UPDATED First Impression: AKG DMS70 Dual Instrument Wireless

I bought an AKG DMS70 Dual Instrument Wireless for use onstage for a worship band where I play acoustic guitar as the lead instrument. It is replacing a cable. I announced the purchase in the General Acoustic Guitar forum, and they asked for a review after its first use. I am opting to post my impressions here in the Amplification forum where it would be more appropriate.

Here is a link to the product page at the AKG website for technical info and details: Click Here

Background: I was asked by our worship leader to walk around a lot more, playing guitar next to soloists and livening up the stage a bit. I already have a 50' cable, but discovered that it was difficult moving around the stage with the cable. I like to "move with the music" so to speak.

Stage Setup: A 40' wide stage at a large church. Usually 10 vocalists spread around the platform. I play the lead instrument, backed by one keyboard, two electric guitars, bass, percussionist, and drums.

My setup: a Gibson Hummingbird Pro Acoustic, with an L.R.Baggs Element undersaddle, plugged directly into the house sound system through a direct box.

This is my first experience with a wireless instrument system, so I am a bit naive when attempting to compare it with others on the market. However, in its initial use on stage today, it was very, very good. I placed fresh AA batteries in the transmitter the night before the set. Startup is quite easy; plug the receiver via a patch into the direct box, extend the antennas, and plug the receiver in to a wall socket. Then plug the transmitter into the guitar with the included 1/4" mono plug, and turn it on. For first use, press the connect button on either the transmitter or the receiver for 2 seconds, and they connect. For subsequent uses, simply turn the transmitter/receiver and they connect automatically. Start up time this morning was literally less than 2 minutes; very, very easy. Startup time from now on should be just plug in to the guitar, turn on receiver/transmitter, slip transmitter into pocket, rock. 15 or 20 seconds?

Instead of using the belt clip on the transmitter, I placed it in my front pocket.

Our sound tech worked with me for a few minutes to get the correct level at the transmitter. The signal into the sound system is initially very hot, and we had to adjust the transmitter to only 1/4 power with the receiver at about 1/2 gain. During rehearsal (a couple hours before the service) it worked flawlessly, with no dead spots and no issues with its range. Also, the quality of the sound was equal to what I had been experiencing with the cable. There was no hum or clipping, and no interference from any other source. During the rehearsal, I walked all around the interior of the auditorium with no loss of signal. My estimate is my furthest distance from the receiver was about 90 feet.

Also during rehearsal I purposefully stood in spots where people and/or equipment were between me and the receiver, and there was still no connection issues.

So, in context to my needs on stage today, the DMS70 Dual was basically flawless. Again, I have no way to compare it with other systems because this is my first experience with an instrument wireless.

I cannot say anything about battery life in the transmitter yet, but if I discover it to be poor I'll add a comment.

It performed so well during rehearsal, I didn't even think about it during the actual service. No worries at all. No problems with the unit at all.

This unit lists for $399 msrp, however I got mine (new) at Guitar Center for $147.99. My understanding is that the model is a couple of years old, and the dual receiver is being discontinued in favor of a quad (4-channel) system.

Thumbs up! (So far, anyway . . . .)

[chitz]

I love a happy ending!

So much gear I'm bought over the years, either gets returned or sold, simply because it either didn't work for my application or didn't live up to it's reputation.

Sounds like this hit all the marks for you.

[Bob Womack]

Get your church to invest in Sanyo Eniloop NiMH batteries and the special charger and tester. They hold a charge marvelously under demand, don't loose the charge on the shelf, and aren't bothered by living on the charger. Where I work with live by AA battery powered wireless packs that are on-air in multiple shows every day. After dealing with on-air failures we had given up on rechargeable batteries and accepted that fresh batteries per show were just a cost of doing business until one of our engineers read up on the Eniloops. We bought a batch, did load and life trials, and discovered that they are EXCELLENT. As far as AA batts go, we've been Eniloop for over a year now without a failure.

We still check every battery, every show with a tester but we are very pleased.

Eniloops at AmazonBob

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Get your church to invest in Sanyo Eniloop NiMH batteries and the special charger and tester. They hold a charge marvelously under demand, don't loose the charge on the shelf, and aren't bothered by living on the charger. Where I work with live by AA battery powered wireless packs that are on-air in multiple shows every day. After dealing with on-air failures we had given up on rechargeable batteries and accepted that fresh batteries per show were just a cost of doing business until one of our engineers read up on the Eniloops. We bought a batch, did load and life trials, and discovered that they are EXCELLENT. As far as AA batts go, we've been Eniloop for over a year now without a failure.

We still check every battery, every show with a tester but we are very pleased.

Eniloops at AmazonBob

Thanks Bob, I'll give it a look

And now it made it through the Monday night rehearsal (a 2-1/2 hour marathon event) on the same Double A's as Sunday without a glitch. I came early and fired it up before the rest of the band came, and the sound quality is great. I'm well pleased.

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

Background: I was asked by our worship leader to walk around a lot more, playing guitar next to soloists and livening up the stage a bit. I already have a 50' cable, but discovered that it was difficult moving around the stage with the cable. I like to "move with the music" so to speak.

Stage Setup: A 40' wide stage at a large church. Usually 10 vocalists spread around the platform. I play the lead instrument, backed by one keyboard, two electric guitars, bass, percussionist, and drums.

Is this a Concert?

Originally Posted by BoB/335

Is this a Concert?

It's our Sunday worship service

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Get your church to invest in Sanyo Eniloop NiMH batteries and the special charger and tester. They hold a charge marvelously under demand, don't loose the charge on the shelf, and aren't bothered by living on the charger. Where I work with live by AA battery powered wireless packs that are on-air in multiple shows every day. After dealing with on-air failures we had given up on rechargeable batteries and accepted that fresh batteries per show were just a cost of doing business until one of our engineers read up on the Eniloops. We bought a batch, did load and life trials, and discovered that they are EXCELLENT. As far as AA batts go, we've been Eniloop for over a year now without a failure.

We still check every battery, every show with a tester but we are very pleased.

Eniloops at AmazonBob

Bob - thanks for this. Gonna check it out.

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Get your church to invest in Sanyo Eniloop NiMH batteries and the special charger and tester. They hold a charge marvelously under demand, don't loose the charge on the shelf, and aren't bothered by living on the charger. Where I work with live by AA battery powered wireless packs that are on-air in multiple shows every day. After dealing with on-air failures we had given up on rechargeable batteries and accepted that fresh batteries per show were just a cost of doing business until one of our engineers read up on the Eniloops. We bought a batch, did load and life trials, and discovered that they are EXCELLENT. As far as AA batts go, we've been Eniloop for over a year now without a failure.

We still check every battery, every show with a tester but we are very pleased.

Eniloops at AmazonBob

Well it's almost two years since I got this wireless system, and I'm still using it and it has never failed. Great sound, no problems, works flawlessly. The reason I quoted you Bob is that this is the route I took - a Duracell charger and four Duracell Nimh AA's. That was a very good investment, because this wireless does eat batteries.

Well, anyway, 2 years in and the thing is operating (used 3 times a week) and has never given me a problem. AKG DMS70 Dual Instrument Wireless is discontinued, however - a shame. Thumbs up.

Now it is almost the end of June 2017 and I'm still using the same wireless system - 3-1/2 years - and it is still working flawlessly. And, the same rechargeable batteries I got back in post 9, over 18 months ago. Thumbs up! Go go go with AKG! Peece and Donuts!