At some point in their career, every rock musician is tempted to heed the call of the wireless. I, too, have watched in envy as Mike McCready bounded from one end of the Madison Square Garden stage to the other, mid-shred, and as Victor Wooten punctuated the end of an inhuman slap solo by spinning his bass around himself and catching it in time with the next downbeat.

In the days before digital wireless, those of us attempting similar feats of wireless fancy, but who couldn't afford Messrs. McCready's and Wooten's top-shelf equipment, were nearly guaranteed frustration. From RF interference to significant tone degradation to the occasional complete loss of signal, traditional wireless is saddled with such a wide range of potential issues as to make it almost completely not worth the hassle.

Luckily for us rock-star wannabes, a new crop of digital wireless systems, such as the Line 6 Relay G30 ($299.99 MAP), are bringing dependable wireless performance to the masses. The Relay G30 is more reliable, sounds better, and is easier to set up than an analog wireless system. Best of all, it's priced well within the budget of most gigging musicians.

The Relay G30 isn't the first digital wireless instrument system, nor is it the most affordable or feature-laden. But with the name recognition and marketing chutzpah of Line 6 behind it, as well as a number of smart design choices, this digital wireless guitar and bass system deserves scrupulous consideration.

No Hurdles
One of the distinct advantages digital wireless systems like the Relay G30 have over analog wireless is ease-of-setup. In the analog realm, strenuous planning and proper configuration are the most crucial components of, not to mention the biggest challenges to, reliable wireless performance. Even if you are aware of the registered broadcast transmissions in a given area, non-registered transmissions, such as walkie-talkies, emergency worker communications, and even pirate radio broadcasts, are common, especially in densely populated areas.

Comprehensive setup for an analog wireless system includes—and this is according to Sennheiser's "System Planning and Operation" checklist [ http://www.sennheiserusa.com/aboutsec_rf-services_rules-of-thumb_system-planning-and-operation ]—scanning the area with software to find consistently clear frequencies. Even so, sound techs who operate in transmission-polluted areas simply accept that they will experience unwanted RF chatter, especially during the most crucial moments of a public performance (see Murphy's Law § relating to Live Sound). This is without even getting into the issues around DTV and White Spaces.

Because the Line 6 Relay systems operate in the 2.4 GHz bandwidth, none of the aforementioned radio interference is an issue. The 2.4 GHz band is one of the ISM radio bands protected by Part 15 of the FCC rules and regulations and reserved for low-strength, unlicensed transmission equipment (analog UFH wireless systems technically require a license for operation—another win for digital, albeit a relatively trivial one).

Other systems that commonly operate in the 2.4 GHz range include WiFi and Bluetooth. But fear not, says Line 6. According to their website, "Relay digital wireless systems use uniquely addressed and encoded digital transmission technology" to avoid this type of interference. (Fun fact: microwave ovens also emit a high-power electromagnetic disturbance across the entire 2.4 GHz band during operation. But if reheating leftovers is disrupting your Relay G30's operation, then your oven is insufficiently shielded and you've got bigger problems to worry about than a sputtering guitar signal.)

Fig 1: The Relay G30 includes the TBP06 belt-pack transmitter, which runs off two AA batteries and sports LEDs indicating power and audio status.

On the Air
I got the chance to try out the Relay G30 in both rehearsal and live situations, and not once did I experience interference. The live setting was at a show in Chicago, a particularly transmission-polluted city in which I would never think about using an analog wireless system. Regardless, the performance went off without a Relay-related hitch. Our rehearsal space neighbors have a wireless router running in their room, and still, I noticed no interference during several hours-long practices.

Setting up the Relay G30 couldn't be easier. Simply plug the TBP06 belt-pack transmitter (see Fig. 1) into your guitar or bass, pick one of six channels, and turn it on. Select the corresponding channel on the RXS06 receiver (see Fig. 2), plug it into your amp (or the first pedal in your effects chain) and connect it to power. As Line 6 claims, "all channels in all Relay digital wireless systems work all the time," a statement my experience didn't contradict.

Fig 2: The G30's receiver, the RXS06, is designed to fit on your pedalboard and can be powered by a 9V pedal power supply.

The spartan TBP06 transmitter runs for eight hours off two AA batteries and is adorned with bright LEDs indicating power and audio signal status. Its metal clip affixed securely to my belt but not to my 2-inch-wide Dunlop nylon instrument strap, which is where I typically like to mount a wireless transmitter. Connection to the instrument is made by way of an unbalanced 1/4-inch-to-1/4-inch cable. One issue I had during the review was that the included instrument cable didn't plug as securely into the transmitter as I would have liked, and it easily disconnected when the transmitter slipped off my strap during a performance.

The RXS06 receiver sports LEDs indicating power, audio signal status, and data link, and is home to the Cable Tone control (more on that later). Designed to fit easily onto your pedalboard, it's not much bigger than most compact stomp boxes and can be powered off any 9V source, including daisy-chain jumpers. A 9V adaptor is included.

The function switches on the chassis of both the TBP06 transmitter and the RXS06 receiver are plastic and feel a little vulnerable. I fear that the switches, in particular, would fail, though it would probably take a fairly determined blow to seriously damage the RXS06. (The TBP06 I was a little more worried about.) The 1/4-inch jacks on both transmitter and receiver are metal and feel very solid.

Although you can only use one transmitter per channel, multiple receivers in a system can be set to the same channel because the signal that's transmitted is digital, thereby effectively sending your signal to multiple amps without common signal-splitting issues like ground hum, tone-suck, and possible electric shock. I didn't get a chance to try this, as Line 6 only sent me one complete system, but I'm curious as to how many receivers can be set to the same channel in a single system simultaneously and what effect it has on the Relay G30's performance. The RXS06 is available separately for about $200. If anyone is game to try it out, send me the results. You can contact me at oomalley@gearwire.com.

