IF YOUR FREEDOM of expression is being stymied by a cable tethering you to the mixer (or guitar amp), then you may be ready to investigate the idea of going wireless. The problem is that most quality wireless products tend to be expensive, and budget systems can be limited in their capabilities.
But a recent development may offer a new lease on the airwaves for the financially challenged who are tired of being tied down: Audio-Technica's affordable Freeway 600 Series professional UHF wireless systems, the latest addition to the company's extensive line of wireless products. The Freeway systems offer UHF operation and multiple channels — features generally found on higher-end products — at very reasonable prices.
Geared toward semipros and weekend warriors, each system comes with either a body pack or a handheld transmitter, and a receiver. Priced from $349.95 to $459.95, the Freeway 600s are evidently the least-expensive frequency-agile UHF systems currently on the market. The series comes in five flavors: the ATW-601/G UniPak Guitar System, the ATW-602 Handheld Microphone System, the ATW-601/H UniPak Headworn Microphone System, the ATW-601/L UniPak Lavalier Microphone System, and the ATW-601 UniPak Transmitter System. I reviewed the guitar and handheld microphone systems.
ALL SYSTEMS GO
The Freeway Wireless System has ten selectable channels in the UHF spectrum. Units are available in two frequency bands: A, which operates between 470.00 and 479.75 MHz, and B, which operates between 482.00 and 491.75 MHz. The units I received for review were in the B range. It bears mentioning that UHF systems are generally preferred over VHF because UHF audio quality tends to be better and the operating band less crowded, which means less chance of interference occurring. But UHF systems are typically more expensive than VHF because of the higher-frequency components, which are more costly.
To offer the Freeway UHF systems at such low prices, Audio-Technica economized on certain features such as build quality — the devices are made primarily of durable plastic. The company also saved by making the ATW-R600 receiver nondiversity.
A nondiversity system has only one receiver channel, which makes it friendlier to the budget than a diversity system, but more prone to multipath distortion and other interference problems. I suspect that the multipath distortion I encountered with the ATW-R600 was one reason for several instances of signal dropout during the test period. (Diversity systems, conversely, use two receiver channels and have the ability to select the best audio signal from the two. Most high-end wireless systems use this technology.) But with ten channels to choose from, hassles can be significantly reduced by proper frequency selection and receiver placement. (For more on how wireless systems work, please see the article “The Onstage Guide to Going Wireless” on p. 32.) Audio-Technica provides extensive application information on its Web site, including a very helpful interactive section that selects the optimal operating frequency based on your zip code.
LOCAL TRANSMIT
The Guitar System's body-pack transmitter, the ATW-T601, is lightweight and housed in plastic with a wire belt clip on the back. Several ridges across the top of the unit provide a grip by which a section of the cover can be slid off, granting access to the 9V battery compartment. Two recessed screw pots and a tiny black-plastic screwdriver are tucked away next to the 9V holster. (Although I think it's very cool that Audio-Technica provides the screwdriver [most companies don't], its tiny size [less than two inches in length] can make for handling difficulties in real-world, low-light situations.)
The pot labeled CH allows you to select one of ten channels, and the other, labeled TRIM, permits adjustment of transmitter output level. The screwdriver is intended for use in changing the dial settings and is clamped in with little plastic tabs.
A 4-pin cable with a ¼-inch-to-HRS plug is included to connect an instrument to the body-pack input jack. The transmitter's flexible antenna hangs down like a little tail and a three-position power switch offers On, Off, and Standby modes. To indicate battery life, a red LED glows dimly when a good battery is in place and glows more brightly when the battery runs low, which typically occurs after four or five hours of use. Frequency-agile systems tend to draw more current than other types of wireless systems, thereby shortening battery life.
The Handheld Microphone System's dynamic microphone/transmitter, the ATW-T602, is beefy and cylindrical, and is capped by a sturdy, elliptical woven grille lined with an integrated foam windscreen. An orange sticker encircling the top of the all-plastic mic body bears the Freeway logo, model number, and polar pattern, which in this case is hypercardioid. About midway down the shaft is a seam where the lower half of the casing can be unscrewed and removed to reveal the 9V battery compartment, the output trim and channel-select screw pots, and the tiny screwdriver.
The base of the mic features the same three-position power switch and red LED battery-life indicator as the body pack. A mic clip is included in the package.
ON THE RECEIVING END
Like the transmitters, the Freeway receiver chassis is made of plastic. Two 6-inch antennas extend on swivelmounts from the top-front corners of the box: one for the signal and one to provide a “ground element.” The front of the chassis hosts two small potentiometers — one for volume control and the other for channel selection — and three single LEDs that indicate power, radio frequency (RF), and audio frequency (AF) peaks.
The continuously variable channel-selection pot is detented at each channel between 0 and 9. A small cleft in the top of each knob lets you view the selected channel or volume level, but it proved difficult to see in a dark club — a silk-screened marker would make checking and adjusting settings less of a challenge.
The rear panel contains a unique docking power supply that can be removed from its port, in-line style, thus extending the cord and saving on precious power-strip space. A 3-prong AC receptacle on the power supply accommodates the included AC cable (which, curiously, terminates to a 2-prong, ungrounded plug), and a 12 VDC jack allows the supply to be connected to the receiver. To help reject interference, a recessed screw pot for squelch control is provided. The AF output is an unbalanced ¼-inch jack.
RIDING THE WAVES
I tested the two wireless systems through a Mackie 1604-VLZ Pro and Yorkville mains on a gig at a small club in San Francisco. I also tested the systems through a Peavey powered mixer and Community speakers at a large venue in Oakland. I put the systems through more controlled paces in the medium-size Meyer Performance Hall at Ex'pression Center for New Media, which features a Crest Audio V12 console and Meyer mains. Additionally, I tested audio quality and levels at my studio.
