Body: <p>I'm in the market for a wireless lavalier. I was burned in the past by selecting a cheap VHF frequency mic. I learned later that was a bonehead move because VHF is used for everything from TVs to garage door openers. </p>
  
  <p>I'm now considering a Sennheiser that offers four variants for frequency band. Those are listed as:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>A - 516 to 558 MHz</li>
  <li>A1 - 470 to 516 MHz</li>
  <li>B - 626 to 668 MHz</li>
  <li>G - 566 to 608 MHz</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>I understand what wireless frequencies are and that interference is caused by using frequencies that are not wholly unused by others. What I don't understand is what I need to know to pick one of these. Are these all about equal, or is there one better than the others?</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p>Extra details</p>
  
  <p>My use case is live conference events. I only plan to get one or two. This mic will be used all over the USA, mostly in major cities, but sometimes smaller cities, and almost always in a hotel or convention center. </p>
  
  <p>These are some features of the mic that might affect this decision:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>1680 Tunable Frequencies Across 42 MHz</li>
  <li>Auto Frequency Scan Finds Open Bands</li>
  <li>3 Level Squelch To Block Interference</li>
  <li>20 Banks With 12 Channel Presets Each</li>
  <li>Compander For Clearer Sound</li>
  <li>Auto-Lock Prevents Accidental Adjustment</li>
  </ul>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T14:49:42.347Z
Comments.Text: In case it matters, [this mic](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/634220-REG/Sennheiser_EW_112_G3_G_EW112_G3_Wireless_Bodypack.html).
Comments.UserDisplayName: user3643
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T20:02:05.277Z
Comments.Text: It probably shouldn't matter unless there are a lot of other wireless mics around. In that case, you may want to ask whoever's running them which bands they are using. I regularly run 12 wireless EW300 mics, 6 in the A band and 6 in the B band. I'd suggest choosing a band, and buying it. To avoid interference, the most important thing is 1) selecting the right frequency within a band (where there is little to no interference) and 2) making sure your squelch is high enough. If the mic and receiver are close to each other, a squelch of 20 or even 25 wouldn't not be bad.
Comments.UserDisplayName: NoahL
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T21:11:50.253Z
Comments.Text: @Noal Thank you. I've been reading a bit since asking and found that the letter names are company specific. I also found through the Shure Frequency Finder that some cities have reserved some frequencies for this kind of thing. [See Orlando for example](https://www.shure.com/americas/support/tools/wireless-frequency-finder/frequencies?utf8=%E2%9C%93&wireless_frequency_finder_frequency_search%5Blocation%5D=Orlando%2C+fl&wireless_frequency_finder_frequency_search%5Bcatalog_item_identifier%5D=ProductSystem%3A478&wireless_frequency_finder_frequency_search%5Busing_multiple_bands%5D=0)
Comments.UserDisplayName: user3643
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T21:16:17.993Z
Comments.Text: Consistently, what Shure calls the J3 and J10 groups had reserved frequencies. This fits with a stray comment on an amazon question answer that said H8, K12, and M15 are being retired and reserved for something else, so will therefore gain interference as time goes on, while J10, H9, and H10 are new and even contain reservations for this setting. J3, as far as I can tell, is pretty much J10, but for different Shure products.
Comments.UserDisplayName: user3643
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T21:19:39.123Z
Comments.Text: I think you give some sound guidance, but just picking one might lead to a poor choice. @NoahL
Comments.UserDisplayName: user3643
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T21:23:06.907Z
Comments.Text: And apparently groups and bands are different things (I meant bands earlier, not groups), but I don't see any practical reason to have two names for one thing.
Comments.UserDisplayName: user3643
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-05-05T21:31:06.230Z
Comments.Text: Groups are different. They exist within bands. A band is the full range of frequencies that the tuner can send/receive. Groups are sets of individual frequencies set up by the manufacturer within a certain band. For example, a Sennheiser group within the A band might have 22 individual frequencies. Those frequencies are chosen so that if you operate many microphones, they won't interfere with each other. Basically, all the frequencies within Group A (ex. in the A band) won't interfere with each other (but may interfere with frequencies in Group B (ex. also in the A band)).
Comments.UserDisplayName: NoahL
Tags: <microphone><audio-quality><wireless>
Title: What should I consider when selecting a frequency band for wireless microphones?
UserDisplayName: user3643
ThreadText: # What should I consider when selecting a frequency band for wireless microphones?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-05-05)
  
  I'm in the market for a wireless lavalier. I was burned in the past by selecting a cheap VHF frequency mic. I learned later that was a bonehead move because VHF is used for everything from TVs to garage door openers.
  
