Budget is $500. The teacher wants to use a head worn
microphone in her classroom. There will be about 70 students in a room maybe 40' x 50'. I want to use a wireless pack that can dock each night to recharge the batteries. She already has a stereo
system that she wants to utilize. It has
RCA connections. I was thinking of ordering the
Audio Technica system below. Recharging station:
Audio-Technica - Microphones, headphones, wireless microphone systems, noise-cancelling headphones & more : ATW-CHG2 : Two-Bay Recharging Station (2000 Series)
Receiver:
Audio-Technica - Products - Wireless Systems - All Systems - 2000a Series
Questions:
1) Other recommendations?
2) Can this use any rechargeable batteries?
3)
XLR to
RCA - potential issues?
I've used the 2000a series before with good results. Just make sure to crunch the numbers and make sure that you will stay in budget. The best prices I'm finding (after a very short google search, you might be able to do a little better than this) is $165 for the charging station from
here, and the transmitter/
beltpack without a
microphone for $300
here or with the
microphone for $350
here. I don't know if you'll be able to stay under $500 with that specific receiver. If you can get a discount since you are a school, than you may be fine. If you can't, try to get a little
bit more money so you can get the dock, since I see it being very convenient, especially for a teacher/ classroom situation. A more budget friendly option would be to buy a standard battery charger and train the teacher to charge the batteries when they are done.
Next thing to think about, will the stereo
system the teacher has be sufficient for that space? I'm not going to guess what she has but it would be a waste of money if she did not have something that get adequately loud for that space. Make sure that it will work before you spend the money.
As far as your questions
1) For rechargeable, docking systems: No. If you want to get a standard battery charger, I like the
Sennheiser and
Shure lines better, but that could just be because I spend most of my time with those systems.
2) That dock specifies NiMH batteries. You "should" be able to use any rechargeable batteries but I would still avoid NiCd (if you can even find them...). Most rechargeable batteries you buy at the store are NiMH, so you'll be fine.
3) Not likely, I would go with a 1/4" to
RCA, just because that cable will be easier, and likely cheaper to find, but there won't be any serious problems. Maybe a little more noise than if it was a
balanced signal and there will be 3dB less signal. Keep the distance between the receiver and the PA short and you'll be fine.
I remember a teacher of mine got a wireless
microphone for a class about that size and it made a huge difference in the class, especially for those of us in the back. I think this should be a requirement for all classes over 40 students, just because a lot of professors do not project well it gets hard to hear. Maybe someday...
Hope this helped!