A Guide to Wireless Management in performances
I’ve put together this guide as I’ve seen it go wrong too many times.
Nathan Lawrence
August 2026
These days, wireless on stage is both inevitable and, in many cases, unavoidable. That said, I would still advise against using it simply ‘for the sake of it’. Large multi-cores of XLR cable can be a pain, but wireless can present many of the same challenges — the difference is that, unlike physical cable, you can’t see them.
So, during the planning stage, ask yourself: “Do I actually need wireless for this?” If the answer is “yes” — or the customer has specifically requested it — then take heed of the advice below when planning your event.
This guide provides a safe and practical roadmap to up to 52 wireless channels, along with separate provision for up to nine channels of stage communications, without breaking the bank.
Caveat
Note that this guide relates to UK frequencies and is fully compliant with Ofcom rules. Some of the bands listed below are harmonised across Europe, however EU operators should cross-check with your countires’ wireless regulatory body.
US operators should not make references to the frequencies listed below, as North American bands operate differently (however the advice to avoid WiFi is just as relevant).
Guide to terminology
The two equipment vendors that I am focussing on in this article are Shure and Sennheiser, who occupy the 1st and 2nd place of the wireless microphone industry.
When buying equipment, you will see that both vendors use their own terminology when referring to frequency bands, so I have put together a table showing all of the bands that I’m going to talk about in this article.
Rule 101: 2.4 GHz (WiFi) is the spawn of satan
There are few things more frustrating in the world of wireless audio than a set of microphones that work perfectly in the rehearsal room, only to turn into a stuttering, glitching mess the moment the audience arrives. And increasingly, the culprit is the same crowded slice of radio spectrum: 2.4 GHz. This band has become the Wild West of wireless—shared by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, smart TVs, game controllers, laptops, phones, IoT devices and countless other gadgets, all competing for a finite amount of airtime. It’s cheap, convenient and globally available, but that convenience comes at a price: interference.
For wireless microphones, which need a clean, predictable RF path to deliver uninterrupted audio, trying to coexist with a room full of Wi-Fi clients can feel less like clever engineering and more like picking a fight with Satan himself. In this article, we’ll look at why UHF wireless microphones have a fundamental advantage in these environments, and why, when reliability matters, it can be far better to give your microphones their own slice of spectrum rather than asking them to fight it out with the WiFi.
Quick wins (no licence needed)
For this reason, one of the first candidates to move out of the 2.4 GHz band is any wireless comms (cans). Most comms systems usually offer two models, a slightly cheaper WiFi version an a premium DECT option. DECT is the band allocated to cordless telephones (landlines), with interference becoming less of an issue year on year compared to the WiFi bands which become more and more crowded.
In Europe, DECT is licence-exempt and runs in the band 1880-1900 MHz - this will give you better range than WiFi without interfering with anything else in your rig (unless you are using Sennheiser Speechline, which is geared more towards Conference Room AV than Theatre).
For a great wireless comms system, look into either Eartec UltraLite or Hollyland C1 Pro - both offer good quality DECT variants of up to 9 headsets, that won’t break the bank. I would avoid cheaper brands, as from personal experience the audio quality wasn’t great - “you buy cheap, you buy twice” as the saying goes.
Okay, but what about wireless microphones…
Firstly, providing your stage comms are not running in the 2.4 GHz WiFi band, you can get away with a small number of channels in this spectrum - despite what I said earlier.
However 6 is the generally accepted upper limit providing you invest in a decent system.
I would recommended looking at Shure’s GLXd range for this use case, as its frequency management capability is essential in order to mitigate the risks of using WiFi.
Beyond WiFi, Ofcom has allocated 863.0 MHz to 865.0 MHz ISM band for licence-free wireless microphone use. This band is also known as “Channel 70” and is theoretically sufficient to accommodate 3 channels, but I’d only bank on 2 as it can become crowded.
These frequencies are available within a number of systems, including the Shure SLXd and Sennheiser EW-D platforms discussed in this article (as an extension of the S50 / U1/5 bands, respectively).
The 863.200 frequency is a viable fallback, but happens to be hardcoded into a number of older analogue systems. It’s therefore my ‘least preferred’ due to the risk of interference whenever a coach tour drives past your venue.
Antenna Placement
Once you have settled on a frequency band(s), I would definitely recommend investing in a pair of active paddle antennas for that band. These have been found to significantly improve RF coverage and allow you to decrease the power of your transmitter packs (prolonging battery life).
For body packs, my typical recommendation for antenna placement is in the wings at the side of the stage - one upstage (approx 1/4 of the distance from the cyc to the front) and one downstage (approx 3/4 of the distance). This should provide good stage coverage, even if you are relying on the WiFi band.
Note that antennas should be located 1m from other receiver antennas and at least 3m from any transmitter antennas (e.g. for IEMs).
I have found that handhelds can perform better with the antennas located FOH, but only in the UHF bands (WiFi interference is substantially worse across an audience than a stage).
Beyond 8 Mic Channels
Before moving into the worlds of licensed radio, further investment in WiFi is an option… but choice is limited.
If you are already running 6 channels in 2.4 GHz, the next logical WiFi band is 5 GHz. In this spectrum, bandwidth is more plentiful and interference is less of an issue. The downsides however, are cost and range. Active paddles located in the wings and clear sight lines become absolutely essential, and may still represent an issue on larger stages.
Choice is also limited, with MiPro as the only ‘top ten’ manufacturer producing equipment in this band - and it’s quite expensive as a result. Be mindful to avoid “dual band” systems however, as these still use 2.4GHz in parallel, which will likely interfere with your other sets.
