By Cory Choy
As an Emmy Award-winning sound mixer with in depth on- and off-location expertise spanning over 20 years, I’ve made it a degree by no means to easily settle for business requirements. My method has all the time been to actively take a look at tools and search out novel options that push the boundaries of what’s doable in audio manufacturing.
Again within the early 2000s, I acknowledged that the music business was forward of the movie business when it got here to moveable audio recording. I used to be among the many first within the NYC unbiased scene to embrace battery-powered, totally digital recording programs over DAT tape — a shift that many colleagues thought was untimely however proved transformative for manufacturing flexibility and audio high quality. Embracing this expertise early received me onto some very thrilling productions that had been in search of somebody prepared to push the envelope.
This expertise taught me to get excited when firms develop moveable, feature-rich options that pressure the whole business to rethink or catch up. For many years, Zaxcom has been on the chopping fringe of this motion for movie and tv sound (which is why we now have invested so closely in its ecosystem). However Zaxcom merchandise are a number of the costliest you should buy and are utterly out of attain for mixers who’re simply beginning out or are engaged on productions with decrease budgets.
Enter the latest wave of two.4GHz and 5GHz wi-fi microphone programs. Firms like DJI, Rode and Deity have been pushing boundaries to make wi-fi audio extra accessible — eliminating the necessity for frequency scanning, making the programs extremely tiny, integrating cellphone-style powering programs and cables, simplifying setup procedures and lowering the technical obstacles which have historically separated skilled programs from prosumer instruments.
Nonetheless, whereas these 2.4GHz programs have made important strides in ease of use, they’ve additionally revealed persistent reliability and high quality points that stop professionals from utterly adopting them for crucial purposes. Sign dropouts, interference issues, construct high quality and lemon models, and inconsistent efficiency in difficult RF environments have saved {many professional} sound departments reliant on conventional UHF programs regardless of the operational benefits that 2.4GHz guarantees.
Enter the Sennheiser Profile Wi-fi — one thing barely completely different. Quite than breaking fully new floor, Sennheiser seems to be refining and bettering upon ideas that others have established, hopefully delivering enhanced reliability alongside genuinely novel options.
We had been keen to check the product, and Sennheiser supplied Silver Sound to assessment. As all the time, we’re offering our precise ideas, good and dangerous, as a result of the one helpful assessment is an sincere one.
Context and Positioning
Earlier than diving into this assessment, it’s essential to determine the place the Sennheiser Profile Wi-fi sits within the skilled audio ecosystem. At Silver Sound, our go-to wi-fi programs are Zaxcom fourth-generation UHF digital programs (ZMT4 transmitters with MRX414 module receivers) and Shure Axient Digital for venue work. These are professional-grade instruments engineered for broadcast, movie and high-end company productions, the place reliability is non-negotiable.
The Zaxcom programs function full digital transmission with encryption, inner recording through Zaxcom’s MARF (Cell Audio Recording Format), ZaxNet distant management, Zaxcom NeverClip expertise and ultralow noise flooring of -135dB. The Shure Axient Digital programs supply next-generation RF with AES 256-bit encryption, Quadversity antenna programs, 2-millisecond latency, Dante connectivity and ShowLink distant management. These programs are designed for main excursions, broadcast tv and demanding purposes, the place failure isn’t an choice.
Then there are the lower-cost choices which can be nonetheless utilized by professionals in sure conditions, the most well-liked within the indie movie world being the G collection Sennheiser UHF wi-fi, now in its fourth era.
However then there was a disruption: the Sennheiser 2.4GHz AVX collection. The AVX collection serves a distinct skilled area of interest fully: digicam operators and one-person bands that profit from its 2.4GHz operation, which eliminates frequency-scanning necessities (although at the price of flexibility since a number of receivers can’t share a single transmitter). It’s good for single-person interviews, and the powering choices comply with the pattern of inner rechargeable batteries that may be powered and charged off of USB.
