Are you a musician looking for a swanky and practical wireless audio system to go wireless the easy way? At a recent event at The Berlin Bar, Sennheiser launched evolution wireless D1 (ew D1), a range of digital wireless microphone systems that simplifies a band’s life. Transmitters and receivers automatically pair and select suitable transmission frequencies, while multiple D1 systems can automatically coordinate themselves. ew D1 operates in the 2.4 GHz range, which is license-free worldwide.
Sennheiser launches the evolution wireless D1 system. (Photo: Gel ST)
If you’re a dSLR camera user, this wireless thing works similarly like the Through-the-lens (TTL) function.
Technology has stepped up in a big way, because one can just forget about frequency setting, matching transmitters and receivers, and getting the gain right – evolution wireless D1 offers true ease of use by doing all these time-consuming and sometimes error-prone chores for them.
“Basically, all that is needed is to switch the system on,” said Martin Fischer, Product Manager at Sennheiser. “The rest will happen automatically. In no time at all, you’re all set to start jamming – with all the levels right, and a stable wireless link.”
Sennheiser at the launch of the evolution wireless D1. Photo © Gel ST.
In addition to the ew D1, other Sennheiser products were also on display at The Berlin Bar. Photo © Gel ST.
A range of microphones on display at Sennheiser’s event at The Berlin Bar. Photo © Gel ST.
D1 operates in the 2,400 to 2,483.5 MHz range, which is license-free worldwide so there is no need to register the system or pay for the use of bandwidth. Working alongside with Wi-fi, Bluetooth and other 2.4 GHz systems, the D1 receiver continually scans the RF environment, and will inaudibly and seamlessly hop to another frequency if it detects any interference. In a nutshell, “ew D1 continually checks the entire 2.4 GHz band in your surroundings to guarantee you optimum performance,” added Fischer. Two channels are always available; besides the actual audio transmission channel, the system runs a redundant back-up channel, thus providing frequency and time diversity.
Wait. You don’t think double redundancy is good enough? Sennheiser seems to think so too. Transmission reliability is further increased (termed as “triple diversity” by Fischer) by fast-switching antenna diversity.
Band “Jack In The Box” performing at The Berlin Bar. Photo © Gel ST.
Evolution wireless D1 employs the industry-leading aptX Live® codec that ensures excellent audio quality and wide dynamics for vocals, speech and instruments over the entire audio frequency range. Overall latency is a low 3.9 milliseconds, which is ideal if wireless monitors are to be used. To ensure optimum levels, ew D1 automatically sets the correct microphone sensitivity.
Via the ew D1 menu control, bands have a range of audio effects at their disposal. These include a 7-band graphic equalizer, low-cut filter, automatic gain control and de-esser. The D1 vocal systems come with dynamic evolution microphone heads but can naturally also be combined with the condenser capsules from the acclaimed series, which are available as accessories.
Singers Syltra Lee and Jack performing at The Berlin Bar. Photo © Gel ST.
What we do know is, as with a quality dSLR, having the brand new evolution wireless D1 system at your display won’t make you sound better (singing classes would), but it would certainly be great for your weekly gig or home studio, cutting set-up at close to zero – turn it on, and it should just “magically” work.
