Over the past few months, I’ve visited more than a dozen event venues—hotels, museums, and corporate spaces—to offer free, on-site reviews of their wireless microphone systems.

Each space had its unique setup, but a handful of issues kept showing up again and again. These problems are easy to overlook—until they cause issues during a live event.

Here are the most common issues I’ve encountered—and what can be done to prevent them!

You’ve probably seen it before. Everything in the room is ready, the wireless mic checks out fine… then, just as someone steps up to speak, it cuts out. Or crackles. Or goes completely silent.

It’s frustrating—and often confusing. What changed?