Sennheiser is introducing the 2000 Series, a professional, entry-level wireless microphone system, at the 2009 NAB show in Las Vegas.
The series includes handheld and body-pack transmitters with single or twin receivers, and for monitoring, professional users can combine the diversity receivers of the series with single or twin monitor transmitters.
“The outstanding features of the 2000 Series are a high level of frequency flexibility and multi-channel capability with professional control via the Wireless Systems Manager software delivering a well-thought-out menu structure and superb audio quality,” explained Dawn Birr, product manager for professional wireless systems.
“In addition, the 2000 Series is backwards compatible with all generations of evolution wireless products and the familiar professional accessories of our 3000 and 5000 Series – including clip-on microphones, antennas, boosters and combiners.”
The 2000 Series makes setting up multi-channel systems fast and simple. Depending on the UHF range, the units have a switching bandwidth of up to 72 MHz in the US, in which up to 64 compatible frequency presets are available for microphones and up to 32 for monitoring systems.
The rack-mount units can transmit their frequency data, name, sensitivity, low cut, etc. to the corresponding portable transmitters or receivers via an infrared interface.
An antenna loop-through socket and an integrated active splitter allow up to eight rack receivers to be daisy-chained quickly and easily. The systems can be conveniently monitored and controlled by a PC, and for this purpose all rack-mount transmitters and receivers are equipped with an Ethernet socket.
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The Wireless Systems Manager provides a comprehensive range of functions and is currently the only software available on the market that can monitor and control semi-professional and professional microphone and monitoring systems of different generations at the same time.
In order to focus either on maximum operational reliability for multi-channel applications or on a greater range, depending on the application, the transmitter output power can be switched between 10, 30, 50 and 100mW.
The wide audio frequency response (25 Hz or 80 Hz to 20,000 Hz) and a sensitivity that is adjustable within a wide range also put the 2000 Series at the top of the list when it comes to audio transmission quality.
For the SKM 2000 handheld transmitter – in the Sennheiser design with its characteristic “fin” – all capsules from the popular evolution series can be used. From this coming July onward, the microphone head of the e 965 true condenser microphone will also be available for the handheld transmitter.
The body-pack transmitter is equipped with a special three-pole plug and can therefore be used with all professional clip-on microphones from Sennheiser’s range.
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The audio frequency response of the body-pack transmitter extends down as far as 25 Hz (line) to ensure full sound also from the bass guitar. The instrument cable is fitted with Neutrik’s silentPLUG.
As a special extra, the receiver has a built-in guitar tuner, eliminating the need for an additional tuner. And the preferences of ‘wired’ guitarists have not been forgotten either.
“For many guitarists, the cable provides part of the characteristic sound of their instrument, as the capacitance of the cable has an influence on the sound,” explained Birr. “Therefore, this effect can be emulated in four settings in the receiver menu to generate the preferred guitar sound.”
The monitoring system features a compact diversity receiver with metal housing. In addition to mono and stereo settings, the EK 2000 IEM also has the familiar Focus mode that allows users to set their personal mix of their own voice or instrument and the band.
At the monitor transmitters with their five-band graphic equalizer, the audio signal can be looped through to further transmitters, which means that the band signal has to be picked up only once at the mixing console before being made available to all band members.
All portable transmitters and receivers can be powered either by standard batteries or by rechargeable accupacks, and have external charging contacts (with the exception of the plug-on transmitter).
When switched off, the portable units have a very low power consumption, which means that the accupacks remain charged even during long periods without use.
The handheld transmitter, body-pack transmitter, and receiver of the 2000 Series will be available in May and the monitoring system in June. The MMK 965-1 microphone head of the evolution e 965 true condenser microphone will be launched in July.