Experts agree that the future of wireless audio exists is digital — but what does that mean? Similar to making a phone call on a landline, a sound wave is converted into an electrical signal. It’s information is reduced to the bare minimum for transmission, and then re-converted to an audio signal after transmission. This process generally describes analog wireless audio.
Digital audio is more akin to a phone call placed over the internet. This is when a sound wave is converted to a digital signal rather than an electronic signal. Its information is less compressed, and the digital signal is converted back to audio following transmission. Though both use radio frequencies (RF) to transmit the information, the most stunning difference between analog and digital wireless audio is the complete lack of compression used in digital. This produces an incredibly detailed, clear, and accurate sound. Sennheiser’s Evolution series has always brought wireless audio to budget-conscious consumers in the analog domain. The Sennheiser EW-D ME4 Lavalier Set is their very first digital offering geared toward the same market.
Included in the EW-D ME4 Lavalier Set:
- EW-D EM receiver
- EW-D SK transmitter
- ME4 lavalier microphone
- Two 1/4 wave antennae
- Equipment for optional rack-mounting of the receiver
- Two AA batteries
- A set of international adapters
Interested users can purchase a 1/2 wave antennae for increased range, and a rechargeable lithium ion battery for extended battery life. The EW-D ME4 Lavalier Set is intended for spoken-word applications in which microphone placement can be optimized. For example, this is great for a public address scenario such as a conference, worship service, or other assembly.
The Sennheiser EW-D ME2 Lavalier Set would be appropriate for applications requiring more flexible microphone placement, such as stage plays and filmmaking. This is because it comes with the ME2 omnidirectional microphone, rather than the ME4 cardioid microphone.
ME4 Lavalier Microphone
The ME4 is responsive from 50Hz – 18kHz. It’s capable of faithfully reproducing all ranges of voices. Because the element has a cardioid pickup pattern, it does exhibit proximity effect. This is a buildup of low-end frequencies when placed in close proximity to the sound source (voice). This often provides a pleasant amount of additional warmth to the sound. Although, if the sound quality becomes too dark or muddy, you may want an equalizer placed after the receiver — such as a sound mixer. The cardioid pattern will also do a terrific job of rejecting ambient noise, but requires that the microphone capsule be aimed directly at the speaker’s mouth for best results.
EW-D Transmitter and Receiver
EW-D transmitter and receiver offer flat frequency response from 20Hz – 20kHz. They operate at 24 bits with a stunning dynamic range of 134dB. This reduces the digital noise floor so significantly, so a user can be more prudent in volume setting. This avoids the potential for volume overloads and resultant distortion. Bright OLED meters display battery life, RF strength, and audio output for system monitoring or programming. Alternatively, receivers and transmitters can be programmed by the Sennheiser Smart Assist App for Android, iOS, and iPadOS. Convenient features — such as RF scanning and automatic coordination — can be automatically applied using the app for up to 16 devices at once, or on the physical receiver.
Final Thoughts
I would have loved to see IP control via an ethernet port on these receivers, but the Smart Assist App uses Bluetooth. Although, it’s a compromise that allows Sennheiser to offer the tremendous benefits of wireless digital audio at a prosumer price point. It wasn’t long ago that the equivalent was the Evolution 100 series, which was analog and nearly impossible to program away from the physical receiver. The addition of digital wireless and smart control to the Evolution line is a most welcome upgrade. If you’re in the market to upgrade an analog system to digital — or are getting started with wireless audio for the first time and need something reliable — the Sennheiser EW-D ME4 Lavalier Set was made specifically with you in mind.
