AA batteries seem cheap — until you add them up. For anyone running wireless microphones every week, batteries are a hidden running cost, a reliability risk and a pile of waste. Here's a simple comparison with rechargeable microphones.
The assumptions
These are illustrative figures — swap in your own:
- A typical AA-powered handheld uses 2 × AA batteries.
- Many organisations fit fresh batteries before every event so a mic never dies mid-way.
- Quality AA batteries cost roughly $1 each when bought in bulk.
Yearly battery cost by user
| User | Mics | Events per year | AAs used | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small church (weekly) | 2 | 52 | 208 | $208 |
| Church with worship team (weekly) | 4 | 52 | 416 | $416 |
| School (assemblies + events, ~80/yr) | 2 | 80 | 320 | $320 |
| Function venue (~150 events) | 4 | 150 | 1,200 | $1,200 |
On those numbers, a church running four mics spends close to the price of a complete AIR-B4 system on batteries in about a year.
What rechargeable costs
- Electricity: a few cents per charge — negligible.
- Battery replacement: lithium cells gradually lose capacity after hundreds of charge cycles. TrueWave Pro AIR mics use a removable 18650 cell, so when one eventually fades you replace a single cell, not the microphone.
The costs that aren't on the receipt
Reliability
Half-used AAs get mixed with new ones. Someone forgets to change them. A mic dies during the wedding speech. Rechargeables that live on a charger are simply full every time.
Time
Opening battery doors, testing cells, buying stock — small jobs that add up for a busy volunteer team.
Waste
Hundreds of single-use batteries a year need collecting and recycling. A rechargeable cell replaces them all.
How TrueWave Pro AIR mics charge
- About 10 hours of use per charge
- Magnetic charging cables included with the AIR-B2 and AIR-B4
- Optional AIR-BX charging dock for a handheld and a bodypack — see is the dock worth it?
- Removable cell, so a charged spare can be swapped in mid-event
Are there downsides?
One: you need to charge after use. If your mics sit unused for months, store them at about half charge and top up before the next event. That's it.
FAQ
Can I put AA batteries in an AIR mic?
No — they're designed for the rechargeable 18650 lithium cell.
What about rechargeable AAs in my old mics?
That helps with cost, but NiMH AAs run at a lower voltage and many older mics show low-battery early or cut out sooner. A system designed around lithium is more predictable.
Thinking of switching? See 6 signs it's time to replace your wireless system.
