I will start this article with a brief overview of who I am as a musician. I have been playing guitar and bass for over twenty years now. Spending countless hours trying to dial in the tone that I was looking for may not sound like fun to everyone, but it was something I thoroughly enjoyed. I always keep that in mind when I am looking to upgrade my equipment, and it was especially true when it came time for me to shed my cables and expand into wireless guitar/bass systems. One of my biggest worries was getting a wireless system and having it change the tone I had worked so hard to develop. I wanted to make sure that it held the tone and signal even at the extreme distances of its range. There are many wireless systems out on the market right now, so you may find yourself asking what to look for to make sure the system you choose is a good fit for you. In this article, I will give you some pointers as well as my personal experience with an outstanding wireless system.

Recently I test-drove the CAD Audio Live 3000 wireless system. I was extremely surprised at the high quality of the case as well as protective foam that came with this system. Some wireless systems in this price range have plastic receivers; that is not the case with the CAD 3000. All components were individually wrapped and tucked in openings cut in the foam to specifically fit each piece. We’ve all seen the guy who throws a dented or cracked receiver into his mic and cable bag; with CAD’s dense foam packing material, the box gives you a safe carrying case for the system. The system is also extremely easy to set up. I was able to go from opening it brand-new to playing and testing the system in mere minutes. Playing in all types of venues with different frequencies in the area can be difficult on wireless systems, so having a system that is quick to set up and adjust is a huge bonus. 

Testing the wireless range and the effect on overall tone at max distance. When you are a musician, an obvious part of the show is making sure the people in your audience have just as much fun as you do.  Engaging your audience requires interacting with them, and having an instrument cable tying you to the stage can interfere with that. So I did what many musicians do with a new wireless system. I turned up my amp, grabbed my guitar, plugged in the wireless, and went for a stroll through my neighborhood. I had the remainder of the band stay in our studio to listen to the overall tone and see where it began to break up and change as I moved away from the base system. I was stunned at how well both the overall tone and signal strength stood up even as I approached the maximum recommended distance of the system. Rest assured that with the CAD 3000 there will rarely be a venue you cannot fully explore; your instrument will ring through crystal-clear with no signal hum at all. The dog at the house on the corner seemed very confused about what I was doing.

Test both guitar and bass on the same system. Playing both bass and guitar in different bands can be quite taxing monetarily. Finding a wireless system that can handle all the frequencies of both guitar and bass is a huge bonus. In my test run, I used both instruments, switching from a cable to the CAD 3000, and I could not tell the difference. I used both a passive 4-string bass and an active 5-string, to make sure that there was no frequency loss even with a low B string. I wanted to make sure that the results would stand true whether the instrument used passive or active electronics. I pushed the limits even further and went as far as to blindfold the rest of my band to see if they could tell the difference.  The results were unanimous for both instruments—they were not able to tell the difference between using a cable and using wireless. The bass is generally difficult to use with a wireless system because of loss of frequencies when not cabled, so I was extremely impressed! CAD got it right when they included a lavalier and headset microphone with the system. I was very pleased with the headset’s ability to cut through very clearly, with no distortion on the voice. It is always a plus when you are given extra options with the system, because you never know when you’ll need another microphone. 

Durability and battery life. This system is very sturdy and really excels in this area. The bodypack transmitter is light but also very solid. I would fully trust this system to take any musician’s abuse and still work, night in and night out. The clip on the back of the system is made of nice sturdy metal, with a strong spring. Even while I was practicing and moving, the system did not slide around on my guitar strap. It held strong and did not budge for the entire four-hour practice. All wireless systems do entail one main risk: batteries. There is no worse fear for a musician than to be in the middle of a set or even in the middle of a song—and have your wireless cut out because the batteries died. I arrived to practice early and left practice late to maximize my time with the CAD Live 3000. My main purpose in doing this was to test the battery life. I ended up playing guitar for about six hours total, and the batteries were still going strong when I finished. This is longer than any show a band would play. Talk about putting your mind at ease!

Overall, I am extremely impressed with the CAD Audio Live 3000 series. It stood up to and surpassed all my expectations. It is definitely a system I will be adding to my equipment in the near future. If you are looking for a wireless instrument and vocal system, look no further.

Joe Estep - Starin Customer Experience Associate