User Archives: Jonathan

When it comes to wireless microphones, Sennheiser are often seen as the leaders in quality. From the EW100 series through to the 5000 series, quality and performance are at the heart of their systems. Like many professional hire companies, we put our trust in Sennheiser for our hire radio mics. We have two racks of EW100 series systems that have never let us down.

Sennheiser also make it easy to get the system you require on the frequency band you need. Whether you want channel 70, the new channel 38 or any band in-between, Sennheiser have a wireless microphone that will work on that band. In fact, you can buy a system on band E, D, C, GB, B, G & A which roughly translates to any frequency between 518-865 MHz.

The only problem that your average wireless microphone user may have with Sennheiser, is the fact that the cheapest EW100 system will cost you just over £500. Although you are assured a product that will meet the challenges of any gig, the price point is a little bit over most user’s budget. In the past the only cheap Sennheiser system you could buy would be the FREEPORT systems however, they are not in the same league as any other Sennheiser system. Things have now changed . . . Introducing the new XSW range.
The XS Wireless series brings the high end feel and Sennheiser quality to a system that costs around £299. Finally Sennheiser have a quality system in reach of the average consumer. The XS Wireless is now a true entry product in to the professional audio world. These systems give you the reliable transmission and sound quality you would expect from the ranges above but with a price tag over £200 off. For those looking to run just a couple of systems, a channel 70 option is available. For those touring and wanting 10 system running on channel 38, it is now possible with the XS Wireless.
Like their other ranges, you have the choice of the

Sennheiser XSW12 Lapel Wireless system
Sennheiser XSW35 Handheld Wireless system
Sennheiser XSW65 Condenser handheld Wireless system
Sennheiser XSW52 Headset wireless system
Sennheiser XSW72 Instrument wireless system.

Whatever your needs, the XSW has a system to fulfill it. The whole XSW Wireless Microphone range is now shipping and EAV can offer you some great deals. Give us a call and we will be happy to help - 0845 125 9409

As many of you know, in December of this year, there are going to be some big changes to the frequencies available for wireless microphone users. For many of you it means parting with some cash and replacing your wireless microphones. For people that only use one or two systems, you may be able to tune them within channel 70 which is, and will continue to be, free to use. Before these changes were announced, most people bought wireless microphones that include the frequencies of channel 69 and 70. Channel 69 is being sold off but channel 70 isn’t therefore, using the frequencies we have listed below, you may be able to re-tune your units and continue to run them past 2012. Channel 70 is a small band and you can fit a maximum of four wireless microphones on it.

Here is a list of our biggest selling wireless microphones. Please take a look at the bands they run on, if your systems are on this band, you will be able to tune in to channel 70. If you have any questions or your wireless systems are not listed, just give us a call or drop us an email. Alternatively, use or Wireless Microphone Frequency Checker tool.

Wireless Systems with a numbered display

These systems show a number or letter on the receiver rather than a specific frequency

ATW1600 Series – F Band – Tune to: C (863.125MHz), D (863.375), E (864.125MHz) or F (864.375MHz) .

ATW2000 Series – F Band – Tune to: 1 (863.1MHz), 2 (863.5MHz), 3 (864.1MHz) or 4 (864.9MHz) .

ATW700 Series – F Band – Tune to: 1 (864.9MHz), 2 (864.5MHz), 3 (863.5MHz) or 4 (863.1MHz) .

Frequency Displayed Systems.

The following units actually show you the frequency they are tuned to on the receiver.

ATW3000 Series – F Band – Tune to: 863.1, 863.5, 864.1 and/or 864.9MHz.

Sennheiser EW100 & EW300 (G1,G2,G3) E Band – Tune to 863.1, 863.5, 864.1 and/or 864.9MHz.

Trantec S5 series – D Band - Tune to 863.1, 863.5, 864.1 and/or 864.9MHz.

If the changes are confusing you or you want any futher information, please call our sales team. We are happy to help you with all your wireless microphone problems.

Yamaha are now shipping their new DXR range of active PA Speakers. EAV Pro Audio have already started selling them and we are very impressed with the features these speakers have. At the bottom of this post is a little overview video.

The DXR Series of PA speakers consists of four full-range speakers; the Yamaha DXR8, the Yamaha DXR10, The Yamaha DXR12 and finally the Yamaha DXR15. Obviously the numbers reflect the woofer size of the speaker. The speakers are perfect for any front of house sound needs as well as being great as monitors or even in a rigged application. All the DXR speakers have class-D amplifiers that deliver 1100watts of power even in the little 8 inch version. Each speaker also includes an onboard 3 channel mixer, this makes them perfect for simple vocal and backing track scenarios. The speakers are moulded in rugged, non-resonant ABS enclosures. They have dual angle pole-mount sockets and can also be hung from their rigging points.