Performance Enhancement
"Wired Tone" is the buzz-phrase for the Relay range of products, though the description might be a little misleading. In fact, the Relay G30 is capable of what you might think of as better-than-wired tone. Analog-to-digital-to-analog conversion is done at 24-bit, 128x oversampling to preserve as much of your instrument's real tone as possible. Because the signal is transmitted digitally, there's no companding (reduction and subsequent re-expansion of the dynamic range required in analog wireless signal transmission) of the transmission, allowing the Relay G30 to boast a dynamic range of 118 db and a frequency range of 10 Hz to 20 kHz.

In fact, using the Relay G30 is akin to connecting your guitar directly to your amp, with no cable to introduce impedance to your signal. Not that this is necessarily what makes a desirable guitar tone. Even high-end cables roll-off the extreme treble a little, contributing to a pleasing tone when the signal finally hits your amp's front-end. My experience of plugging a U.S. Highway-1 Stratocaster into an Orange Rocker 30 through the Relay G30 was similar to my experience with one of those active "zero-capacitance" cables: It had me reaching for the tone controls on my guitar to dial down the bite.

Fig 3: Intended to temper intense high frequencies, the Cable Tone control simulates the effect that the impedances of different cable lengths have on your tone.

Line 6 built a Cable Tone Simulator into the Relay systems to reintroduce virtual impedance and temper your tone. On the G30's RXS06 receiver you'll find a switch labeled Cable Tone (see Fig. 3) with positions for "Off," "15 ft/5 m," and "30 ft/9 m." Other than being an imperfect and severely limited metric conversion crib, this control emulates the sound of different cable lengths and their respective signal coloration. It did an OK job taming the harshness of my Strat with its bridge pickup tone control dimmed. However, I still had to dial back the master tone on my DiMarzio Ultra Jazz-loaded Fender J-Bass a lot more than normal. (I typically use a Monster Bass instrument cable).

Every digital wireless system is going to have at least some delay. While I couldn't find specs on the Relay G30, this delay is typically in the milliseconds range. Although the G30's delay was noticeable at first, it was less noticeable than the delay on the lower-priced Brace Audio DWG-1000 (roughly $150 street). And after about two minutes of playing, I stopped noticing it completely.

What's very impressive about the Relay G30 is its dynamic response. With 118 dB to work with, every nuance of your playing is translated to your amp. Once your brain adjusts for the miniscule time delay, it really does feel like you're playing through a cable that weighs nothing, never trips you up, and magically extends to follow you wherever you go.

A quick note on range and digital wireless systems: the Relay G30 has a stated range of 100 feet, line-of-sight. Right up to the edge of this range, your signal will sound clear and responsive, but then it suddenly disappears when you move beyond the working range. Whereas an analog signal will start to fade as you reach its broadcast limits (think terrestrial radio stations and long car trips), a digital wireless signal will vanish with little to no warning (think a dropped cell phone call). The good news is that digital signals recover almost as quickly as they abandon, so it's a good idea to become familiar with what 100 feet looks like onstage.

Fig 4: The full Line 6 Relay Digital Guitar Wireless Systems product line—the Relay G30 (top left), the Relay G50 (top right), and the Relay G90 (bottom).

The Entire Relay Race
The Relay G30 is the entry-level system in a three-tier line (see Fig.4). The next-step-up, the Relay G50 ($399.99 MAP) system, doubles the selectable channel count for a total of twelve, increases the range to 200 feet, and features a slightly wider dynamic range (120 db). The G50's receiver is the RXS12, which is stompbox-style and 9V-powered like the G30's RXS06, but sports a metal chassis, tuner pass-through, and dual antennas for true diversity switching. The transmitter in the G50 system is the TBP12, which adds an LCD screen that displays the selected channel and battery life, and a locking TA4F mini-XLR-to-1/4-inch instrument plug that is less likely to fall out than the G30's TBP06 transmitter's simple 1/4-inch-to-1/4-inch cable.

The top-tier Relay G90 ($599.99 MAP) is also a 12-channel system and includes the TBP12 transmitter, but upgrades to the RXR12 rack-mountable receiver, (It takes up 1U in your rack.) The RXR12 is also true diversity but adds a mute switch, an XLR output, and an RF indicator, and swaps the 9V power jack for an IEC connector and internal switching power supply for international use.

Most of us gigging musicians will be fine with the G30. If you're doing a lot of touring or everyone in the band is using a Relay wireless system, you might want to opt for the more rugged and channel-flexible G50. If you're an internationally known mega-star, the Relay G90 is the obvious choice.

Grab The Baton
If you've been wary of going wireless in the past, let your qualms be quelled. The Line 6 Relay G30 offers reliable wireless performance and superior sound at a very reasonable price. You want a recommendation? Start a cross-training regimen—your live show is about to get a lot more active.

Pros: Fool-proof operation. Stompbox-sized receiver can be powered by a 9V pedal supply. Impressive fidelity and dynamic response. Extended frequency response suitable for guitar and bass. Virtually zero RF interference.
Cons: Plastic controls feel cheap. Transmitter clip does not secure to 2-inch-wide instrument strap. Unadulterated tone can be a little too bright. Cable Tone control a little too subtle.

Owen O'Malley is a writer and musician. He plays bass in a Chicago-based rock band called The Rikters. His stage presence has been described as "that whole Mike Watt thing."