar output to the transmitters).

Anyway thank you for the free acoustic IR (actually for acoustic I'm just using some comps, reverb and eq), I'll give them a try for sure. And thanks for the video!

 

[dxb0078]

Understood, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. And it works as well, of course, but sometimes I have a fast change between the piezo and the mag sound: so I need to press the footswitch, toggle the switch on the guitar and maybe I'm also singing some backing voice. I'm aware that it's not a so big problem, but it would be fantastic to skip the "toggle the switch" part. And that's all!

Anyway I'll give a try to the Lekato and let you know in the next days. Fingers crossed!

I have been reading your post on the stereo wireless unit, have you had any luck?

 

[Astrofreq]

My Xvive wireless is AMAZING sounding. I use it at ultra long gigs with no issues.

 

[dxb0078]

My Xvive wireless is AMAZING sounding. I use it at ultra long gigs with no issues.

good to hear, so what did you use to connect it to the Helix

 

[tekwerk]

Hey Guys,
This is an interesting thread. I've never seen a stereo wireless system before so I am going to look into the one mentioned here. The reason for lack of stereo wireless is that the intermodulation between the packs would make them not work correctly and the broadcast would be unstable. Digital is somewhat the same where as if the transmitters are in the same chassis, there would be modulation and it would be unstable. We use two belt packs with a custom Y cable that Mogami made for us. The packs are 'butt to butt' meaning the antennas point away from each other. This makes for good stability. I have not tried any of the systems you guys have mentioned. We are using Shure Axing Digital for JP.
Maddi

 

[Simuz]

Hello everyone, I disappeared for a few months but I'm back here with (bad) news.

I have been reading your post on the stereo wireless unit, have you had any luck?

@dxb0078 unfortunately the Lekato was a very bad deal: the stereo thing works but the signal sucks and it suffers from electromagnetic interferences. Unusable and sent back to Amazon.

I've ran the two Boss WL-20 system (read my first post of this thread) for about an year: amazing in the beginning, but then signal losses begin, very low range (3-4m), interferences and so on... Barely unusable when more than 4 or 5 meters far from the receiver, even my body between transmitter and receiver was creating interferences. Sent back to Amazon today, got full refund (unexpected).

My Xvive wireless is AMAZING sounding. I use it at ultra long gigs with no issues.

xVive could be a way out, you are not the first one who tells me they work well, but I've lost hope in 2.4Ghz systems (thank you Boss for that).

Hey Guys,
This is an interesting thread. I've never seen a stereo wireless system before so I am going to look into the one mentioned here. The reason for lack of stereo wireless is that the intermodulation between the packs would make them not work correctly and the broadcast would be unstable. Digital is somewhat the same where as if the transmitters are in the same chassis, there would be modulation and it would be unstable. We use two belt packs with a custom Y cable that Mogami made for us. The packs are 'butt to butt' meaning the antennas point away from each other. This makes for good stability. I have not tried any of the systems you guys have mentioned. We are using Shure Axing Digital for JP.
Maddi

This is interesting. Are the belt-packs custom? Is the Shure you mentioned the SLXD14?

At the moment I'm stuck between these 3 options:

1. Save money and get a double Shure SLXD14 (maybe next year).
Pros: reliable for sure, small bodypack, beltpack available.
Cons: expensive af, bodypack still bigger than xVive/Boss/etc.

2. Nux C5RC
Pros: portable, cheap, 5.8Ghz (it should work well than 2.4Ghz, but don't know if it will be enough), sold on Amazon (so I could give it a 30-days try)
Cons: anyway a cheap system, don't know how much I can rely on it

3. Let's go back to the cable, I'm so tired

 

[beej]

Ah nuts. Sorry that one didn't work out.

The Shure stuff is great. I've been using an GLXD16 at gigs for years with no issues. But it is expensive.

I'm really surprised there aren't more stereo options out there.

 

[Simuz]

Ah nuts. Sorry that one didn't work out.

The Shure stuff is great. I've been using an GLXD16 at gigs for years with no issues. But it is expensive.

I'm really surprised there aren't more stereo options out there.

Agree. The GLXD16 uses 2.4Ghz + 5.8Ghz right? Does it work well even when near some wi-fi/bluetooth/generic networks? What is it's real range? And, out of curiosity, how much does it suffer from walls between transmitter and receiver?

 

[beej]

The new one- the GLX16+ uses both bands. I have the older one (GLX16- no "+") - think it's just 2.4 GHz.

I've never had an issue with it, but I only use it at gigs, where walls aren't generally an issue. Can't say I've really pushed the range. Haven't really wandered more than ~50 feet. But again, it's been rock solid.