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Re: Sennheiser EW500

Subject: Re: Sennheiser EW500
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 18:34:42 -0500
From: "Rich Peet" <>
> 
> I have been watching that unit as well.  Looks like you did good.
> Maybe you can test and comment about how it performs with a little 
> time.  My concern with the unit is that it does not appear to be a 
> true "diversity" receiver.  So my question is more toward stereo 
> applications when you have two of these more than in mono mode, but 
> my test question is the same.
> 
> Do you find any volume changes with very small changes in the 
> location of the receiver?  By this I mean changes in gain or volume 
> when the receiver is moved a few inches in space when receiving at 
> such a distance as you describe.
> 
> Have you heard much intermod interference in your area? Turn off the 
> xmiter and listen for whistles in the background.
> 
>>From a guy that wished his cell phone was a diversity configuration.
> 
> Rich Peet

It is a true diversity receiver according to Sennheiser. They do have 
instructions in their manual that seem to indicate that you have to tune 
it right to avoid the interference and achieve full sound quality. I 
have no experience with them.

Another route to look at that eliminates a lot of these analog 
transmission variables is Sennheiser's 1000 series wireless system. It's 
a digital system, running at a sample rate of 44k 16bit in it's link. 
There is no plug in transmitter for the end of a mic, only a wireless 
mic and a belt transmitter that you can plug things into. They go for a 
price very similar to the EW500 on ebay. The belt transmitter version of 
the kit usually lists on ebay as a guitar wireless.

The receiver model is a EM1090, and the belt transmitter is the SK1093. 
You do also need a special cable, as the transmitter uses a locking 
ministereo plug. Transmission frequencies are between 905mhz & 925mhz. 
Unfortunately they don't make a stereo version, so you have to have two 
of them for stereo. The system has 4 independent channels, however, so 
setting up two of them to not interfere with each other is easy. There 
are some convenience features, like the receiver has battery indicators 
for the transmitter battery. The 1000 series has a rated range of 280 
feet line of sight, or 80 - 130 feet under adverse conditions.

Note that both the EW500 and the 1000 series are not rated for the full 
frequency range. The 1000 series  20hz - 15khz, the EW500 60hz - 18khz. 
Dynamic range of the 1000 series is greater than 120dB, the EW500 lists 
a dynamic range of 110dB. The EW500 uses compression to get around the 
inherent dynamic range of it's link, which is 60dB.

I've got a couple of the 1000 kits, but have not had time to really 
fiddle with them. The transmission seemed ok on testing. The receiver on 
the 1000 series is not set up for battery operation, but it takes 
12volts DC. In my case I also have to come up with phantom power at the 
mic end for the MKH mics (except for my SASS/110). Sennheiser's MZA14's 
are pretty nice for that. The transmitter uses a 9volt battery (and 
works with the 9 volt rechargables I use). I need to build a special 
cable to interface two transmitters to my 5pin XLR stereo mic setups, 
and a conversion cable at the receiver end to go back to 5 pin from 
their 3 pin XLR. And build some sort of convenient carry case/battery 
holder for the receiver end and I'll be ready to go.

Walt





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