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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => LAB: The Classic Live Audio Board => Topic started by: Tim Weaver on July 12, 2017, 09:07:30 PM
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
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I wish I had an answer... but I'm in the same boat so I am also interested in hearing people's experiences.
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
I have sent off maybe 12-16 channels of axient to 4-5 venues over the last 4 years in installations. Not being an end user I can't comment directly to longevity, but we did have one battery go bad just outside the warranty period (1 year). No other complaints from customers about reduced runtime. Granted, each venue only uses the batteries for 8 events a year.
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
Last couple of shows I've done (a biggish awards show and a four day festival) all of the PSM-1000 ears have been equipped with the rechargeable batteries and we didn't have a single issue. The festival was 8 channels of ears with 20+ packs, the awards show was more like 18 channels with close to 50 packs, and both would have been in use for at least 5 days including set-up and rehearsals.
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On a ULXD transmitter running at 10mW, packs run for about 10+ hours with a fresh battery.
I stopped changing batteries at lunchtime at small corporate gigs with few packs as I always am monitoring the units with WWB (or Yamaha console)
So far (a couple of years) the batteries have been behaving fine. This client has around 50 channels of ULXD total and 100 batteries rolling without issues and me noticing a drop in battery life.
Enviado desde mi XT1072 mediante Tapatalk
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
We have 6 channels of ULXD with the LI battery packs in use for a bit over a year. No issues. Better run time than replaceable batteries. The very accurate monitoring when mated with our Soundcraft Vi series consoles is a big plus.
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"How are they holding up over time?"
I bought 8 channels withing months of the ULXD line being introduced some years back now. Along with it came 8 of Shure's proprietary batteries. No failures to report...Anyone who uses Shure RF on a daily basis should, without a doubt, invest in the batteries/charger.
My $.03
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
On the Katy Perry tour, for both wireless and BTR we used li-ion rechargeables with no issue at all. We had a 4' tall rack which held the rack chargers for the 400 AA batteries.
These were dumb AA batteries not like the Shure rechargables which have internal processors to monitor the battery.
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I've been using Ansmann AA and 9V rechargeables for over a decade now in church settings. You have to replace the cells occasionally (every couple years). They work great, last all morning (3 services & rehearsal), and save a ton of money over alkalines.
I've looked at getting into the shure batteries but the price is so much higher than the Ansmann units that I've never pulled the trigger.
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Does anyone have links to good Li-Ion rechargeable AA batteries? I didn’t know they made Li-Ion rechargeable AA batteries in 1.5v versions. Are they better for wireless mics then NiMH rechargeable? I am tired of how many AA alkaline batteries we go thru for each musical.
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Does anyone have links to good Li-Ion rechargeable AA batteries? I didn’t know they made Li-Ion rechargeable AA batteries in 1.5v versions. Are they better for wireless mics then NiMH rechargeable? I am tired of how many AA alkaline batteries we go thru for each musical.
Horizonbattery.com
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Horizonbattery.com
I didn’t see any Li-Ion rechargeable AA batteries there, only a lot of NiMH.
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I didn’t see any Li-Ion rechargeable AA batteries there, only a lot of NiMH.
Oops, yep, you're right. I'm so used to everything being Li-Ion these days that I completely spaced on that one. Sorry.
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This appears to be the only li-ion 1.5v aa:
https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-li-battery-LEDflashlight-4SlotsUSB-SmartCharger/dp/B00SXV9Z4U/?tag=metaefficient-20
Apparently they are 3.7v cells with internal electronics to make them output 1.5v. I believe they charge via a USB charger so probably not that useful for production work.
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This appears to be the only li-ion 1.5v aa:
https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-li-battery-LEDflashlight-4SlotsUSB-SmartCharger/dp/B00SXV9Z4U/?tag=metaefficient-20
Apparently they are 3.7v cells with internal electronics to make them output 1.5v. I believe they charge via a USB charger so probably not that useful for production work.
I have thought that Li-Ion would be better for wireless but maybe not, I don’t know enough about the different types of batteries to know what may be better. From what I have read it seems like the new NiMH are much better than they used to be. I am just trying to figure out if it is worth it.
I know that the battery management with standard alkaline batteries is not too hard trying to keep new and old apart. I just don’t like throwing out that many batteries. I use a bunch for flashlights but I don’t need as many as we windup let with after a show. I try to give them away but not too many people want them. The musical I am doing this week I will probably go thru at least 280 alkaline batteries.
The battery management with rechargeable would be a little bit more of a challenge. We would probably need about 120 batteries and the ability to charge 60 at a time. I will have to figure out how that works out price wise. I have suggested a bunch of times that we get about 8 of them and try them out. But it always gets forgotten till we are about to do another musical.
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This appears to be the only li-ion 1.5v aa:
https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-li-battery-LEDflashlight-4SlotsUSB-SmartCharger/dp/B00SXV9Z4U/?tag=metaefficient-20
Apparently they are 3.7v cells with internal electronics to make them output 1.5v. I believe they charge via a USB charger so probably not that useful for production work.
