Breaking the stigma that its products are always in the premium price class, Sennheiser launched a new affordable wireless audio monitoring package, Sennheiser XS Wireless.
The Sennheiser XS Wireless IEM is a complete audio monitoring package. The package includes an XSW IEM SR stereo transmitter , an XSW IEM EK stereo receiver, IE 4 in-ear headphones , a battery for the receiver, and a power cable for the transmitter. Specifically, this tool is aimed at live performers who want to improve mixing consistency more easily and cheaply.
The cool thing is, this built-in stereo transmitter can send audio to an unlimited number of receivers. So you just need to add the number of receivers as needed, without having to increase the number of transmitters.
XSW Wireless works using a UHF signal. The transmitter or transmitter unit is equipped with an LED screen and a row of function control buttons, as well as a headphone jack on the front panel and two XLR audio inputs on the back. So it’s quite complete for the needs of novice users and experienced users. Both the receiver and transmitter have a noise-to-signal ratio of 88dB with the ability to transmit and receive frequencies from 45Hz to 15kHz. There is a built-in limiter that can lower the sound to -10dB to ensure a safe ear.
Finding a usable frequency is also easy, with eight banks and 12 channels for each bank . If desired, you can also select a specific frequency that you want to use to transmit audio more specifically.
If you want to use a specific frequency or want a quick way to receive audio from a transmitter, you can use the sync function on this unit. A quick way to adjust the frequency is to use infrared technology when pairing the units. The method is very easy. Open the front panel on the receiver unit , bring the transmitter unit up to 5cm from the transmitter and press the sync button on the transmitter. You’ll also find the AA x 2 battery slot for the receiver’s power source on the front panel. For the setting of most medium and small sized studios, the range is very adequate.
The audio quality obtained is of course directly proportional to the quality of the earphones used. So if you are not satisfied with the default eraphone, you can replace it with a better one. Fortunately, the included IEM 4 performs quite well. Sound quality when monitoring audio from various sources can be heard properly. With detailed sound, musicians will be able to hear their performance more clearly, even though they are not too close to the transmitter .
An affordable solution for a Sennheiser
The Sennheiser XS Wireless IEM comes as a relatively affordable solution for musicians who want to record music independently or for music producers on a tight budget. The official Sennheiser XS Wireless IEM price in Indonesia is 12 million rupiah. An unexpected number for a premium Sennheiser product. In addition to sound quality, the flexibility to add receivers and replace earphones at relatively affordable prices is also an advantage.
Pros of the Sennheiser XS Wireless IEM
- Sound quality okay
- Complete package at an affordable price
- Easily add receivers and replace IEMs
- Easy pairing method
- Adequate range for studio needs
Disadvantages of the Sennheiser XS Wireless IEM
- The size of the receiver is still relatively large
- Prices become expensive if you need quite a lot of receivers
