|
Electar SD-1000 VHF Wireless System
by Mike Cox
Reposted with permission from Music Gear Review
|
| If you're a guitar player and have long craved the freedom and convenience that a wireless system affords, give me a "Hell Yeah!" Okay, okay, stop yelling before the neighbors call the cops on you. I hear you and know exactly where you're coming from. Whether you're a "gigging" musician that likes to run amuck on stage, or simply jamming in your basement and want the ability to cross the room to answer the phone or let the dog out without getting tangled up in 12 feet of cable, a wireless system is definitely the ticket. Now I know what you may be thinking... "Yeah, a wireless would be great, but they cost so much." Well not anymore. Thanks to the SD-1000 VHF Wireless System, made by Electar, you can now get the luxury of wireless system for only $99.00.
In case you're not very familiar with them, a wireless system always consists of at least 2 major components, the RECEIVER and the TRANSMITTER. The Electar system uses what is called a True Diversity Receiver. This high frequency (VHF) receiver can be powered by either a 12-Volt D.C. battery, or a 12-Volt 300mA adaptor. This receiver utilizes Tone Squelch, Noise Reduction circuitry and Diversity reception techniques to provide high quality audio and R.F. sensitivity. The advantage of this True Diversity Receiver is that there are actually 2 receivers tuned to the same frequency built into a single unit. An internal processor constantly monitors the signal strength of each receiver to determine which has the strongest, clearest signal. At that point it chooses the best channel and routes that channel to the audio output section of the receiver. This feature mainly comes into play as you move around from one location to another and helps insure you're always getting the best reception possible at that time. The second major component is the Transmitter. The transmitter is simply what feeds the signal to the receiver in order to produce the audio output. Below are some of the Technical Specifications.
Technical Specifications:
Receiver
Frequency:
Channel 5 (186.6MHz)
Channel 6 (190.6MHz)
Channel 7 (192.6MHz)
Channel 8 (195.6MHz)
Channel 9 (196.6MHz)
Channel 10 (199.6MHz)
Tone Mute Freq: 32.768KHz
Frequency Response: 30Hz - 18KHz
S/N Ratio: 100dB
Intermediate Freq: 10.7MHz
Power Supply: DC 12V/300mA wall-adaptor
Audio Output Level: -20dBm
R.F. Sensitivity: 15dB at S/N 60dB
DeAmphasis: 50u sec
Bandwidth: 150KHz
Transmitter
Frequency Response: 40Hz - 15KHz
R.F. Power: 5-10mW
Modulation: FM 15KHz
Spurious: -45dB
Current Drain: 30mA
Operating Range: 200-300 feet
Controls:
Receiver
BACK: 1 - DC Power Input (DC 12-Volt, 300mA adaptor)
1¼" Audio Output Jack
FRONT:
2 - Telescopic Antennas (must be fully extended during operation)
1 - Power ON/OFF Switch
1 - Power ON L.E.D. Indicator
2 - A/B Antenna Diversity Channel Switching Indicators
1 - Audio Output Volume Control
Transmitter
1¼" Input Plug for Guitar, Bass or other line level instrument
1 - Power OFF/STAND-BY/ON Slide Switch
1 - Battery Cover
1 - Power ON L.E.D. Indicator (This light will remain ON during normal operation. When the battery is low, the light will go out. It is a good idea to ALWAYS carry an extra, new battery for this reason.)
Now that you know a little about the technical aspects of the Electar SD-1000, let's get to the nitty-gritty. When this product hit the MGR office, I couldn't wait to get my paws on it. Believe it or not, but after well over a decade of playing guitar, I had still never used a wireless system. So, with that in mind I was determined to give this one a try. First thing on my agenda was to get it up and running as quick as I could. I was happy to find that setting up the SD-1000 is quite simple and not very time consuming at all. Just connect the D.C. adaptor to the back of the receiver, and plug the other end into the wall. Next install the antennas by pushing them onto the mounts on the front of the receiver and turning them to lock them into place. Plug one end of a guitar cable into the rear Audio Output Jack on the receiver and the other into your amplifier, mixer, effects device, etc. then Power ON. Next you just need to install a 9-Volt Alkaline battery into the Belt-Pak Transmitter, plug the cable from the transmitter into your guitar jack, Power ON, clip the transmitter on, and your ready to rock. In total I had everything out of the box, plugged in, and was jammin' in less than 10 minutes (and that was including reading the instructions to be sure I didn't miss any important information.)
Once I was up and running, I quickly realized what I had been missing all these years. It was great to be able to move around freely without the restriction of that cable running to the amp. Now I have to admit, I've never really mastered the art the of being able to run around or bounce up and down while I play, so I'm a relatively stationary guitarist, but since I had the wireless on, I figured I had to give it the old "college try." The results... well, as usual my playing wasn't as proficient as when I'm a statue, but man was it fun being able to spin around and change directions on whim without having to worry about stepping on a cable or pulling the plug out of the amp. As for the reception, in a word, it was great. Electar boasts that the SD-1000 has a of a range of up to 300 feet, but figuring that there really aren't many occasions when a player is going to have the need to be that far from their gear, and considering I'd have to negotiate a hazardous highway crossing to push the 300 foot range limits, I decided that I was just very satisfied with the Electar's ability to provide stable, clean, reception at about 100 feet. Indoors, I went up and down to different floors and into various rooms to see if the walls or elevation would have an effect on the reception. I was pleased to find that no matter where I was in the 3 story building I was in, reception was still great.
Bottom Line:
Maybe you've just started playing and like the idea of a wireless system, but are expecting to pay a couple hundred dollars for one. Or, if you're anything like me, maybe you've been considering a wireless system for quite sometime now, but have always opted to spend that money on some other item like a new amp, effects processor, or some recording equipment. Well, whatever the case may be, Electar has done you and the rest of the guitar playing community a favor by introducing the Electar SD-1000 VHF Wireless System. It's a well built, reliable, system that provides exceptional range and remarkable audio clarity. At only $99.00, the Electar SD-1000 defines value, and is certainly the kind of product we here at Music Gear Review take pleasure in spreading the word about.
|
|
|
|