The Profile Wi-fi extends this segmentation additional into content material creation and social media workflows — markets that prioritize plug-and-play simplicity and particular workflow benefits over the excellent function units that sound professionals require.
However right here’s what’s fascinating: Whereas the skilled programs excel at reliability and RF efficiency, the prosumer units are literally pioneering some compelling options that the “professional” options merely don’t supply. Direct recording to smartphones, simpler one-touch pairing, magnetic mounting options and workflow integration designed round fashionable content material creation — these aren’t afterthoughts; they’re main design issues… and that’s genuinely compelling.
Pricing Context and Market Positioning
Understanding the place the Profile Wi-fi sits financially requires evaluating full transmitter/receiver system pricing throughout skilled tiers.
- Rode Wi-fi Professional Wi-fi Microphone System: $299 (2 channels)
- DJI Mic 3 Twin Wi-fi Transmission System — 2.4GHz/5GHz: $369 (2 channels)
- Sennheiser Profile Wi-fi: $299 (full 2-channel system)
- Sennheiser G4 EW 112P: ~$649 (transmitter, receiver and lavalier)
- Sennheiser AVX: ~$700-900 (single-channel system)
Skilled Methods:
- Lectrosonics 400 Collection: ~$2,000-3,500+ per channel
- Zaxcom Era 4 with QRX receivers: ~$3,000-4,500+ per channel
- Shure Axient Digital: $4,000-8,000+ per receiver
- Full Zaxcom Nova programs: $9,700-30,400+ relying on configuration
The Profile Wi-fi sits in a strategically positioned hole. The $299 value level targets customers who want extra reliability and options than fundamental prosumer gear provides, however don’t require the excellent capabilities (or price range) for true skilled programs.
Construct High quality and Design Evaluation
Our Silver Sound intern, Dalton Miksa, helped me take a look at this unit out, and his perspective as somebody new to audio recording was a giant assist. The next attracts each from his and my ideas.
The Profile Wi-fi demonstrates strong building all through. Each transmitter and receiver models really feel substantial regardless of their plastic building — a cloth alternative that retains weight down with out compromising sturdiness. The seamless pairing between elements addresses one of many elementary ache factors in wi-fi programs: dependable connectivity.
The included equipment characterize considerate curation quite than the everyday afterthought method. The magnetic attachment system, specifically, solves a persistent drawback with clip-on transmitters that have a tendency to tug down light-weight clothes or create seen distortions in material.
Technical Efficiency
Audio High quality: The system delivers 24-bit audio high quality that meets skilled requirements for many content material creation purposes. Dalton famous some sensitivity to plosives when talking straight into the transmitter — typical habits for small-diaphragm parts however price contemplating for shut vocal purposes.
Backup Recording Mode: This function represents the system’s most vital technical benefit. The automated failover to onboard recording when the wi-fi sign degrades offers a security internet that would show invaluable in uncontrolled environments. Dalton noticed that the backup mode engaged earlier than any perceptible sign degradation, suggesting refined monitoring algorithms.
32-bit Float and Security Channel Mode: These options elevate the Profile Wi-fi above easy consumer-grade programs. The Security Channel’s -6dB duplicate recording particularly addresses clipping issues in dynamic audio environments — a professional-level consideration not often present in prosumer tools.
Cell Integration: The plug-and-play compatibility with cellular units acknowledges the fact of contemporary content material creation workflows. No proprietary apps or complicated setup procedures — a refreshing method in an more and more app-dependent market.
Operational Issues
Interface Design: The touchscreen receiver interface presents a traditional form-versus-function compromise. Whereas visually interesting, touchscreens show problematic in area circumstances — shiny daylight, moist circumstances or carrying gloves all influence usability. Bodily controls would higher serve skilled purposes.
Reliability Components: Dalton encountered intermittent audio artifacts throughout direct recording that didn’t seem within the wi-fi transmission. Whereas doubtlessly an remoted situation, such inconsistencies elevate issues for crucial recording purposes.
