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Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 10:24 am
by LCH3
Greetings,

This is a report on my use of the Wick Wireless Pick-Up and Tuner being offered by Bloke (see Sponsors section for his product announcement.) I am using same with my Korg tuner – not included with the package.

The Wick device has a receiver that plugs into the tuner and a transmitter that clips onto the instrument – anywhere on the instrument. When the receiver is plugged in, the built-in mic deactivates and the source becomes the transmitted signal.

For practice time, it is great to work on note accuracy without concern for the impact of low/high ceiling, overall room size or ambient noise. I have also used it during band rehearsal. It is not that effective for fast pieces, like marches, because the notes are moving too fast. In non-fast music (not necessarily slow, just not real fast) it helps to show slight adjustments I need to make during actual playing to improve note accuracy. While the pros may have these adjustments in their heads as second-nature, this device will help me as an amateur to develop that second-nature skill with notes.

I think the Wick device is a helpful tool for not a lot of money. I like it.

Thanks.

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 11:12 am
by PaulMaybery
Yes. A good tool. Had mine a month or so.
A couple of pros and cons.

CONS:
The physical item: seems to pop open and drop the battery all to often. PITA crawling around on the floor trying to find them. Solution a small piece of tape.

Batteries really do not last that long. One of mine went last evening while warming up for a rehearsal. Need to carry spares and extra tape.

The electronics - whatever: It is somewhat slow in response. So as the OP mentioned, it is not that great for fast notes.

PROS:
The idea of having a dedicated transmission, of just your tuba, is a definite plus.
I find it helpful in the orchestra during warmups, when everyone is noodling. I can get a good perspective of my notes and where they are fitting in with relation to A = 440.
In Minnesota, in the dark months, horns get pretty cold when transporting them to a gig. It takes the guesswork out of how long it actually takes to warm up to where the pitch is accurate.
Once we actually start playing, I put it away and concentrate on the music. If I can't play in tune with my own ear, I'm in deep weeds.

Plugs into most tuners.

Questions:
I wonder how long it will actually last.
A little clip-on mic a couple of years back,lasted about 2 months and then just died. Same with some ear buds I had for my cell phone. I'll use it, wait, and see.

Worth it?
IMHO - Yes - but I did get it for $25 on sale. Not sure if I would have paid full price.
But I do use it and have learned a few things, so that is good. :tuba: :D

Thanks for the post and reminding us about this little gem.

Solves a problem Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:19 pm
by tokuno
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=71759&hilit=wireles ... et="_blank

Bloke still had (has?) the Denis Wick wireless pickups in stock, and mine arrived last week.

I hadn't known whether this type of device existed, but after tussling with the wire (always tangled around everything) and the umpteenth time (slow learner) of forgetting to unclip the wired pickup before spinning my horn to empty it (tuner crash, battery scatter, and on two occasions the pickup snapped off my horn and burst apart upon hitting the floor), google brought me to bloke's write-up.

I used it at a performance this past weekend, and am delighted with my wireless freedom.
My son wanted a quick check, too, and it was great to just pass the clip down to him and spin the stand a few degrees so he could see.

Same as Paul's post, I put a preventive tape strip across the battery compartment to keep it shut under duress (same as on my other active gear like bike lights and range cups, but this cover, if unsecured, seems especially likely to pop when I eventually drop it), and slipped a couple spare cr2032s into my case.

The power-indicating LEDs are bright, and I might mask 'em with tape or nail polish.

The response time varies more with the tuner than the pickup (especially noticeable because I recently knelt on my go-to during a backstage flurry and I've been using a backup old Korg ca-30 - very slow response).

Assuming it holds up under normal use/care, I'll be very happy with the wireless; definitely a "would buy again".

Soap Box:
It was available for a few bucks less (plus free shipping) elsewhere, but:
a) I follow the policy of supporting the vendor who educates me (especially in those cases when they're covering the costs to stock a product that I can see/touch/try)
b) I appreciate Bloke (he probably loses more in time than he makes in nominal (if any) profit, but most retailers like to rotate stock - so it perhaps helps him that way).
If you're interested, I recommend that you contact Joe/Bloke and support his business.

Thank you to Joe and the other posters who shared their experiences with the wireless pickup.

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:16 am
by tokuno
nworbekim wrote:do cellular signals cause interference with the wireless tuner/clip?
I overlapped my iPhone and the tuner/wireless module on my music stand with a Youtube video streaming under these two conditions:
a) cellular service disabled (signal via wireless home net 2.4GHz)
b) wireless disabled (signal via Verizon mobile)
No discernible difference in tuner performance; wireless device worked fine.

I didn't think to initiate a phone call instead of just data streaming, but I'll try that, too.

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:12 pm
by Three Valves
bloke wrote:
nworbekim wrote:sounds good to me... where can i get one?
Wick Wireless Pick-Up and Tuner being offered by Bloke
Can I buy it on line from your web-site. :roll:

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:47 pm
by Three Valves
HA!!

I just said that for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with your business model. :tuba:

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:59 am
by tokuno
Update: As expected, active phone call (phone adjacent to the tuner) had no evident effect on the wireless pickup's performance.
tokuno wrote:
nworbekim wrote:do cellular signals cause interference with the wireless tuner/clip?
I overlapped my iPhone and the tuner/wireless module on my music stand with a Youtube video streaming under these two conditions:
a) cellular service disabled (signal via wireless home net 2.4GHz)
b) wireless disabled (signal via Verizon mobile)
No discernible difference in tuner performance; wireless device worked fine.

I didn't think to initiate a phone call instead of just data streaming, but I'll try that, too.

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:41 pm
by Voisi1ev
Would this work with a phone or tablet, assuming you need a 1/4 inch to 1/8 inc adapter.

Re: Wick Wireless Pick-Up/Tuner

Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 5:12 pm
by Voisi1ev
Doing a little research, it looks like worse case one would need an adapter that splits in/out for audio. I'm guessing this picks up low range stuff pretty well, seems like a lot of tuners get sort of wonky once you pace 4 or so ledger lines.