The DXR Speakers also have the active DXS subs which compliment them perfectly and adds the bass needed to get that massive sound. The video below gives you a little more detail about the features found on these cracking PA speakers.

EAV have just launched their wireless microphone frequency checker. This online feature will allow users to gain all the information they need to be confident their current wireless systems or potential new wireless systems are future proof from the 2012 frequency changes.

By filling in the quick 8 question form, the EAV team will get back to you within one working day with all the info you will need regarding your systems. We will let you know which frequency bands are available for you to use in your area, which license (if any) would be suitable for you and whether your current systems will be usable past December 2012.

We are encouraging all wireless microphone users to take the two minutes it takes to fill in the form to do so. Whether you already have your systems or you are looking in to replacing your radio mics, we could offer some advice that may save you some cash or at least put your mind at rest that you are spending your money on the right equipment.

We are being asked many questions recently regarding wireless mics and the frequency changes such as;

• Will my current radio microphones work past 2012?
• Can I add more wireless microphones to my current set up?
• What frequency should I be running my wireless microphones on?
• Do the wireless microphone changes affect my systems?
• Do I need to buy a license?
• Do I need to buy new wireless microphones because of the changes?
• Should I use a Fixed Site License or the Channel 38 license?

By using the form above, we will be able to answer these types of questions for you. Click this link to view the wireless microphone frequency checker

We have just had an update from JFMG that the current wireless microphone frequency bands of 550-606MHz (channels 31 to 37) that were planned for auction later this year will not be auctioned off at this time. The email states the following

“Use of the 600 MHz band was due to finish at the end of 2012 for PMSE because of the planned auction of the band. Following recent international developments relating to the possible future use of spectrum that neighbours with the 600 MHz band, Ofcom will not be proceeding with this auction for the time being.

Therefore, in the absence of a 2012 award, Ofcom has decided that PMSE can continue using the spectrum until it is released for an alternative use. Consequently, access to the band 550 – 606 MHz for PMSE will continue until at least 1st April 2013 and might carry on beyond that time subject to Ofcom’s conclusions about the approach to releasing this band.
JFMG will continue to issue 12-month licences but with a condition allowing for revocation with a minimum of six months’ notice. “

This band is directly below channel 38 which is the new shared band for people on the move. Channel 70, the free to use band, will continue to be free. As far as we have been told, channels 61-69 will still be going from PMSE use in December of this year.

EAV Pro Audio are one of the UK’s biggest sellers of Wireless microphone units and are happy to chat about your wireless needs. If you are unsure of which frequencies you should be using, just give us a call.

We did a small blog a few weeks ago that spoke about wireless microphones for aerobics and sports use. Since that blog, we have tested two new radio mic systems that are designed specifically for this area. We touched on the Samson Airline 77 aerobics wireless system previously however since then, the fitness centre we tested these in have really taken a shine to them and there are talks of supplying all their stores with these systems.

The difference between the Airline 77 and other wireless headset systems is that the 77 has not bodypack, which takes away the need for the cable which links the headset to the bodypack. This is usually the place where a wireless microphone system will start to fail. The 77 system has the transmitter built into the headset. The unit was tested in spinning classes, dance classes and standard aerobics classes and they loved them.

The second system is also by Samson and is called the Airline Micro. It incorporates the same idea of having the transmitter in built-in to the actual headset but this time the headset is actually a mini-ear piece. Think Bluetooth headset and you will not be far wrong. It really is a mini system and you will be amazed at its size. The Fitness center found that these systems were great for spinning and active (in terms of head moving) but did prefer the safety of the 77 system. That being said, we tested the headset at our offices and jumped around, ran around and generally acted like crazy fools and the headset never fell off our ears.

We have just made a dedicated page for fitness pro audio. Take a look at our recommendations. Otherwise, our standard wireless microphone page is as jam packed as always with cracking deals.

Since EAV started to work closely with one of the UK major fitness chains, we have started to look in to product that fit nicely in to the fitness world. For gym instructors, aerobics teachers and whole fitness centres, there are a wide range of Pro AV products that were designed for the active world you guys are in.

Because of this, EAV have put up a new page that shows nine products that we have supplied in to the fitness market and had amazing feedback from. We have looked at what we think are the key areas of fitness audio and picked three products from wireless headset systems, through to portable PA systems and finally general playback devices. Take a look at the full Fitness Audio Equipment page.

If you are part of a fitness team then give us a call with what equipment you require to make your classes go with a bang – 0845 125 9409

EAV pro Audio have just received an email from our suppliers at Behringer regarding the new digital mixing desk that is about to land in the UK called the Behringer X32. Now let’s be honest, Behringer are not renowned for high end pro audio equipment however, this desk has been developed in conjunction with their sister companies MIDAS and KLARK TEKNIK who are very much known for their quality and professional high end audio products.