There are many - here is a site for them and the charger - On Katy Perry we had a rack of 10 of these chargers - my favorite is this:
ALC 161 - version II
(http://fischer-amps.de/en/chargers-and-batteries/19-inch-chargers-rack-mount.html)
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We have been using Shure ULXDs with Shure SB900a Li-Ion Batteries, and Shure SB200 chargers for about a year now without any issues. One nice added feature of using Shure batteries and chargers is that there is less wear and tear on the transmitters. The batteries do not have to be removed to be charged, one simply places the transmitter in the charger when finished for the night. I think this is an advantage over buying aftermarket batteries. Its also nice having 10+ hours run time and precise battery level feedback. Lastly, I suspect that when a rider states that new wireless batteries must be used for each performance, it will be easier to defend a purpose built Shure solution, rather than an aftermarket solution.
Steve
How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
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It should be noted that the Shure SBC800-US only charges batteries when removed from the transmitters. The model Steve mentioned, the SBC200-US, allows you to charge the batteries while still installed in the transmitters. When you order it, you need just one SBC200-US (to give you the AC power supply; this will run about $230), and then order SBC200 (no -US; it doesn't have a power supply), which will be about $180. The SBC200 then "side cars" onto the SBC200-US, so you can have up to 4 units (8 charging points) from one AC connection.
-Ray
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There are many - here is a site for them and the charger - On Katy Perry we had a rack of 10 of these chargers - my favorite is this:
ALC 161 - version II
(http://fischer-amps.de/en/chargers-and-batteries/19-inch-chargers-rack-mount.html)
Those are NiMH, not Li-Ion. Great products though, I've used them as well.
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I have Shure SB900's for my ULXD rack, I think I have a total of 24 batteries. I had one failure out of the box, which was promptly taken care of, but otherwise not a single issue. The batteries last a long time on a charge, the countdown timer for battery level is great, and not having to open the transmitter to charge or change batteries is awesome (I use the SBC200's, not the 800).
I love the Shure batteries. I don't have a ton of half-dead batteries go to waste (that I need to find a place for), I don't have to carry a massive number of batteries on the road, and I don't have to change batteries halfway through a long show. Yes, it's a fairly significant cost upfront, but it eliminates the ongoing cost and hassle of using AA's. I would never go back to using "regular" batteries.
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
I am what you consider a weekend warrior, I have 5 QLXD Shure transmitters in various formats from Beta58's, Beta87C, and the KSM8. All of them are loaded with the SB900a batteries, not one fault yet. As previously mentioned I don't have to remove the batteries to charge them, the mic just sits in the SBC200 chargers. They are used as often as 3 times a week, 4 - 6 hour shows. I keep spare AA's just in case, but have never needed them as of yet. They are work horses. Been using them for a few years now. The BIG plus is I can monitor the battery estimated time remaining during a show, and if needed can replace during a break between sets.
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
I have 20 of the SB800 batteries on tour for an iem kit for over 2 years now with no issues.
Two of the 8bay chargers fit nicely in a 1u rack drawer.
Timed it out at rehearsals once and we got almost 8 hours of usable life.
I've used the Axient rechargeables a bunch on large events and they have been rock solid. These are rental house inventory of a major company so they see lots of use in all conditions.
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I work on cruise ships with Shure ULXD. we use the microphones on a daily basis, and they are always on the charger.
we do rehearsal and they go back on the charger, then showtime at night and again they go on charger. basically we never fully discharge the batteries. I believe this is actually not really good for batteries, but still I have not had a single fault since two years.
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I am have 10 channels of Shure URD and 8 more channels of Shure PGX in a college campus meeting space and ballroom application. Most of my stuff is run for not much more than 2 to 4 hours at a time but do get used daily. I have been using the Ansmann stuff from Horizon Battery for just over 2 years now. I have not had a dead cell yet however since my run times are not terribly long so I'm not positive that they are still holding a full charge. I bought double what I needed and I'm still on the first batch!
I first tired the Ansmann 2850 Slimlines and they were too big. They would get stuck up inside of the URDs. After talking to Horizon they took them all back and traded them for the MaxE. They are a little less run time but they are a tad smaller and they have a really long shelf life and last for years instead of the 2850 Slimline that have very short charge shelf life.
All in all, I went from about 1600 Procell AAs a year to about 30 of the Ansmann MaxE's for the last 2 years.
Chris
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I don't own any right now but I've used the Shure SB900 batteries regularly and they're brilliant. The highly accurate time remaining indicator is great. "3 hours" to an accuracy of 15 minutes is a lot more nerve-calming than "two mysterious bars". They charge up to 90% quite quickly and its great to be able to do that without taking the battery out. Absolutely wonderful for a long day of ted talks. I'll be buying for my ULXD soon.
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We currently have 12 SB900's for 2 different PSM900 rigs and have had no issues over the last year of 4 shows per week for roughly 30 weeks (around 120 shows). The batteries last for soundcheck and the hour long event and are returned to the charger post-show with 3-4 bars of battery. I haven't seen any signs of degradation over time.
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How are they holding up over time?
With the wireless repack I have to buy about 8 channels of wireless and was thinking about going to the rechargeables. Just wanted to hear from those folks who have been using them for a year+ and see how they're holding up.
We use UHF-R as well as Sennheiser 500 wireless. We also have PSM900 in ear packs. We have tested multiple batteries out there to find the same thing as you. We found that the "Panasonic Eneloop" is a fantastic battery. They last longer than regular batteries, plus they will last at least a year. We recharge ours approximately 4 to 5 times per week. We replace them every year. This isn't because they are bad. We do that just in case. Now, the Sanyo Eneloop batteries are not the same. The "Panasonic Eneloop" batteries are the ones we trust. We have yet to find a 9V that works. Let us know if anyone found a decent 9V. We tried a lot of them and they all failed for our usage.
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