Product: Audio-Technica ATW-1127
Price Paid: $ 10 AU (garage sale) 479 USED
Submitted
08/17/2009
at
07:58pm
by
Mozart Palmer
Email: experimenthouse<at>live dot com
Ease of Use
:
9
Features:
Adjustable signal strength
Squelch control
1/4" output
Balanced XLR output
Ground Lift
Diversity reception (two aerials with two independent receiving circuits) which selects the best signal to use.
The transmitter clips on and has on/standby/off controls.
As far as wireless goes, this system is incredibly easy to use. It has three controls on the front: Power, Volume and Squelch (adjust depending on amount of interference). On the back it has a Ground Lift, which will help to eliminate hum if present, but running a unit without Ground is very dangerous.
I got it given to me second hand from a garage sale, so there was no manual, but is easy to download from the AT website. Manual is easy to read and makes absolute sense.
The previous reviewer slammed it for not having aerials on the front, and so making it impossible to fit in a closed rack. Audio Technica actually offer a kit to do this. However the previous reviewer must not have realised that the aerials can be unscrewed and screwed back in a horizontal position (so they stick straight out the back of the unit instead of up). I haven't tried this in a rack situation yet, but it still works.
Also, Audio Technica offer this unit as an all round wireless setup, and specify that the package contains the receiver and UniPack transmitter and the buyer should "Select a Wireless Essentials?? microphone or cable to complete the system". So the previous reviewer mustn't have read that bit.
Sound Quality
:
9
I am currently using it with a Gallien-Krueger 700RB MkII bass head and a Cort C4 bass, and it was previously used with a Hiwatt Maxwatt 200 MX guitar amp with Epiphone Les Paul.
There is no or at least very little noise. I tested it at about a thirty metre range through three brick walls and only when a fourth was added did it cut out.
Great unit for the price!
Reliability
:
8
As with any wireless unit, I would never use it without backup. There's no real substitute for my thirty-foot Canare guitar lead. However it has not screwed up yet (aside from an understandable flat battery).
Customer Support
:
2
It's way out of warranty, but they still offer the manuals on their website. However I did try and contact them on one issue:
The original owner mounted the aerials horizontally (as above) and the end of one of the aerials snapped off inside the terminal. This makes mounting it impossible.
I emailed them requesting a new terminal and aerial and they never replied.
Overall Rating
:
8
It works quite well, considering the cost. No real subsitute for a guitar cable in reliability, although I would use it with the lead as backup. Despite being hacked up a bit it still works. If it were lost or stolen I would be annoyed (they still fetch around $300 AU on ebay), but would not buy another one. I wouldn't actually buy it, but because it was given to me I may as well use it. A friend borrowed it for his Death Metal band and it gave him a bit more mobility on stage for his image, so it doesn't really get in the way.
Product: Audio-Technica ATW-1127
Price Paid: US $249
Submitted
09/10/2004
at
03:43pm
by
Brent
Ease of Use
:
4
It's a wireless unit with 2 knobs, it's not hard to use. the problem with it, is that they don't tell you that you need to buy their propietary adapter in order to use it. So it was a hassle to get ANY sound out of it.
Sound Quality
:
2
This unit is made to mount in a 19" rack... just don't buy it if you have an enclosed rack, like most people who take their gear on the road. The antennas have to criss cross in my rack no matter what slot it's in, as a result the sound is bad.
Reliability
:
4
I would not depend on this unit, nor would I even attempt to gig with it. the Pack is very fragile feeling, and the adapter plugs into 4 very fine pins what I could see damaging in a heartbeat.
Customer Support
:
4
Their customer support doesn't have a toll-free number. But when I did reach them, they were able to tell me that indeed, the unit didn't ship with an adapter for a guitar, and I would need to buy it separately.
Overall Rating
:
1
I play metal, and since I play live with a good amount of rackmount equipment, this piece is not a good match for me. If this was lost or stolen, I would attempt to get my insurance to pay for it, then buy something else with that cash. I don't love anything about this. I hate the design... as well as the need for a proprietary adapter, as well as the fragile pins, and the fact that it can't be used in standard guitar racks as well as it using Thomas Edison's wet dream, a DC adapter brick I didn't compare it to anything else... I just sorta got burned on it.
I wish it had... attennas in the front... selectable frequencies... instead of one that's set at the manufacturer.
I hate this unit, and I wish it were never made.