This desk has not landed in the UK yet so we cannot comment on our experience with the mixer however, looking at the videos on our product page and the specs of the Behringer X32, we can say that we are excited about it and actually think this could be the product to watch in 2012. The expected shipping dates for this is late May/ early June and this came from the UK Behringer representative only this morning.

So, let’s take a look at some of the key specs

• 32-channel total recall digital mixer with fully programmable high-end mic preamps and 16 mix buses, configurable as subgroups
• Main LCR and all 16 mix buses featuring inserts, 6-band parametric EQ's and dynamics processing
• 16 analog XLR outputs plus 6 additional line in/outputs, 2 phones connectors and a talkback section with integrated or external mic
• 48-channel digital snake ready* via AES50 ports featuring KLARK TEKNIK’s SuperMAC networking capability for ultra-low jitter and latency
• Built-in expansion port for Firewire/USB/ADAT card* featuring standalone 16-channel recorder or other networking interfaces
• Virtual FX rack featuring 8 true-stereo FX slots for high-end simulations of famous outboard gear such as KLARK TEKNIK DN780, EMT250 etc. (included)
• Ultra-high power 32-Bit floating-point DSP features "unlimited" dynamic range, no internal overload and near-zero latency between in and outputs
• 6 mute groups and 8 DCA groups on 8 dedicated 100 mm motorized faders
• Super-easy user interface and dedicated channel strip section with direct access controls for intuitive workflow
• High-resolution 7" color TFT with associated controls and individual RGB backlit graphic LCD's in every channel
• 25 motorized 100 mm faders, extensive channel strip plus dedicated user-definable control section
• USB flash connector providing file storage for uncompressed recordings plus show presets and system updates
• Connectivity for BEHRINGER's P-16 Personal Monitoring System*, AES/EBU stereo digital output and MIDI
• 6 independent matrix mix buses featuring inserts, 6-band parametric EQ's and dynamics processing
• Adjustable line delays available on all physical in and outputs
• Networked remote control or show setups with remote editor software via USB and Ethernet ports (included)
• Powerful scene management for convenient handling of complex productions
• High-quality components and exceptionally rugged construction ensure long life

Conceived and designed by BEHRINGER Germany

So couple these specs with the videos on our X32 product page and you have something that at a price point of £1799, could be massive.

EAV Pro Audio are taking Pre-Orders for this desk now and let me tell you, a little bird has told me that the quantity Behringer X32 Digital Mixers coming in is far less than what has been ordered. Get your orders in now to make sure you receive one from the very first UK shipment.

The new iPad 3 was revealed at an event in San Fransisco on the 6th March. Although I call it the iPod three, apparently it has no specific numerable suffix and will simply be called the iPad. At the moment, Apple themselves are tagging it as the “resolutionary” model!

As expected, it has improvements all over the shop such as a quad core processor, retina display, capable of 1080p video, 4G LTE connectivity, a 5MP iSight rear camera and many more. The release date of this new Ipad will March 16th and the UK pricing is yet to be confirmed. Apple state that the new unit will still have the 10 hour battery life of the iPad 2 even with these improvements.The new iPad has actually gained a little in the weight and size category. The thickness of the unit has increased by a “whooping” 0.4mm and the weight by 49g. Hardly noticeable really.

For those people that already own the ipad 2 or an iPhone or ipod, EAV pro Audio have a great range of products that are designed to integrate with your Apple devices and allow them to become part of your professional Audio world. Products such as the Samson XP308i and Alesis Multimix 9R simply have an ipod dock built into the mixer. Taking it a step further would be the Tascam iM2 stereo microphones, this little adaptor turns your iphone or ipad into a professional portable recorder. Even more out there is the new Digitech iStomp which turns your iphone or ipod touch into any digitech guitar pedal.

No doubt the new iPad will bring with it a whole plethora of new products that take the concept to a new level. Click this link to view our section on ipod, ipad & iphone professional audio equipment.

Adding to our range of FBT PA Speakers comes the EvoMaxX range. Similar to the ProMaxX, the EvoMaxX has a range of speakers in both active and passive versions. Price wise, the Evo MaxX comes in a little under their Pro cousins.

FBT Audio over in Italy designed the EvoMaxX with one thing in mine and that is value for money. They are a lightweight speaker built in a sturdy polypropylene cabinets that features a monitor taper designed which makes them a true versatile speaker. Whether you require a front of house speaker for your band PA or an installation speaker, the EvoMaxX is the perfect choice.

We have also added accessories such as speaker covers and cables that are available on each product page. Take a look at the full range of EvoMaxx speakers below

FBT EVoMaxX 2
FBT EVoMaxX 2a
FBT EVoMaxX 4
FBT EVoMaxX 4a
FBT EVoMaxX 6
FBT EVoMaxX 6a
FBT EVoMaxX 9SA Sub