  I'm now considering a Sennheiser that offers four variants for frequency band. Those are listed as:
  
  * A - 516 to 558 MHz
  * A1 - 470 to 516 MHz
  * B - 626 to 668 MHz
  * G - 566 to 608 MHz
  
  I understand what wireless frequencies are and that interference is caused by using frequencies that are not wholly unused by others. What I don't understand is what I need to know to pick one of these. Are these all about equal, or is there one better than the others?
  
  ---
  
  Extra details
  
  My use case is live conference events. I only plan to get one or two. This mic will be used all over the USA, mostly in major cities, but sometimes smaller cities, and almost always in a hotel or convention center.
  
  These are some features of the mic that might affect this decision:
  
  * 1680 Tunable Frequencies Across 42 MHz
  * Auto Frequency Scan Finds Open Bands
  * 3 Level Squelch To Block Interference
  * 20 Banks With 12 Channel Presets Each
  * Compander For Clearer Sound
  * Auto-Lock Prevents Accidental Adjustment
  
  **Tags:** microphone, audio-quality, wireless
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: In case it matters, [this mic](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/634220-REG/Sennheiser_EW_112_G3_G_EW112_G3_Wireless_Bodypack.html).  
  > **username_1**: It probably shouldn't matter unless there are a lot of other wireless mics around. In that case, you may want to ask whoever's running them which bands they are using. I regularly run 12 wireless EW300 mics, 6 in the A band and 6 in the B band. I'd suggest choosing a band, and buying it. To avoid interference, the most important thing is 1) selecting the right frequency within a band (where there is little to no interference) and 2) making sure your squelch is high enough. If the mic and receiver are close to each other, a squelch of 20 or even 25 wouldn't not be bad.  
  > **username_0**: @Noal Thank you. I've been reading a bit since asking and found that the letter names are company specific. I also found through the Shure Frequency Finder that some cities have reserved some frequencies for this kind of thing. [See Orlando for example](https://www.shure.com/americas/support/tools/wireless-frequency-finder/frequencies?utf8=%E2%9C%93&wireless_frequency_finder_frequency_search%5Blocation%5D=Orlando%2C+fl&wireless_frequency_finder_frequency_search%5Bcatalog_item_identifier%5D=ProductSystem%3A478&wireless_frequency_finder_frequency_search%5Busing_multiple_bands%5D=0)  
  > **username_0**: Consistently, what Shure calls the J3 and J10 groups had reserved frequencies. This fits with a stray comment on an amazon question answer that said H8, K12, and M15 are being retired and reserved for something else, so will therefore gain interference as time goes on, while J10, H9, and H10 are new and even contain reservations for this setting. J3, as far as I can tell, is pretty much J10, but for different Shure products.  
  > **username_0**: I think you give some sound guidance, but just picking one might lead to a poor choice. @username_1  
  > **username_0**: And apparently groups and bands are different things (I meant bands earlier, not groups), but I don't see any practical reason to have two names for one thing.  
  > **username_1**: Groups are different. They exist within bands. A band is the full range of frequencies that the tuner can send/receive. Groups are sets of individual frequencies set up by the manufacturer within a certain band. For example, a Sennheiser group within the A band might have 22 individual frequencies. Those frequencies are chosen so that if you operate many microphones, they won't interfere with each other. Basically, all the frequencies within Group A (ex. in the A band) won't interfere with each other (but may interfere with frequencies in Group B (ex. also in the A band)).  
  
  ---
  
  ## 0 answers
  
  