... and WOW I should have done this years ago. Granted the technology has gotten much better in recent years.

I picked up a used x2 Digital Wireless system for $235 and got a chance to air it out this morning.

Some of you know I am a worship guy. I lead worship in a metro Atlanta church every Sunday. My church's architecture is pretty traditional so there is not a whole lot of room on the platform (although there is more than some bar stages I have played on). I mention that because I thought a wireless setup would be a luxury that would be cool but it wouldn't change things much for me. WRONG ... just being able to walk all the way across the platform and talk to the piano/keys player or back across to cue the drummer, or to turn around in circles ... over and over. I didn't realize how tethered I was!

I've got the older pre-Line6 X2 that supposedly has a range of 100ft. line of sight, but I was able to walk to the back of our sanctuary, a room that seats around 1000, out the back door and halfway to the street before I experienced major dropout (I am guessing that it is at least 200 ft. maybe more)

I didn't notice any tone loss, although I confess, I am not Eric Johnson fanatical about this. I use good gear and want to sound my best, but in a band mix those last 1% details we obsess over get lost anyway, YMMV. I could probably tell a difference A/B'ing my rig going directly in with nothing but a cord and then running the wireless through my pedalboard, but I would venture that most of the tone loss I would hear would be the load from running 9 pedals (Fuzz Factory > StroboStomp > Wah Probe > Honey Bee > TBIAC (8 knob) > Keeley Comp > Psilocybe > Analogman Clone Chorus > DD20).

The other thing is that I got to hear what my rig sounds like from the back of the room, and that alone was worth the money spent. I can now tweak what the congregation hears rather than my stage mix.

So I am late to the party ... but I finally crashed it. Gotta run now and practice those Michael Schenker poses that I couldn't pull off tethered to my board. I probably won't use them in worship, but when I get my next outside gig, they'll be ready!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JoelEric26,

The X2 is great. I'm picky about tone, and I don't notice tone loss with mine at all. What's even cooler is when you go wireless in ears too. Then you have a mix that goes with you anywhere you go. It's awesome!

H

Cool. I have almost always used some sort of wireless. I also have been a X2 user for about a year and it is a nice sounding wireless. I had a AKG guitar bug before but I lost a little bit of high end with it but the X2 sounds great. Every once in awhile I will do a gig and leave my board at home that has my wireless on it. I hate tripping over a cable all night.

I actually played a gig Wed night and decided to go bare bones without my pedalboard, just tuner and amp. The first set we had a bad ground with the PA and I had to make it through the rest of the set without getting shocked. I was really missing my wireless at that point. I got the problem fixed on break but the wireless sure would have been nice for the 1st set.

Enjoy your new found freedom.

quote:

Originally posted by dosmun:
I actually played a gig Wed night and decided to go bare bones without my pedalboard, just tuner and amp. The first set we had a bad ground with the PA and I had to make it through the rest of the set without getting shocked. I was really missing my wireless at that point. I got the problem fixed on break but the wireless sure would have been nice for the 1st set.

Enjoy your new found freedom.

Good point. Wireless eliminates the potential for that lovely shock when you put your lips on a mic. If you gig and use different PAs all the time it's literally a life saver.

H

Is that the stomp-box version? The X2 XDS-PLUS?

quote:

What's even cooler is when you go wireless in ears too. Then you have a mix that goes with you anywhere you go. It's awesome!

Funny, that's probably the next step. Like I mentioned we have the Aviom system and I just got a new pair of Shure SCL2's to use as IEM's (replacing some cheapo earphones I was using), but I don't have a wireless transmitter to go from the Aviom to the in-ears yet.

This means I'm still cord bound occasionally because we use Ableton Live along with a click track in the headphones to fatten up some arrangements, but after experiencing a little freedom today I may do what it takes to get a transmitter and receiver to use with the Aviom!

quote:

Is that the stomp-box version? The X2 XDS-PLUS?

I think the only differences (between my older unit and the Plus) are that the Plus has extended range and some kind of scrambler to help with frequency selection. Both units can fit on a pedalboard.

quote:

Originally posted by JoelEric26:

quote:

What's even cooler is when you go wireless in ears too. Then you have a mix that goes with you anywhere you go. It's awesome!

Funny, that's probably the next step. Like I mentioned we have the Aviom system and I just got a new pair of Shure SCL2's to use as IEM's (replacing some cheapo earphones I was using), but I don't have a wireless transmitter to go from the Aviom to the in-ears yet.

This means I'm still cord bound occasionally because we use Ableton Live along with a click track in the headphones to fatten up some arrangements, but after experiencing a little freedom today I may do what it takes to get a transmitter and receiver to use with the Aviom!

I use a Shure PSM 400 wireless in ears with an Aviom system. It's a great setup. I can't imagine being stuck next to the Aviom mixer the whole time. I always use the in ears, but don't always use the guitar wireless. Just depends on my mood.

H

I picked up the X2 XDS Plus ($399 shipped),after going about fifteen years between wireless units. It sounds just like my guitar, just like my amp, just like my effects...it's all there, no loss of tone at all, and the range on this one is wicked!
I really wanted the original X-Wire, but after the Sennheiser thing they were really hard to find, now they're back!
Two thumbs up...I would give it a better review if I had more thumbs.

quote:

It's a great setup. I can't imagine being stuck next to the Aviom mixer the whole time.

Yeah, I do at least have extensions for my earphones. I can move about 20 feet which was not a big deal before because I never moved very far away from my pedalboard, but now that I've tasted a little freedom I am ready to lose all of the shackels.