Do we need a licence to use this?

Yes. Channel 38 runs from 606.5 to 613.5 MHz and is licensed spectrum in the UK, so you need a shared PMSE licence from Ofcom. They issue it for one or two years and you can apply online. The licence-free alternative, Channel 70, only has room for four channels, which is why anything bigger sits on Channel 38. Give us a ring if you are unsure where your school or society stands.

How many mics does our show actually need?

Fewer than the cast list suggests. Count the principals with solo lines or songs, then look at the running order to see who is on stage together. Most school musicals land somewhere between eight and twelve. Ensemble numbers are usually better covered by float mics or a couple of hanging mics than by giving everyone a pack. If you send us a cast list and a running order we will talk it through with you.

Headworn or handheld?

Headworn, for anything staged. The capsule stays a set distance from the mouth, so the level does not drop away when a performer turns their head or looks down at a prop. Both hands stay free. Handhelds earn their place for compering, awards, readings and concert vocals, where the performer is standing still and holding a mic looks natural rather than awkward.

Can cast members share a mic between them?

Yes, and most shows do. Two performers who never appear in the same scene can use one pack, swapped in the wings during a scene change. It needs planning: mark the swaps in the running order, allow a couple of minutes either side, and put someone reliable backstage to do the handover and check the pack is switched on. Where it goes wrong is a swap with thirty seconds and nobody assigned. Fit each performer with their own headworn mic if you can and swap only the beltpack, which is quicker and more hygienic.

Home Services Equipment Hire Radio Microphone Hire

Headset radio mic hire for schools and theatre — Trantec S5.3

Radio mics are the thing everyone notices when they go wrong. The Trantec S5.3 is our most popular hire for school and dance show productions, and it scales from four channels up to twelve on Channel 38. Headworn mics sit close to the mouth and stay there through choreography, which is why they beat handhelds for staged work. Hire the rack to run yourselves, or with a technician to set it up and mix. £100 per day.

Our Trantec S5.3 headworn radio microphone systems take the stress out of miking a full cast. Each system is built around rack-mounted S5.3 receivers on the licensed Ch38 band, with beltpack transmitters, discreet headworn microphones, aerials and batteries all supplied ready to go — just power up, sound check and open the show.

Choose the size that fits your production. The 4-mic system suits plays, small casts and featured soloists. The 8-mic system covers the principal cast in most school musicals. The 12-mic system is our full musical theatre package for large principal casts.

Every system is prepped, tested and frequency-coordinated before it leaves us. Not sure how many channels you need? Tell us about your production when you enquire and we'll recommend the right size — and if your cast grows in rehearsals, we can usually scale you up.

What you get

Trantec S5.3 receivers for the number of channels you book, four up to twelve

One beltpack transmitter per channel, each taking a standard four-pin mini-XLR microphone

A headworn microphone for each channel

Receiver aerials and mains power supplies

A co-ordinated frequency plan across the channels you hire, so the mics do not fight each other

AA batteries, cable from the rack to your mixing desk and the Ofcom Channel 38 licence are separate — ask when you book and we will tell you what applies to yours

Good for

School musicals and end-of-year productions with a large cast to mic

Dance school shows where mics have to survive choreography and quick changes

Youth theatre and amateur dramatic society productions in village halls and small venues

Pantomime, where principals need both hands free for props and business

Speech days, prize givings and assemblies with several presenters

Concerts and showcases where soloists step out from a choir

Shows sharing a smaller number of packs across a bigger cast

What you need to know

How many: Four to twelve channels. Tell us how many people need a microphone and we build the rack to suit.
What each person wears: A beltpack on the belt or in a costume pocket, and a headworn microphone. If you would rather have handhelds, ask about the Sennheiser G3 systems instead.
Batteries: One AA cell per beltpack. We send spares, and it is worth putting fresh ones in before each performance.
Licence: Channel 38 sits inside the band covered by Ofcom's shared UK wireless microphone licence. Ask us and we will tell you whether you need one.
Who runs it: Fitting and ringing out a dozen radio mics on a show day is a job in itself. Take it dry if your team has done it before, or we send a technician.

Hire rates

Choose the one you need. The photo and price follow your choice, and add-ons are ticked separately below.

