( 3 reviews )
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Posted: Apr 7 2009
As a sound engineer for our church, I have worked with true high-end wireless microphone systems, both Shure & Sennheiser. I have also gone cheap on more than one wireless set-up for my own use, only to be disappointed every time.....except with the Pyle PDW-M5500! Wow....I was really surprised by how good these mics sound. The microphones themselves have good balance with just enough heft to damp out some of the handling noise. Additionally, they are coated with a soft-feel coating, which eliminates the scratchy, hissy sound you get with cheap plastic. Fit & finish of the mics is good, and the windscreens are nicely made, eliminating most (but not all) breath & pop sounds. Fit & finish on the receiver isn't quite as high, and the extruded aluminum faceplate has an 80's retro look. There are numeric displays for each of the 4 channel volume settings, with LED indicators for RF carrier and audio level, again, for each channel, which modernizes the interface somewhat. We live in the suburbs, and have not had any interference on any of the 4 VHF channels, though in a crowded city environment, this may not be the case. Frequencies are pre-selected at the factory and cannot be changed by the user. For those of you that think only UHF systems can sound good, do a little research. VHF is not dead. The mics and receiver are matched and use companding circuitry to reduce noise and maintain dynamic range over the wireless connection. There also appears to be a noise gate, which when combined with the "soft" squelch, virtually eliminates hiss when the mic is turned off, as well as the sound of the switch on the microphone itself. Very sophisticated. The tonal characteristics of the dynamic mic elements are well suited to vocals, both singing & speaking. There are no exaggerated frequencies, no harshness, and even with amateur vocalists, they are difficult to overload. The response pattern of the mics has very good rearward rejection, meaning they are not prone to feedback, unless of course they are pointed directly at a speaker. My only criticism is the batteries rattled around a little, which you could hear clearly. I simply slid a wire pipecleaner into the battery compartments along the length of the batteries....problem solved. The batteries are common AAs (another plus compared to expensive 9 volt cells), and can be changed quickly if needed, which isn't the case with rechargeable microphones. The batteries also last a good long time. OK....they're not Shure UR2 Betas....which sell for roughly $2000.00 per channel including the receiver. But to my relatively trained ear, the Pyles can be eq'd and set up to nearly match the Shures. And at roughly $35.00 a channel, these are an incredible deal.
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Posted: Feb 5 2009
PYLE PDWM5500 4 Mic. VHF Wireless Microphone System is great inexpensive product for small bands, professional karaoke and home use. Excellent sound quality and good design. Could not be happier with this system. Would highly recommend.
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Posted: May 18 2008
This is a very good setup for the money. One of the mikes picks up a local radio station but with three others working flawlessly I have no worries. I can get a range of better than 100 feet, even through steel stud walls. I have had to wrap each mike with some rubber bands to keep the battery covers on but those batteries last a good long time.
