Wireless Mic System Refresh

Hey all,

Going to be replacing 8/24 of my wireless systems (mostly 600mhz ones) over the next year, wondering if ya'll had any thoughts with what? I currently have a range of Sennheiser units ranging from g2-g4, of which the oldest ones are to be replaced first. Primarily we use them for musical theatre.

Anyone have any hands on with the new EW-D line from Senn? Is there any reason to even consider switching to a different brand like Shure?

My budget is approximately $900 CAD a unit to be replaced.
 
I'm very excited that Sennheiser has release their EWD line to compete with the Shure SLX D.....bout time.

If you have Sennheiser and know their in's and outs I don't think there is a strong argument to change manufacture. Presumably you already have 1/8" locking style mic elements for your existing inventory, and the hassle of keep 2 different connector types is a pain. and you certainly save 70- 150$ minimum short term by not needing new mic elements.

In additional, you have compatibly of using excising RF antenna/power distro (through the BNC Annt connectors). And they Sell the EW-D with just a Receiver/Bodypack sans mic if you already have mic elements.
 
Any boots on the ground experience with the EW-D at this point? I run 12 channels of EW analog and really like Sennheiser, but don't want to invest in more gear that will be outdated as we buy it...
 
Any boots on the ground experience with the EW-D at this point? I run 12 channels of EW analog and really like Sennheiser, but don't want to invest in more gear that will be outdated as we buy it...
What has caused obsolecence in the USA has been the actions of Congress and the FCC. The former directing the latter to make more RF spectrum available for commerce (ATT, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc), and the latter auctioning 10 year licenses for reassigned UHF TV spectrum. Shure, Sennheiser, Lectro... none have any real say in what the FCC does.
 
That's fair, and I totally appreciate that I can't really future-proof in that sense, I'm approaching it more like why would I continue to invest in conventional lighting that keeps getting harder to find lamps for rather than start to invest in LEDs. I've heard good things about the Shure SLX-D, just wondering if anyone had experience with the Sennheiser equivalent yet, considering they're fairly new.
 
Pardon me if this is a repeat. At my church, I went with Shure QLX-D. It was a couple of years ago, so EW-D and SLX-D didn't exist then. They've been flawless for me, indistinguishable from wired mics except for having batteries. What I especially like is that transmitter audio level is so non-critical, and the preamp gain is inaudibly protected from clipping by the receiver tracking any automatic adjustment. I didn't believe it until I heard it, but no more fear when the soft voiced reader and the big lungs singer use the same mic. They were a real budget stretch, but a decision I'd make again.
 
I have purchased but not permanently installed the EW-D systems for my 2 school theaters. I'm not experienced enough with other manufacturers to give a comparison to Shure. I've never had any trouble with any of them, but I am ABOUT to embark on the full installation of seven 2-channel receivers in one theater and three new 2-channels on the existing two single-channel sets. The 2 existing sets were in place when I arrived and functioning well. they each came with one handheld dynamic and one belt-pack with clip-on lav. I do own three EW300 G3 receivers I had bought used, so I was familiar with the basic functioning. The 2-channel units were a substitute for 4-channel units with DANTE that were indefinitely backordered. After a year of not having enough mics for a musical, I asked B&H to switch to the non-Dante order and they shipped right away. (My Allen/Heath Q5 board does not have a DANTE card, but I wanted to have the capability to implement it because it is a school system, and if the as yet not formed stage crew wants to learn on current tech, I want them to be able to do that. At this point there is nothing bad nor good to report... I am too much a noob to understand even the best settings once frequencies are sorted. I have gain at the transmitter, gain at the receiver and gain at the board. "Sheesh!" I am about to undertake antenna cascading with paddle-type directional antennas, wish me luck or better yet send me a link to the easiest to follow tutorial you know. I found out recently that Operator Malfunction comes in a whole new variety: actors mics were inexplicably dropping out, and there were short bursts of monstrous feedback, all inexplicable from the control booth, talking to stage manage over headset... It turns out a "helpful"faculty member had found and switched on 2 wireless handheld dynamic mics OPERATING AT THE SAME EXACT FREQUENCIES AS OPERATING BELTPACKS (in case I had a busy-fingers fidgety actor who needed to be taken off belt pack and handed a stick... it happens. They can't keep their hands off the worn mic rig. The same helpful guy caused my lighting console to go inactive by "helpfully" hitting "take control" on the for-dummies backstage wall-mounted dimmer board. He canceled blackout for a scenery change and we whitewashed the projector screen with Leko light... -just trying to help!

Anyway, through the whole mess, I never got any audio out that wasn't actually put in. That is a big hooray for Sennheiser. All unwanted signal is completely missing. : )
One other thing... The countryman supply chain blackout caused me to ask B&H for a bundle of similar omni single-ear mics. The Senals that they sent sound great, and the price makes me keep low blood pressure when I get them back from the actors with Kinky Booms.
 
Followup on your sidenote -
Countryman Supply Chain blackout
What's up with Countryman? I know most of their mics are unavailable but I hadn't heard the story.
 

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