Microphone solutions for SOWA Pro
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Microphone solutions for SOWA Pro

Can I use a microphone for live speech or singing with a SOWA Pro speaker system?

The answer is yes! Of course you can! 🥳

The main benefit of using a SOWA system is that you can quickly amplify the voice of a person giving a talk to a small or large crowd – and the best thing is that you don't need to know much about audio equipment! You simply plug in a microphone and start speaking – the SOWA Speaker handles making the microphone sound good.

With that being said, how do you decide on which microphone to use with your SOWA System? How to you use a wireless microphone with your SOWA System? What if you want to use several microphones with your SOWA System? In any case, we have got you covered. Follow along this guide, and we will have you decided on a microphone solution in a moment!

What are the options for microphones with a SOWA system?

You have to ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do i need more than one microphone?
  • Do i want a handheld, or a clip-on or headset?
  • Should the connection between the microphone and the SOWA be wireless?

I need one microphone.

Simple does it! You only need your microphone and your SOWA system. You just have to decide

  • which microphone to use
  • if it should connect with a cable, or wirelessly.

→ I need a single wired, handheld microphone.

Great choice! This old school and reliable method will allow you to have an event going for hours or days coupled with the long battery life of your SOWA speakers.

You will need:

  • an XLR-Cable of proper length for your stage
  • A dynamic microphone (and optionally a microphone stand)
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We recommend using a Shure SM58 or SM58S (S means it has a switch), however other common dynamic microphones usually work fine.

Plug one end of the the XLR cable into the microphone, and the other into the microphone XLR input on the SOWA Speaker you have set to Host mode. Select the Handheld microphone preset just next to the XLR input on the SOWA. Turn up the volume and speak away!

→ I need a single wireless microphone.

This is the choice in the real SOWA spirit!

You will need:

  • A wireless connection between the microphone and SOWA.
  • A microphone with a wireless transmitter.
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We recommend using the Sennheiser XSW-D series of wireless transmitters and wireless microphones. These wonderful products will give you about 5 hours of active playtime and will free up more time for sipping coffee, since the connection is so quick and easy.

The series comes in several versions, but the most relevant for using with SOWA are:

To set it up simply:

  • connect the receiver of the XSW-D set to the microphone (XLR) port of your hosting SOWA and select either the Handheld (for the handheld) or Headset (for the lavalier) preset.
  • connect the transmitter of the XSW-D set to your handheld or lavalier microphone.
  • hold the pairing buttons on receiver and transmitter at the same time.
  • Voila! Now turn up the volume and enlighten your crowd with your wise words!

I need more than one microphone.

→ I need two microphones, and I don't want a mixer

In this particular case, you have the option of getting a set of Røde Wireless Go II. This microphone set works a bit like the Sennheiser XSW-D kits mentioned above, but this kit allows two microphones for one receiver, allowing two wireless microphones to work with a SOWA System without the need for a mixer!

Simply pair the Røde Wireless Go II microphones and receiver, and plug the the receiver into the SOWA using the provided XLR connector.

→ I need two or more microphones.

If you need a more advanced setup with multiple microphones, you will need a mixer along with your SOWA system. You need to plug the microphones into the mixer, and the connect the output of the mixer to the XLR input on the hosting SOWA, and select the "Flat" preset on the microphone/XLR input. While mixers can be daunting to operate, choosing the right equipment can make it a much more achievable task. If you want to know learn more about your options, we will be happy to guide you over the phone! Please get in touch here.

Can I use a condenser microphone with a SOWA system?

No, and yes, but condenser microphones wont work with SOWA right out of the box.

If you are determined on using condenser microphones with you SOWA system, you will have to either put a 48v phantom power-enabled mixer between the microphone and the Hosting SOWA, or you can use an external phantom power supply.

Can i choose presets for different microphones, or tweak the presets myself?

As of now this is not possible. We've tuned the Handheld and Headset presets to work well with some of the most commonly available microphones.