Words by Mixdown staff
Sennheiser’s EW-DX has been referred to as “the future of wireless” and it’s easy to see why. Evolution Wireless Digital (EW-DX) really does announce the range as a second coming of wireless tech, built to be as user friendly, reliable and modular as possible.
Building on decades of advances in wireless technology itself, while also harnessing technology like Bluetooth, as well as increasingly helpful additions like app control, the Sennheiser EW-DX system needs to be heard and used to be believed.
In use, the Sennheiser EW-DX is a system that is entirely scaleable, from a single, handheld vocal mic to multiple sources all feeding a front of house system. The receivers are rack mountable and available in either four channel 1U units (EM 4) or single half-racks (EM 2), so you can fit multiple units into a compact road case.
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Sennheiser EW-DX Connection
You can connect via your choice of connectors like Dante network audio or Ethernet, with PoE (power over Ethernet) available on certain pieces, and encryption that allows the EW-DX to be used on IT networks if required. Dante is available on the dual channel half racks (EM 2) Dante and EM 4 Dante receivers, with connection via either single cable mode, split mode or redundancy mode (a combination of single cable or split mode that ensures there’s always signal flowing!)
UHF transmission is enhanced by the best dynamic range available from any RF system, ultra-low latency and Sennheiser’s own SePac (Sennheiser Performance Audio Codec) technology helping deliver maximum audio transparency. The SePAC allows more channels in a more compact bandwidth.
For touring professionals, the EW-DX system has worldwide usage, so you won’t run into problems connecting anywhere in the world, with the ultra-wide bandwidth of 88 MHz and having 12 hours battery life available on transmitters, that can keep you confident for an entire show, with network-enabled charging available as well.
Sennheiser Cockpit app
Keep track of all this in the Sennheiser Cockpit app, allowing you to control your entire system or dive deeper into individual pieces. The Cockpit app has updates available as Sennheiser refines the experience, with EW-DX being at the forefront of this. Cockpit shows you, at a glance, wireless receivers available, as well as batteries in use and batteries charging. Moving through into more macro details, you can see all of your devices, their location and the quality of signal, as well as individual device control for troubleshooting, sound profile and more. Cockpit can also send you messages and notifications of your system and devices, adding more control to your wireless environment for jobs of any size; from smaller, single-mic presentations to full stadium style gigs.
Receivers in the EW-DX range such as the EM 2 and EM 4 have also remote mute controls available, so if a presenter, speaker or singer forgets to unmute their mic from their end, you can quickly adjust this remotely.
Packages begin with simple setups like the EW-DX 835-S Handheld Set, including the dual-channel EM 2 rackmount receiver, two SKM-S handheld microphones, with different capsules available depending on your needs. From here, you can add more receivers and more microphones, for example lavalier mics, or additional body packs. The beauty of the EW-DX system is the total control as you scale up, with top-quality audio the whole way through.
Sennheiser Link Density
The EW-DX builds on the EW-D system with the addition of Link Density, which, at a high level, offers more channels for the system to Auto-Connect to when setting up your wireless system, without risk of interference between channels.
With your system powered on, the EM 2 has a “Scan / Auto Setup” function that scans and connects quickly to your available receiver, displaying available frequencies before allowing you to assign them. The transmitters pair and communicate back end data over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) instead of infrared (BLE being able to be sync’d from up to 20 metres away), a connection designed to use minimal power to maintain connection and ensure consistent, long battery life.
The EW-DX features OLED screens as opposed to LED on the EW-D. What’s more, the displays use E Ink, that stores and displays the last known settings of the transmitter, even when the transmitter is powered off or has no battery. When using Sennheiser BA70 rechargeable batteries, the OLED display will communicate estimated battery life down to the remaining minutes (though hopefully you won’t need that feature!)
Nestling itself comfortably between the flagship Digital 6000 series from Sennheiser and the EW-D series, the EW-DX represents all that’s great about Sennheiser’s flagship products, but at a more accessible price.
Engineered with the end user first and foremost, the EW-DX offers advanced tech specs, while also having small design additions to ensure you can wire them up however you want, while also preventing spaghetti needing to be tucked away at the end of every gig. There’s redundancy routing available to use if you need it, with technological advances like BLE, E Ink and Link Density tech available to make small work of those little hurdles we all face when using a wireless system.
Sennheiser EW-DX Overview
There’s plenty of battery life, all of which can be monitored via smart control apps, or on the receivers themselves, whether powered or not! You can remotely control audio, mute and channel info, while also having a bird’s eye view of your system across multiple rooms, connections and channels. Designed to be as transparent as possible, both sonically and physically, the EW-DX system has enough on board to keep you across the state of things, all the while providing crisp, clear digital audio, routed just about wherever you want it. Sennheiser are a company that pushes the envelope, harnessing their own tech and the capabilities of advancing technology from every industry to create their industry-leading solutions.
For more information, visit Sennheiser.
