MIPRO ACT-707D Dual Channel Wireless Microphone System

by Will James

	Product Points
	Applications: Live sound, broadcast Key Features: UHF system; dual channel receiver; Autoscan; headworn, lavalier mics; beltpack, handheld transmitters Price: Single and dual systems range from $555 to $1,920 Contact: MIPRO/Avlex at 877-447-9216, Web Site.

Features

The MIPRO system consists of five pieces: the ACT-707D, a two-channel diversity receiver, an ACT-707HM metal handheld UHF transmitter/mic, an MU-53LX lavalier mic, an MU-53HNX headworn mic and the ACT-707TM metal beltpack UHF transmitter for the lavalier and headworn mics.

The dual-channel receiver is an attractive and easy-to-read unit, with the front panel containing an RF signal presence/strength meter and a modulation meter, both in a blue LCD bar graph side-by-side, on both channels of the receiver.

Directly next to the meters is the main function display, surrounded by the various controls. These controls include the Menu control, which allows you access to the Group/Channel, frequency and volume of the received signal and the naming of the particular setting. Directly above the Menu button is the ACT button, which provides a means of automatic channel selection and alignment between either of the transmitters and a channel of the receiver. There is an infrared window and sensor combination that will allow the transmitter and channel of the receiver to actually "see" each other by placing them at a set distance apart. They will run a scan of the available frequencies and lock into each other, all in about five seconds.

The handheld microphone of the MIPRO rig is a comfortable unit to hold, containing a proprietary supercardioid mic capsule, with each handheld color-coded to readily identify differing frequencies. The handheld also has a legible display, that tells you the battery strength, the group and channel, and any possible errors in programming. The on/off switch is located on the very bottom of the handheld mic/transmitter, turning on and off the mic capsule as well as the actual transmitter. It is concealed by a snap-on cover. The battery door is threaded, removing from the bottom to open the battery compartment that houses two AA batteries.

The beltpack transmitter offers the same LCD display as the handheld mic, and is located on the very front above the hinged battery door. Inside the battery door are the level and sensitivity gain controls, and the housing for the two standard AA batteries. On the top of the MIPRO 707 beltpack is the mini four-pin connector for either the lavalier mic or the head worn microphone, the on/off switch, and the antenna.

The headworn microphone is also proprietary, as is the lavalier mic. And both are of a cardioid pattern. The lav comes with a tie-tack type clip and a three-foot cable with the four-pin connector at the end. The waterproof headworn mic is worn by shaping rubber-coated earhooks around your ears and held secure with a wire band around the back of the head.

In Use

I brought the MIPRO wireless rig to several concert shows at Harrah's casino. Harrah's is an RF-heavy environment, with tons of UHF radios and other wireless mics in use, so this was a good test of the onboard RF frequency analyzer. At our show with Tanya Tucker, we employed the MIPRO as a backup wireless for the star (she was carrying her own primary RF system), and the product delivered as promised, by aligning both the transmitter and receiver in five seconds. The electronic path was smooth with no interference or other frequencies drifting in. We further employed the mic system with The Marshall Tucker Band and Steve Wariner on other occasions. Each time, the MIPRO handheld mic performed flawlessly, with the proprietary capsule sounding warm and succinct, requiring similar amounts of monitor EQ as many other RF rigs we have used. There were no noticeably blaring frequency problems. The handheld was stable and responded with complete predictability in the supercardioid realm. Additionally, it handled fairly high SPL quite nicely, never flattening or overloading when used with screaming vocalists (names withheld to protect the guilty).

I tested the wireless lavalier mic and beltpack combo on numerous occasions with novelty acts at fairs and festivals, and several said that they actually preferred the MIPRO to whatever rig they were currently using. Here again, the RF signal path was very lean, with no adjacent channel interference. At a very high-end fashion show the emcee wore the headworn mic, comfortably and completely unnoticed. It blended into her evening attire very nicely. The sound quality of the lav and the headworn mic was exceptional, with plenty of warmth and clarity, and it was extremely manageable in close proximity to speaker clusters and systems.

Summary

The MIPRO wireless rig is an exceptional value in the world of affordable wireless rigs. I was most impressed with the ease of programming, the quality of construction, and the dexterity of sound replication. I found the RF path and electronics to be of very good quality, with excellent rejection of outside RF, and very quiet while idling. I said in the beginning of this article that I was unfamiliar with MIPRO products, but I would now like to see and hear more of the company's equipment.

Will James, owner and chief engineer of Atlantis Audio and Lighting, is a contributor to Pro Audio Review.