Xvive U2 - any recommendations?

SJB

SJB

Inspired
Hi All -
Bass player showed up at rehearsal yesterday with the Xvive U2 wireless.... I checked the FAS forum, and noted some minor discussion in one thread, and a single endorsement by tom149. I played around with it a bit yesterday, and was positively impressed, but I'm wondering if there are other users on the FAS forum who have an opinion to share.
Thanks in advance.
Steve
 
So...., in what way does it differ from the Line6 Relay G30? And can you use multiple transmitters to one receiver, as with the Line6 system?
 
I've got it. I was looking at the WIC for a new system. Mainly for better quality and better portability and setup than my AKG WSM80 wireless system. I was always fidgetting with the level, batteries were always running out. The AKG needs an outlet.
But then the Xvive came along. I's even smaller than the WIC, looks less like a sweets tin. MUCH cheaper and easily available in NL. Figured it was worth a try. None of the problems with the Xvive that the AKG had. And the AKG is huge by comparison. I just need to remember to charge them every time.

Haven't really compared it to a cable other than fleetingly, but I like it. Output level is exactly the same as the input, that much I did notice. Not sure if there is a slight treble roll-off, butt its not enough to mind, IMO.

Our bass player also wanted one, but hasn't followed through on that so I don't know if you can run two in one. They are digital, so I wouldn't bet on streams integrating easily. Coupling a set is very easy, though.

I love being cordless, I go cordless at rehearsals too, nowadays. I even think I have less interference than being connected by a cable. They are really small compared to anything else, I almost lost one because they are so small. You can judge the size wel enough from the photo's, just compare it to a normal Jack plug.

Only three things I find less than great:
- No handy carrying option. The carton it comes in is way too big. I'm going to acquire one of my wife's complimentary Clinique pouches she always gets with her... face stuff...
- Not a fan of the jack-form. I like a cable-and-transmitter. Also because I love Rean Silent jacks. Jank them out and NO POPS! I think it looks cooler than this UFO on my output.
- Uhm. Forgot the third.

[edited: I think this was my sloppiest post ever.]
 
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Muad'zin - I have no experience with the line 6 G30, so I can't compare. One thing I have read is the Xvive has a 6ms latency in transmit/receive, which is about twice the length of latencies in higher end wireless, but apparently most folks still don't notice it. Back in the 80's I had a high-end Nady that for the time was really great - used a standard FM radio receiver (still have the whole kit in a closet somewhere). The Nady was not tonally transparent, added some compression and had a gain stage with no way to know when you were at 0db, without A/B-ing. It was also noisy at times, and predictably, picked up spurious FM stations and other noise on occasion. I weaned off of wireless by 1990, and am only now reconsidering.

Dutch - I appreciate the review. 98% of what I'm hearing is very positive... but It's good to hear from someone on the forum that I trust, rather than anonymous, possibly false reviewers at the retailer. My read of the specs, and understanding of the units themselves suggests that you cannot couple them into a single receiver (unless there is a separate product, that I don't know about). They each come with 4 channels, so in theory, up to 4 people in a single band could use one without creating a mess. I could see where the jacks might be problematic - especially if you are using a strat or other front-face jack plate. The photos I've seen of these on strats make it look like they might interfere with access to the tone knob.

Thanks for the input!
 
I didn't notice it. I noticed walking to my coffeemaker while playing, then I heard latency, but that's about 50ft from my speakers. ;)
 
Update:

Bass player bought a U2. He brought it in and he figured I'd be on channel one, since I had it first and he set his to three. But I'd been fidgetting with it earlier and already had it on three. So when I turned it on we were both playing in stereo. Apparently they do combine signals. So you can run two transmitters into one receiver. Mine was crackling but I hadn't recharged since the previous rehearsal. Not sure if that was from combining or from the battery going. I do feel the battery is pretty small. It should do 5 hours, but a wedding band gig could easily run 4. After a couple of years that battery will age a bit. So you don't buy this for eternity. Possibly it can be replaced, but that would take some soldering. So to be safe you should turn it off between sets. You could recharge in between, off course. Then again, over here I can buy three U2 sets to one WIC.

Next: yesterday I lost my transmitter. We did a church service in the morning and I wanted to recharge the units in the car driving over to a Christmas party in the afternoon, so I put both in my pocket. In the car I couldn't find the transmitter anymore. Last night I searched the car and found it. It slipped under the handbrake into the center console. Being small isn't always an advantage.