Trantec S5.3 Headworn Radio Microphone System (4-Mic, Ch38)Four coordinated channels — plays, small casts and featured soloists.£100a day

Trantec S5.3 Headworn Radio Microphone System (8-Mic, Ch38)Eight channels — the principal cast of most school musicals.£180a day

Trantec S5.3 Headworn Radio Microphone System (12-Mic, Ch38)Twelve channels — the full musical theatre rack.£240a day

Add-ons

Tick anything you want with it. They go on your enquiry list together.

Ultralight Headworn Microphone (Spare, Mini XLR)An extra or replacement headset for the S5.3 beltpacks.£4a day

Rates are per day and exclude VAT. A longer hire costs less per day — tell us your dates and we will price the period exactly. Ask us about delivery and hiring with a technician.

Alternatives

Sennheiser ew 100 G3 handheld — individual kits, handheld or headworn — for a compère, a speech or a couple of performers rather than a full cast.

Full technical specification (24)

Weight	Receiver 1.3 kg; beltpack transmitter 0.11 kg (110 g, excluding battery). TOA also publishes 140 g for the beltpack with battery fitted.
Power draw	Receiver approx. 3.6 W (published as 300 mA at 12 V DC nominal). Beltpack approx. 0.18 W (published as typically 120 mA from a 1.5 V AA cell). Both watt figures are calculated from the published current and voltage.
Dimensions	Receiver 210 (W) x 46 (H) x 210 (D) mm, excluding aerials. Beltpack transmitter 55 x 80 x 20 mm (TOA publishes 22 mm depth).
Frequency band	UHF. S5.3 Channel 38 variant is Trantec G2 band, 606–622 MHz, spanning TV channels 38 and 39.
UK licensed range	Channel 38, 606.5–613.5 MHz, under an Ofcom shared PMSE licence (1 or 2 year terms).
Channels	9 banks x 12 channels on the S5.3. Hired here as a 4 to 12 channel system.
RF grid spacing	25 kHz
RF bandwidth	Less than 200 kHz
RF switching bandwidth	36 MHz typical
Receiver type	Dual diversity, PLL double conversion (TOA also describes it as true/space diversity)
Receiver sensitivity	Less than 1 µV at 12 dB SINAD
Image rejection	Greater than 70 dB (1st image)
Audio frequency response	60 Hz – 20 kHz
Distortion	Less than 0.8% at nominal deviation 22 kHz
Dynamic range	Greater than 110 dBA
Receiver audio outputs	Balanced XLR, line +15 dBm max or mic -25 dBm max; unbalanced 1/4 inch jack +9 dBm max
Aerial inputs	50 ohm, with 9 V at 60 mA aerial phantom power on each RF port, short-circuit protected
Transmitter RF output power	50 mW or less. Ofcom limits Channel 38 body-worn transmitters to 50 mW and handhelds to 10 mW.
Transmitter power supply	One AA (LR6) alkaline cell, 1.5 V nominal
Transmitter battery life	Typically 8–10 hours minimum per alkaline AA
Transmitter microphone connector	4-pin mini-XLR
Transmitter gain range	+2 dBm to -20 dBm in 10 steps
Programming and monitoring	Infra-red link from receiver to transmitter, 15 cm maximum range. USB port on the receiver rear panel for computer monitoring.
Operating temperature	-10 °C to +55 °C

Common questions

Yes. Channel 38 runs from 606.5 to 613.5 MHz and is licensed spectrum in the UK, so you need a shared PMSE licence from Ofcom. They issue it for one or two years and you can apply online. The licence-free alternative, Channel 70, only has room for four channels, which is why anything bigger sits on Channel 38. Give us a ring if you are unsure where your school or society stands.
Fewer than the cast list suggests. Count the principals with solo lines or songs, then look at the running order to see who is on stage together. Most school musicals land somewhere between eight and twelve. Ensemble numbers are usually better covered by float mics or a couple of hanging mics than by giving everyone a pack. If you send us a cast list and a running order we will talk it through with you.
Headworn, for anything staged. The capsule stays a set distance from the mouth, so the level does not drop away when a performer turns their head or looks down at a prop. Both hands stay free. Handhelds earn their place for compering, awards, readings and concert vocals, where the performer is standing still and holding a mic looks natural rather than awkward.
Yes, and most shows do. Two performers who never appear in the same scene can use one pack, swapped in the wings during a scene change. It needs planning: mark the swaps in the running order, allow a couple of minutes either side, and put someone reliable backstage to do the handover and check the pack is switched on. Where it goes wrong is a swap with thirty seconds and nobody assigned. Fit each performer with their own headworn mic if you can and swap only the beltpack, which is quicker and more hygienic.