Accessories
By Brian Clark Last Updated: June 7, 2021
When you’re playing guitar on a stage or in practice, you know what a menace those pesky cables can be. A wireless guitar system makes that a thing of the past!
Luckily, the technology has been available for the wireless guitar systems that are used instead of the standard cables. They have been around since the mid-’70s, but over the years it got reasonably cheaper and lighter and today anyone can afford at least the cheaper models of these systems and not just the biggest rock bands in the world with unlimited money.
My pick as the best pro wireless guitar system is the Shure GLXD14. My overall top pick as the best affordable option is the GetariaGWS-8.
Because there is a flood of these systems on the market, weput out this article naming some of the best guitar wireless systems out there on the market. Here there is something for everyone– from affordable low-end options to the high-end systems.
Contents
- The 5 Best Wireless Guitar Systems (2023)
- 1. Getaria GWS-8 2.4GHZ Wireless Guitar System
- 2. Shure GLXD14 Digital Guitar Wireless System
- 3. Xvive U2 Guitar Wireless System
- 4. Nady U-1100
- 5. ZXK CO 5.8GHz
- More about wireless guitar systems
- Conclusion
The 5 Best Wireless Guitar Systems (2023)
Editor's Choice - Very Affordable Option
Pro Option - High-End High-Quality Bodypack System
Mid-Range UHF Bodypack System
Affordable Option for Home Use
1. Getaria GWS-8 2.4GHZ Wireless Guitar System
View Price: Amazon
We start off this list with an entry-level, affordable little wireless system. GetariaGWS-8is a small, transmitter/receiver systemthatcomes in a tight little package together with a dual charge USB cable. It has about 100ft of range (30 meters) and half of that if there are walls between two parts of the system.
The use of these babies is really simple. You just need to power them up, plug them into whatever you want them to transmit and press the sync button. After a couple of seconds, the system will sync up and you’re ready to go!
The battery life is about two hours of non-stop playing, so you are going to live through your normal gig or band practice without a hitch. As for sound quality, this system transmits clear sound without latency so nobody could ever hear that there are no cables being used.
It’s a good quality and really cheap and affordable transmission system for your everyday user.
2. Shure GLXD14 Digital Guitar Wireless System
View Price: Amazon
And for the end,we left the high-end, high-quality stuff for the professionals to use. Shure GLXD14 is a part of a large Shure wireless systemsfamily, where you can find anything for microphones and all sorts of instruments. But, in this instance we are looking for guitar systems, so GLXD14 is an easy choice.
This is a bodypack system, where bodypack comes in a sleek, sturdy, plastic shell. It doesn’t have any antennas hanging off it and it is small and compact.
With it, you get a cable, but there is nobody rack coming with it. It works on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and you have up to 15 hours of playing time with it. It comes with a USB charger, and for 15 minutes of charging, you will get 1.5 hours of playtime.
The receiver uses LINKFREQ Automatic Frequency Management technology, meaning you can use up to 8 different instruments at the same time on one receiver. Also, this system uses only automatic frequency finder, so you are sure to evade all drop-ins from passing radio chatter you usually pick up.
The price on this system is hefty, but it is a high-end, quality product meant for use by the professionals that are going to use every piece of it.
3. Xvive U2 Guitar Wireless System
View Price: Amazon
Another of the plug-in and play systems,Xvive U2 guitar wireless system is a mid-range, high-quality wireless system. Same as the previous ones, it comes with a transmitter, a receiver and a USB cable to charge. It has a nice sturdy plastic body and you can choose from an array of colors.
This device works on a 2.4GHz band network, but only on passive pickups. So, if you have an active pick up, keep on looking. The battery life is up to 5 hours of playing time, so whatever you play, you will have enough time to finish it.
Also, this system has up to 70 feetofline-of-sight range. This is a high-quality, mid-range system for people looking for a sturdy and reliable transmission system.
4. Nady U-1100
View Price: Amazon
NadyU-1100 isthe second type of wireless system. It comes with a metal bodypack, metal belt clip, and a unit powered by two AA batteries and a 3.5mm cable for your instrument to plug into.
This type of wireless system is a bit bulkier and takes longer to set up, but for that you are rewarded with a much wider range (in this case up to 500ft) and a higher sound quality.
The main receiver comes with 100 UHF channels which you can set up (manually or automatically) to look for the free channel on which you will play. It has a bright backlit LCD screen which shows you the channel and the signal strength at all times. It also has a volume knob and buttons for setting up the signal.
The transmitter also has anLCD screen and buttons with which you set up a channel, but it also comes withanon/off/mute button. It hasa8-10 hours of battery life and since it uses AA batteries it can be easily replaced.
This is a great mid-range system for people looking to invest into something a bit more serious then plug and play systems on the market.
5. ZXK CO 5.8GHz
View Price: Amazon
Staying ina more affordable class, ZXK CO is a great, affordable, quality transmission system. It comes in a similar form like the previous one on this list, with a transmitter, a receiver, and an USB charging cable.
This system is working on a 5.8 GHz band network and not a standard 2.4 GHz network. This means that there is a lot less chance to pick up any other signal than that of your transmitter when playing.
This also means that you can have up to 4 different players playing with these sets at the same time, at different channels. As for the range, you can play up to 50 meters with an unobscured signal or 30 meters with obstacles in the way.
This is a great good quality system for players not ready to spend a whole lot of money on thetop-ratedsystems.
More about wireless guitar systems
The technology used is commonly based on the radio system – you need a transmitter and a receiver. Usually,thetransmitter is the part you plug into your guitar and the receiver is pluggedinto your amp or other output.
There are two main types of wireless systems. In one, both transmitter and receiver look pretty much the same,a bit like a USB dongle, where you just plug them directly to the jacks and use them.
In the other type, usually the more expensive one, the receiver has its own body and looks like a radio device, and a transmitter is a whole unit you wear on your guitar strap or your body and which you connect to the guitar by a short cable provided with the set.
This way is more complicated to use, but it provides more options and has abetter quality of the sound.
Conclusion
We hope that we have helped you to make a choice when buying a guitar wireless transmission system. These systems are in abundance today and for a good reason.
Even with a cheaper option, you can get a pretty decent sound and for an amateur, this is more than enough for playing at home or in a practice. Professionals have been using these for decades now and there is no reason that you shouldn’t too.