Lastly we had some trouble with our digital mixer. Well, not really the mixer, the wifi router. We use a Behringer XR18 with a external router. We tried a TP-Link N and a Netgear G router, both at 2.4G. We didn't try the internal from the mixer, since the service had already started and I wouldn't risk needing to restart the XR18. That sends huge bangs through the speakers. The controller laptop at FOH mix position kept loosing connection. Bassist turned off his U2 during the sermon and no more disconnects. Turned the U2 on for last songs and disconnects again. So apparently the U2s interfere with 2.4G wifi. We will run a cable to the laptop next time, or see if we can find a 5G router.
BTW, probably other brands digital 2.4G systems, like Line 6 or Shure, will likely do the same.
 
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Thanks for this update - very interesting. I still haven't bought one - sometimes I drag my feet for no good reason.
Cheers!
 
My friend has his for almost 2 years now and loves it. I've had mine about 6 months and have done a few gigs with it without issues. Amazon had a flash sale a while back and I picked up a 2nd set for 1/2 retail. I use the 2nd transmitter in another guitar (only 1 switched on at a time).

The only caveat is that the frequency domain is the same as WiFi so if you're close (say, under 8 feet) to a router you will probably get some glitches. My router is in my studio so I get occasional glitches as it's only a few feet from where I sit when I play. My friend and I wete jamming in my studio and both of us were using XVIVE systems. We set them for different channels and it was fine..... until my wife complained her laptop (in another room maybe 30 feet away) got tossed off WiFi. Took me a few minutes to determine it was caused by the 2 XVIVE systems in close proximity to the router! We turned one off and her laptop linked back up with the router immediately. Note all these inexpensive digital wireless systems use the 2.4gHz spectrum.
 
I got one of these for myself for Christmas. The latency isn't noticeable to me. I have gigged with it about 15 times. It's also very useful in rehearsal where I can go down the hall to get a beer without stopping playing. ;- )
 
Be interesting to compare this to the new Boss WL20. The Boss and the G10 are in the same 2.4 GHz range so I'd guess the interference would be similar for any of them. Boss claims 10-12 hours of use, so that should more than get through any gig you could think of with plenty to spare if you forgot to turn it off, etc.
 
I've had mine for ages (year or two) and it's fantastic. If it broke I'd have no hesitation in going and buying another. I don't notice any latency or sound quality issues. I usually run the battery charge down at home after a gig or rehearsal - I just play until the charge runs out and then replace it with a normal guitar cable and notice ZERO difference between the two. At the price how could you go wrong?
 
Hi
I think I will be the only one who will be writing something bad about Xvive Wireless System.
Whenever I connect it to my DAW and play I hear a stutter in the sound and the blue light that indicates the connections are ok flickers
It has been very frustrating to play for a long time.I almost got paranoid by looking at the blue light whilst playing to see if i am crazy.
It has been a terrible experience. So I switched back to good old analog cable.
Does anyone experience this? This is my first forum post for a loooong time so please forgive me if i mess up or wake up a dead thread or something...
 
I've been using the XVive for two or three years with no issues. In fact I've just bought a second pair to use with another band (one less thing I have to remember to bring - with two pairs I can have a pair in the respective kit bags for each band).

If the light is flashing (aside from having a faulty one) it means that there is interference somewhere. Try changing the channel first (I've never had to do that so you might have to read the instructions). If that doesn't solve the problem look for interference - is a mobile phone or hands free, or some other source of electromagnetism/wireless signal very nearby? Otherwise get w replacement under warranty.

I have zero complaints with mine
 
I bought one a few months ago... I've had similar issues. Even standing several feet away.

I've tried changing channels and it didn't help. It's not usable for me :(
 
Amazing - maybe there was a bad batch? I'd get a replacement. I know a few people over here who have been using them for a long time with no issues.
 
vkinetic said:
Amazing - maybe there was a bad batch? I'd get a replacement. I know a few people over here who have been using them for a long time with no issues.
Click to expand...
My only thought is that my rack sits on top of our IEM mixer rack which has 4 wireless IEM transmitters, a wireless mic receiver and a WiFi router...

And in our rehearsal room is also the Wifi router for my home.

I should test with all of that stuff turned off.

But, the IEM rack is always going to be there, so if that's the source then it's still a deal breaker.
 
I have a similar situation at my home studio - lot's of wireless activity in here! Also a hands free phone and my mobile is never too far away. But it could be that a device is just too close to the XVive receiver/transmitter.and that's what's causing the trouble. Or as I said...a bad batch? Also, my bass player has a Line 6 wireless system and there is never an issue between us. You could always try plugging the receiver into an extender cable to get it away from the rack (or any other possible source that could be causing the problem).
 
I just had a thought. What I did find with my XVive is that they perform a whole lot better and reliably if you completely drain the power before recharging. So when the light starts to flash indicating the charge is low I replace with a cable (of course!) and then leave both the transmitter and receiver on until they have no charge whatsoever and then fully recharge.
 
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