For this reason, in my setup I reserve this band for niche use cases - currently using it for an 8 channel set of MiPro In-Ear Monitors (IEMs), with a single paddle transmitter, which I’ve found to perform very well. In fact, I had applied for and was utilising my PMSE licence long before investing in anything within the 5 GHz band.
MiPro offer a frequency plan which demonstrates 24 concurrent channels, which provides some room for expansion - given the shared nature of this band, I would say 16 is a realistic upper limit.
The PMSE Licence
Beyond these licence-free channels, this is where you will need to get an Ofcom licence, which is known as “PMSE”. This will grant you access to a lot more bandwidth, for the princely sum of £85 per year, across a further three bands:
606-614 MHz
823-832 MHz
1785-1805 MHz
Following my guide, this will safely provide for a further 30 channels (on top of the 16 previously discussed).
Both the Sennheiser EW-DX and Shure SLXd+ provide comparable features at a similar price, across the 606 and 823 MHz bands.
However Shure currently only offer their more expensive lines within the 1785 MHz band, whereas the more cost effective Sennheiser EW-D units are readily available. At NLX, I’ve therefore opted to run a mixed fleet - using Shure SLXd at the lower frequencies and Sennheiser EW-d at the higher ones.
If you’re only looking to invest in one set of equipment, I would recommend starting with the 606 MHz band - as a safe bet, particularly if you are operating consistently from the same venue. This has broadly equivalent range and signal properties to the 823 MHz band but with less interference from 4G.
If however, you are moving from venue to venue - I would recommend a spread of equipment across the three bands to provide for a plan B should you encounter unplanned RF noise.
A deep dive into the PMSE bands
The table below, shows the sample frequency plots from both manufacturers, providing for up to 9 channels within the 606-614 MHz band:
A tenth frequency can be made available, but this is not recommended in all areas as the spot frequencies of 606.700 MHz and 607.000 MHz can be licensed for high-powered use and are therefore subject to interference.
Beyond this, is the first of two ‘PMSE duplex gaps’ - these are spaces between the uplink and downlink frequencies of the 4G telephone networks. From experience, I have found the 823-832 MHz to be quite noisy, but it’s still viable to bank on 8 channels (of the 10-13 available):
The frequencies at the very top and bottom of this band have already been omitted, as they are directly adjacent to the 4G network frequencies.
It’s common for some operators to reserve this band for their IEMs, rather than transmitter packs.
Moving higher, towards the top end of the UHF spectrum we have the second duplex gap of 1785-1805 MHz. In this band, I have found that you there is a bit of a range penalty due to the higher frequencies involved - but the band is far less prone to interference and noise. Leaving 1200 KHz spaces between frequencies rather than the usual 600, I would be prepared to allocate all 11 of the channels listed below, within the 1785-1805 MHz band:
As before, the frequencies at the very top and bottom of this band have already been omitted, as they are directly adjacent to the 4G network frequencies.
What About VHF?
VHF wireless has rather fallen out of fashion in recent years, particularly in professional audio. That doesn't necessarily mean it is a bad choice. There is still plenty of usable spectrum available, both licence-free and within the PMSE bands, and VHF has some useful characteristics when it comes to range and propagation.
In fact, the lower frequency can be an advantage in some situations. As with all radio systems, objects and people can get in the way, but VHF can be surprisingly good at getting around obstacles and maintaining a usable signal over distance.
There have even been attempts to bring modern professional VHF systems back to market. Shure experimented with a VHF version of its ULX-D system a few years ago, but the product appears to have been quietly retired, and VHF has not subsequently become a mainstream choice for high-channel-count professional wireless.
So VHF shouldn't be written off as technically useless — far from it. Rather, it has become something of a niche option. For a new system where interoperability, channel density, coordination and integration with other modern wireless equipment are important, UHF is generally the more practical starting point. That's where this guide will concentrate.
Summary
In summary, without a PMSE Licence your realistic maximum is 24 channels, in the following bands:
However, unless you want to invest in expensive 5 GHz equipment early on, it can be more economical to apply for PMSE after the first 8 channels have been exhausted.
With a PMSE Licence, this can safely provide a further 30 channels on top, in the following bands:
Okay but I need more than 52 Channels
Ofcom allows PMSE holders to buy short or long-term access to the coordinated frequencies, which cover the entirety of the UHF TV spectrum from 470–703 MHz (excluding the PMSE Shared band itself, 606-614 MHz).
Your venue may however hold such a site licence already, so this is worth checking prior to applying for additional bandwidth under your own licence.
If you already have 606 MHz equipment, these can typically be programmed to use the higher frequencies. However, the 470 MHz - 603 MHz part of the band typically requires dedicated equipment (known as Shure G65 or Sennheiser R1-9).
Our Setup
NLX Productions operates a balanced fleet across both Shure SLXd and Sennheiser EW-d ecosystems. Shure in the PMSE Shared (K59) band and Sennheiser within the two duplex gaps (U1/5 and Y1-3). Separately to this, we have a set of 5.8 GHz MiPro IEMs and access to a 2.4 GHz Shure GLXd system.
In total, this provides:
10x channels of Shure SLXd 606-614 MHz
4x channels of Sennheiser EW-d 823-832 MHz
4x channels of Sennheiser EW-d 1785-1805 MHz
6x channels of Shure GLXd 2.4 GHz WiFi
8x channels (4 stereo) of MiPro 5.8 GHz IEM
Plus a further:
6x Shure SLXd outside of the 606-614 MHz - subject to the venue holding an appropriate Ofcom licence
The intention is to increase the size of our Sennheiser and MiPro fleet over the coming years.
For all microphone bands, we hold both body packs and handheld microphones to provide for maximum flexibility.
If you are based in Jersey and need to dry hire any of the above equipment, please review our hire charges and reach out via email to check for availability.