Repair wireless mike?

[GeneN]

Good morning everyone,

Our church has a history of being cash strapped, so the mentality of squeezing every last bit of life out of equipment is strong.

The problem concerms a wireless Shure SM-58, with a MARCAD Diversity transmitter. I am guessing this is 15 years old. For a few months, the mike will intermittently cut out, initially very infrequently, but now enough to significantly interfere with its use. The LED on the receiver base will be off when it cuts out, so I am guessing that the problem is with the transmitter in the mike.

3 questions:

1. Is this old and outdated enough to just toss and replace?
2. Any known or likely issues with this system?
3. Any suggestions for repair (local vs. Shure etc) if we try to repair?

Thanks. Gene

[Paris MkVI]

I'm pretty sure that Shure will work on any mic they ever made, so they can probably service it.

But without knowing for sure where the problem is isolated, you might send it out for service, only to find it does not resolve the problem.

Take a look at the attached PDF. Does this match your unit? The PDF is dated 1997.

[sien]

Hi Gene,
I'm guessing your Shure model might be the LX series.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--SHUWA503

I would recommend replacing it if you have the budget.
The newer mics use AA batteries which are easier on the tech budget.
I'm not Stateside, but sweetwater seems to have a demo AT2000 for US$249.

Here's the link for service with Shure
http://www.shure.com/americas/suppor...pair/index.htm

[wogster]

Originally Posted by GeneN

Good morning everyone,

Our church has a history of being cash strapped, so the mentality of squeezing every last bit of life out of equipment is strong.

The problem concerms a wireless Shure SM-58, with a MARCAD Diversity transmitter. I am guessing this is 15 years old. For a few months, the mike will intermittently cut out, initially very infrequently, but now enough to significantly interfere with its use. The LED on the receiver base will be off when it cuts out, so I am guessing that the problem is with the transmitter in the mike.

3 questions:

1. Is this old and outdated enough to just toss and replace?
2. Any known or likely issues with this system?
3. Any suggestions for repair (local vs. Shure etc) if we try to repair?

Thanks. Gene

If it's 15 years old, it may not be the microphone or transmitter, it may be the frequency range that is the problem. The Cell phone and pager markets are voracious in their need for more and more frequency range, governments have found this easy money, so have sold off huge blocks of otherwise little used frequency ranges, where unlicensed wireless systems used to be able to range freely. The key to being unlicensed is that the transmitter is very low power, we are talking like .1w or less. Perfect for a battery powered unit where there is little power available. Here is what happens your microphone is putting out .1w, a cell phone is putting out 1w on the same frequency the cell signal steps all over your microphone signal, the microphone receiver can't make sense out of what it's receiving and gives up.

If it's the frequency range, some are adjustable, some are not, you should contact the dealer where they got the microphone in the first place, and see about repairs, you may find though, as with a lot of this stuff, it will cost almost as much to repair as to replace.

[GeneN]

Thanks so much for the replies!

Not sure just what we will do, but you have given some direction.

Thanks again.

Gene

[pdc]

Shure will repair some things that old for a flat fee. There are some things they cannot do anymore. If you call the Shure service department, they will tell you what they can and cannot do, issue a RA, and then it is up to you to put the check and the gear in a box and send it in. You do not have to go through a dealer, which will save you time and money.

If you are dealing with something that old, I would say replace it. That technology doesn't sound and perform as well as Shure's new entry level presenter series stuff does now. In addition to that, much has changed in the air since you purchased that. You should get on the FCC site, the Shure site, or better yet, consult a contractor with a scanner, so that a scan can be conducted on-site, so that your next wireless works. The thing to remember is that you very well could be replacing whatever you have now, or whatever you buy, in about five to ten years, when more changes are solidified and/or enforced by the FCC.

[pdc]

Originally Posted by wogster

The Cell phone and pager markets.

Pagers...what are those? Who uses those anymore. Man, you must be some kind of old .

[pdc]

Originally Posted by sien

Hi Gene,
I'm guessing your Shure model might be the LX series.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--SHUWA503

I would recommend replacing it if you have the budget.
The newer mics use AA batteries which are easier on the tech budget.
I'm not Stateside, but sweetwater seems to have a demo AT2000 for US$249.

Here's the link for service with Shure
http://www.shure.com/americas/suppor...pair/index.htm

And Sweetwater is one of the most expensive places to buy gear. Just sayin'.

[wogster]

Originally Posted by pdc

Pagers...what are those? Who uses those anymore. Man, you must be some kind of old .

Actually pagers are still common in many places.....

[EmilBarnabas]

Maybe the battery is not making a tight contact. You might be able to bend the metal spring that contacts the battery, or put something behind the battery to make it contact better. It might be as simple as putting a layer of gaf tape on the bottom of the battery.

[wogster]

Originally Posted by EmilBarnabas

Maybe the battery is not making a tight contact. You might be able to bend the metal spring that contacts the battery, or put something behind the battery to make it contact better. It might be as simple as putting a layer of gaf tape on the bottom of the battery.

Don't use tape, it doesn't make contact. First get a standard pencil with eraser, and go over the contacts in the battery compartment and on the battery.

If that does not work, get a piece of aluminum foil, about 2cm square (1"), fold it in half, and keep folding it in half until it's small enough to fit between the battery and fixed solid contact. Total cost about .00001¢

This wouldn't work for a 9V battery, obviously, for those, get an elastic band and put it around the contact piece and battery to hold them together.

[EmilBarnabas]

Originally Posted by wogster

Don't use tape, it doesn't make contact. First get a standard pencil with eraser, and go over the contacts in the battery compartment and on the battery.

When I said bottom of the battery, I was assuming a 9V battery, and the bottom is the end that does not have the metal contacts on it.

This makes the battery just a little bit taller and forces it to make better contact with the metal clips inside the transmitter.