Does anyone use Sabine 2.4 ghz wireless?

[Jay M]

I like the idea of not having to wonder what blocks are available in a particular area like you do with UHF. But does the Sabine system really work? Does it sound good?

Thanks,
~Jay

[aussie_techie]

more and more is getting squeezed into the 2.4GHz band everyday so the idea that you are moving to an unused band is simply not true.

While the band is most likely going to be better as it is meant for low power devices its unregulated so anything can use it. I wouldn't count on the number of channels or the range that they claim. as they seem to use spread spectrum transmissions have 2 of their system on consecutive channels will be operating on the same frequency.

also remember these system are digital so are adding an extra A/D/A stage to your system.

just some food for thought, the 2.4GHz band isnt the silver bullet some people think it is.

that said i havnt used the system in question.

[PoorGlory]

I've used them. They are horrible.

The RF transmission is somewhat unreliable and intermittently noisy, and the mic transmitters (both handheld and beltpack) sound awful. Their paddle antennas were poorly made, the onboard processing is useless and superfluous, everything just seemed cheap.

I also have used and continue to use (against my will) Sabine Graphic-Q as FOH equalizers from time to time. They are also terrible, both in sound and function. The operating system locks up and won't respond to the hard reset, and I've had them spontaneously reboot mid-show! No good.... Sabine isn't doing much to win my confidence.

[Jay M]

That's the kind of input I'm looking for. On the Sabine site they list all kinds of high-end tours and artists using their equipment, but I can't find any articles that affirm what is on their site.

I did find a few pro audio reviews online and they were all very favorable.

I'm always leery of magazine reviews because there is normally a full page ad for the product being reviewed near by. I'm sure sales/marketing will sometimes encourage the reviewer to like the product that pays his salary

~Jay

[PoorGlory]

If you're looking for a good deal on wireless check out used Shure ULX/ULXP systems. Not as high end as the U series or UHF-R series, but rock solid and sounds great. More susceptible to interference than the high end stuff, but that can be avoided with the proper research into available frequencies in the area and careful group/channel selections. The M1 and J1 bands won't be affected by the 2009 bandwidth issues, so either of those will do just fine almost anywhere. J1 (554-590 mhz I think) is the most compatible with the most areas of the US, in my experience.