Initially, the Guitar System signal kept cutting out, especially when the guitarist obstructed the line of sight between the transmitter and the receiver. The system is rated to operate at up to 150 feet, but the signal cut out altogether at 50 feet. Thankfully, the system's frequency agility allowed me to solve the problem simply by switching the channel.
The guitarist was pleased with the sound overall. When scrutinizing the sound later, I noticed (not surprisingly) that the guitar sound through the wireless was somewhat noisier than the instrument plugged directly into the amp. The tone, however, was true. Fortunately, the noise was much less perceptible during live performance.
The handheld microphone/transmitter performed admirably at the larger venue through the Peavey powered mixer, delivering more presence and cut in that environment than a Shure SM58. During the other sessions, though, the low output level (specified in the manual as “aux level,” meaning -10 dBV) gave me some grief — I had to crank up the console input trim by 20 dB to match the wireless mic's level to that of the other mics. As one might expect, that increased noise on that channel.
Finding the right gain staging between the transmitter, receiver, and console input was a bit like playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey. For example, at the small club with the Mackie 1604-VLZ Pro, the signal was still relatively low in comparison to the other stage mics (Shure SM58s). Even with the transmitter and receiver outputs set close to maximum, we had to crank up the input gain on the Mackie board to 3 o'clock (as compared with 11 o'clock for the 58s) to get enough level.
Later, assisted by live-sound instructor Hani Gadallah, I experimented further with the Freeway mic system's gain staging in the Meyer Performance Hall at Ex'pression (where Gadallah and I both teach). With the receiver gain set to 12 o'clock, the transmitter gain near maximum, and the Crest Audio V12 fader at unity, we had to adjust the V12's console trim to +50 to get signal as loud as that coming from the other mics. At those settings, however, we heard distortion on the more forceful syllables as Gadallah talked and sang into the mic. So we reduced the transmitter gain to 12 o'clock, which in turn required us to crank the console trim to +72 to maintain the same output levels. This improved the signal, but we could still hear distortion. Finally, we tried changing the battery. That reduced the distortion a bit more, but it didn't eliminate it completely.
ON THE FREEWAY
Overall, the Audio-Technica Freeway 600 Series professional UHF wireless systems provide an affordable option to musicians who want the freedom of wireless but are not able to invest in more expensive rigs. The systems I reviewed — the ATW-601/G UniPak Guitar System and ATW-602 Handheld Microphone System — both functioned well when set up and operated properly. The Freeway 600 Series offers the features one needs in a wireless, including RF and battery-life LED indicators, squelch control, and Standby mode. The docking power supply is also quite handy. But what really gives these systems a leg up on many other low-priced wireless packages is the ability they give you to switch channels. That feature allowed me to avoid the RF interference problems that can plague a single-channel system.
That said, the system is not flawless. As noted, I had some trouble with low output on the handheld mic, which caused some gain-staging difficulties. In another situation, I experienced some distortion that I wasn't able to eliminate completely. And considering that the Freeway 600 is billed as “professional,” I was disappointed by the lack of a balanced output.
But for semipro musicians and weekend warriors — the demographic at which Audio-Technica is aiming these systems — the Freeway 600 Series offers an opportunity to purchase a multichannel UHF wireless system at an impressively low price. For them, the Freeway Wireless could well be a road worth taking.
FREEWAY 600 SERIES SPECS
OVERALL SYSTEM
UHF Operating Frequency 470.00-479.75 MHz (band A); 482.00-491.75 MHz (band B)
Channels 10
Frequency Stability ±0.005%, Phase Lock Loop frequency control
Modulation Mode FM
Maximum Deviation ±15 kHz
Operating Distance 150' max.
Operating Temperature Range 40° F (4° C) to 110°F (43° C)
ATW-T601 UNIPAK TRANSMITTER
RF Power Output 10 mW (nominal); 5 mW (typical)
Spurious Emissions under federal regulations
Dynamic Range •90 dBA
Frequency Response 50 Hz-16 kHz
Input Connections high impedance; low impedance; bias
Power 9V (NEDA type 1604) alkaline
Current Consumption 60 mA (typical)
Battery Life 4-5 hrs.
Dimensions 2.56" (W) × 4.41× (H) × 0.87" (D)
Weight 0.2 lb. (without battery)
ATW-T602 HANDHELD TRANSMITTER
RF Power Output 10 mW (nominal); 5 mW (typical)
Spurious Emissions under federal regulations
Dynamic Range •90 dBA
Frequency Response 100 Hz-13 kHz
Microphone Element dynamic unidirectional
Power 9V (NEDA type 1604) alkaline
Current Consumption 60 mA (typical)
Battery Life 4-5 hrs.
Accessories Included AT8456a stand clamp
Dimensions 9.65" (L) × 2.11" (D)
Weight 0.7 lb. (without battery)
ATW-R600 RECEIVER
Receiving System Nondiversity, 10-channel, synthesized dual-antenna system
Image Rejection 50 dB min.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio 80 dB @ 10 kHz deviation (IEC weighted); max. modulation 15 kHz
Total Harmonic Distortion •1% (10 kHz deviation at 1 kHz)
Sensitivity 25 µV for 60 dB S/N (IEC weighted)
Audio Output 350 mV (at 1 kHz, ±10 kHz deviation, 100 k• load)
Output Connector ¼" TS phone jack
Power Supply 120 VAC 60 Hz, 6 VA; 12 VDC, 200 mA, center positive, with external DC supply
Accessories Included AD1202A 120V docking AC adapter; 120 VAC IEC cord set
Dimensions 8.27" (W) × 1.72" (H) × 4.73" (D)
Weight 1.18 lb. (with AC adapter); 0.74 lb. (without AC adapter)
