Sennheiser SpeechLine Digital Wireless SL Lavalier Set DW-4-US R Wireless Mic System with Rackmount Kit

Close, but...

This is a VERY expensive microphone system. Looks great, solidly made, and most functions are good. RF interference seems non-existent, so far, even in Manhattan, due to the frequencies used and hands-free auto-reconfiguration when needed. Two issues, though, are a major cause for concern. The package comes with a nice, tiny - and very expensive to replace - Sennheiser omni lavalier mike. So far let's say that all this is OK. But if you want to u... Show Morese another mike, you need to be careful. I want to use these in an acoustically live environment, so I'd like to use cardioid mikes. I tried a Sennheiser ME 4 cardioid lav, and depending on the location I was in and the proximity to the body pack itself, I can get a loud buzz in the output. These body packs have unbalanced inputs. A Shure Centraverse cardioid mike, rewired with a Pearstone locking TRS connector, exhibited similar issues, but believe it or not, the buzz was lower in level than with the Sennheiser ME 4, and easier to control than with the ME 4, by separating the mike from the body pack (by extending the cable). The next - and more serious - problem: the system has an automatic gain control (AGC/compander) that, far as I can tell, CANNOT BE DISABLED OR ADJUSTED. I found the compression attack to be much too severe, and the release much too slow. These settings should be adjustable, and so far I can find no way to do this. This is a very curious design issue, especially considering the cost of these devices. I may have to return all the mikes I bought. I will post another review after further testing, and after I get a response from Sennheiser about the issues reported.Show Less

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video