Operating wireless systems is a commitment and an act of conscience. If the staff is not properly qualified to be an audio or RF specialist, it does not mean that they cannot start up a good microphone equipment.
By Rubén Álvarez*
Whether it is a place of religious worship or an educational institution, audiovisual tools are of paramount importance because technology has made it easier for people to interact. Definitely, wireless microphones are an indispensable part of the audio chain since teachers, teachers, students, or pastors, reverends and anyone who needs to make their voice and message known need them.
But what qualities should be taken into account to select a wireless microphone that covers the current challenges of audio quality, spectrum changes and energy savings, without being very sophisticated in its use and operation?
For starters, no wireless microphone system will be able to sacrifice sound quality, alter tonal response, or modify the naturalness of the voice. You should have a transparent sound preferably with the widest frequency response to let even the most discreet and fine sound through. In turn, it must have the highest dynamic range available in its digital format so as not to have distortions when high levels are demanded in a possible cry of emotion, in a preaching or during a class.
Probably many of these professors or reverends are not familiar with radio frequency matters. Surely, many have suffered from some interference or signal outage with previous systems. The origin of these problems lies in two things: the variables that we can control, when we do not know that we ourselves generate the interference, and that the radio frequency environment that surrounds the site where such equipment is used has changed and no one has informed us.
The solution is an agile system, but at the same time robust in these aspects. That it has the quality of having a large bandwidth and that it takes advantage of even the smallest space. In addition, in its construction, it allows something as simple as installing its antennas remotely to increase its coverage area. With this, RF topics should not be a problem.
A requirement that causes interest and is decisive to use a wireless microphone are the batteries required for transmitters. The level of commitment of such a tool demands professional stacks of high durability. An important recommendation is that these transmitters (bodypacks or handheld) have the option of using conventional AA batteries, since these can be obtained almost anywhere. If the transmitters can use a special rechargeable battery, which indicates the consumption in real time so that we know the right moment when we must replace it and that, in turn, these batteries do not have a memory effect to guarantee many charge cycles, we have found the best cost-benefit ratio. We don't want when the pastor is giving his sermon or a teacher is giving his class to run out of batteries and distract the attention of his audience.
Another factor that we suggest to select a wireless microphone is that its operation is not complex and that, in addition, when required, it can create the frequency coordination settings at the time that multiple systems are used. The menu should be intuitive, taking the person who manages it step by step to a state of trust and security, since the uncertainty of something happening is always latent.
Operating wireless systems is a commitment and an act of conscience. On many occasions within churches and places of instruction the staff is not properly qualified to be an audio or RF specialist, but that does not mean that they cannot start a good microphone equipment.
Final Considerations
The construction of the equipment with resistant materials (mechanically speaking) such as metals or combinations with new generation polymers, will help to withstand the neglect, mistreatment and abuse of the equipment, because many times the equipment is exposed to multiple users that could accidentally cause some damage to the transmitters that are in their hands.
The accessories for your installation are very important because the rack mount structure will help keep the equipment protected and tidy. In turn, it allows advanced configurations when many equipment are assembled at the same time, optimizing wiring for the antennas. The display that gives the information regarding the configuration of the equipment must be effective. Technology such as OLED helps the clarity of data on devices.
Currently, Shure offers a wireless solution that covers all those requirements, in addition to being an extremely competitive cost equipment. This system is called SLX-D, a state-of-the-art digital technology that offers various combinations with single or dual receivers and handheld and bodypack transmitters, ideal for places of worship and teaching.
*Rubén Álvarez is a Market Development Specialist at Shure Latin America. You can contact him through [email protected]