Vary and Sign High quality: The system carried out properly inside anticipated parameters, although complete vary testing in varied RF environments could be vital for skilled deployment consideration.
How It Suits within the Present Panorama
The Profile Wi-fi competes straight with the Rode Wi-fi Go and DJI Mic programs — each of which have gained traction in content material creation markets. From a feature-comparison standpoint, the Sennheiser system’s backup recording functionality and magnetic mounting answer deal with particular ache factors that competing programs haven’t totally resolved.
Nonetheless, it’s essential to grasp that none of those programs are designed to exchange skilled wi-fi tools. They serve the content material creation, social media and “one-off” recording markets, the place ease of use and price issues outweigh the excellent function units required for skilled manufacturing work.
The place the Sennheiser Profile Wi-fi Shines
The Profile Wi-fi succeeds at its supposed goal: delivering dependable, good-quality wi-fi audio for content material creators and prosumer purposes. The backup recording function alone differentiates it from rivals and addresses real-world reliability issues.
For skilled sound departments working with established wi-fi programs, the Profile Wi-fi provides little motive to vary workflows. As an alternative, it targets a distinct market section fully — one which prioritizes simplicity and reliability over the superior performance that skilled purposes demand.
One significantly compelling use case is for single-person journalism. The Profile Wi-fi’ seamless smartphone integration transforms any cellphone right into a professional-quality area recording setup. A solo journalist can now seize broadcast-quality interviews utilizing nothing greater than a smartphone, the Profile Wi-fi system and maybe a small tripod. The backup recording function offers insurance coverage in opposition to the wi-fi dropouts that would damage a once-in-a-lifetime interview, whereas the magnetic mounting system permits for discreet placement that gained’t distract interview topics. For journalists working in distant areas or breaking information conditions the place conventional recording tools isn’t sensible, the Profile Wi-fi represents a real workflow revolution.
I used to be personally excited in regards to the function set, however I encountered the anticipated resistance after I tried to persuade an old-school filmmaker colleague to strive it on-set. His preliminary skepticism about prosumer wi-fi programs was comprehensible — we’ve all been burned by unreliable 2.4GHz programs in crucial moments. Nonetheless, after strolling via the Profile Wi-fi’ options, significantly the backup recording functionality and the power to attach higher-quality lavalier mics through the three.5mm enter, he grew to become genuinely . He’s now planning to include it into his run-and-gun documentary workflow.
This response highlights one of many Profile Wi-fi’ most sensible purposes: as an extremely compact backup system. Its small dimension means it’s price taking over nearly any shoot, whether or not there’s no room for a full skilled system or as insurance coverage in case the first wi-fi setup fails. The truth that you possibly can improve the audio high quality by connecting skilled lavalier mics via the three.5mm enter transforms it from a self-contained unit into a versatile platform that may adapt to completely different manufacturing necessities.
The system’s function set does embody parts that skilled programs have adopted (backup recording, security channels, fashionable powering and charging options), suggesting that prosumer tools continues to push innovation that finally influences skilled gear growth.
Conclusions
The Sennheiser Profile Wi-fi represents competent engineering focused at its supposed market. It delivers skilled audio high quality via an interface designed for nontechnical customers whereas incorporating options that deal with frequent wi-fi system failure factors.
Skilled sound departments will seemingly proceed counting on established UHF and digital programs for crucial purposes. Nonetheless, the Profile Wi-fi may serve precious roles in secondary purposes, backup eventualities or initiatives the place full skilled programs aren’t warranted.
For content material creators, social media producers and anybody requiring dependable wi-fi audio with out the complexity {of professional} tools, the Profile Wi-fi deserves severe consideration. Its emphasis on operational reliability exhibits that Sennheiser is prepared take this class of mic to the following stage.
Cory Choy is director, producer and Emmy Award-winning sound mixer and proprietor at Silver Sound in NYC.
