Wireless microphone basics – How does it work?

Introduction:

With the development of more and more wireless devices, they also have managed to become a popular choice among customers. The wireless microphone is not an exception and sees a lot of usage in the world of Music. Not being limited to just concerts the wireless microphone has been seeing more and more industrial usage as well.

This is true, especially for the businesses which are centered around Music. Some common examples can be Karaoke Cafes which are becoming more and more popular over time. Or just the Music Cafes where the theme of music decides the mood of the customers. Even though most of these uses are for entertainment purposes only, it is necessary to remember that nowadays the entertainment industry has been seeing more and more increment in the market.

The small yet useful technological advancements further add to their success and ease of access to the customers. The wireless microphones come in several types and categories which are mostly distinguished by their price.

The more costly the set is the better its sound chambers will be and it will also have much better battery backup for the most part. The overall performance of a microphone depends a lot on the usage it oversees from the customer. Especially in the case of wireless microphones, the battery life is seen to deteriorate over time. This can often question the longevity of wireless microphones.

Working Principle:

The working principle of wireless microphones is an extremely interesting subject. This is because of the involvement of various levels of radio wave technology. There are several types of wireless microphones which employ the use of different kinds of technologies but serve the same purpose of rapidly dissipating the sound that comes through their chambers.

The professional models often come with sophisticated VHF radio frequency tuning. Such models are also shown to have extensive true diversity reception features. As such it allows for maximum sound divergence which leads to better overall performance for the user.

The latency is made perfect to negate any dead spots which further enhances the quality of the performance all the while minimizing the rebounding of the sound waves by maintaining the frequency to the required level. On a similar note, certain other microphones use other forms of companding when it comes to improving the sound quality.

Through the use of companding, a microphone can very effectively cancel out the rebounding of the sound waves with which the overall sound experience can Improve by a lot and is especially effective in stages with smaller or enclosed spaces.

The overall performance of the microphone also depends on its sound chambers which if too large can cause a massive echo or if too small will result in minimal sound output. Therefore in professional models, the use of 12-13mm sound chambers is made to ensure optimal output of sound.

The overall performance of the microphone is often directly linked to the quality of sound it can produce and the degree of its originality for the most part. The more proportional the sound chambers are the better the chances of the microphone producing a proper sound which will greatly improve its overall usability to an even further degree.

There are several factors that are necessary to be analyzed as well to understand the working principle of wireless microphones. Among these, the adjustable gain deserves special mention. The gain due to its customizable feature will help the performer or user to accommodate a wide variety of sources all the while maintaining proper sound quality.

The squelch adjustment allows for a higher sound output control in the wireless microphones. This allows for overall adjustment of the signal quality or level adjustment as well. Most wireless microphones also share two separate receiver modules which enhance the diversification of the sound. Each of the modules is equipped with separate antennas which enhances the tuning of the radio frequency.

Advantages and Disadvantages of wireless Microphones:

The use of wireless microphones keeps on increasing as it keeps on rapidly replacing more and more of the contemporary wired microphones. It is observed that more and more telecommunication channels are switching to wired earphones on a rapid basis. Even wireless microphones have become more and more common within the current market aspects for the most part.

Due to such issues, the areas where the wired microphones were used are also observed to do the same. The change is so noticeable that even in public gatherings the use of wireless microphones is being observed for the most part. These wireless microphones may have taken the market by storm but they do come with their own fair set of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• It ensures greater freedom of movement for the user which enables the user to give a better and more flexible performance.
• There is no issue of stressing the wires and causing repeated damage to the microphones.
• Without the wires lying around the “trip hazards” in the stage are reduced to a massive extent.
• Galvanic isolation of the microphone is necessary to avoid ground loops between microphones that are present in the wireless ones.
• The use of proportionately sized sound chambers least the development of better overall sound output.
• No wire management is necessary to oversee a performance through wireless microphones makes it extremely handy.

Disadvantages:

• The range on the wireless devices is often very limited and requires Bluetooth visibility in a shorter radius.
• Often interference of the radio waves is observed due to the constant frequency of the surrounding Bluetooth devices.
• The battery life reduces the operation time of the microphone by a lot which is something that was absent in the wired alternatives.
• Noise or dead spots are often observed during or after its performance which can affect the quality very poorly.
• The existing battery life also starts deteriorating after prolonged usage.
• The sound and quality often suffer over the range which has a negative impact on the performance of the as well. It is also highly susceptible to wear more than its wired counterparts.

Related: 

• How to reduce background sound in Microphones?
• What is a condenser microphone and how does it work?

Conclusion:

However, even with all these disadvantages, the sheer ease of access makes wireless microphones an extremely important addition to other events. As such it indicates that the overall working easy-to-handle microphone is quite an impactful one and has managed to secure it a place within the entertainment industry.

The wide usage of wireless microphones indicates the fostering of newer and more easy-to-handle technology within the market. It has also become quite popular quickly since its release making it an ideal product for the companies that manufactured it. The demand keeps on increasing at a very steady rate which further adds to the success of these microphones within the market.