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Shure teases bag/portable wireless systems. More info June 14?


Jim Feeley

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Wireless is one of the largest investments we make as production sound mixers and we’re seeing less and less 3rd party compatibility modes with manufacturers pushing digital systems.  At least a few cart based mixers here in Atlanta have adopted ( or more like switched ) to the Shure Axient into there cart based wireless. I think this partly comes from frustration from the current RF landscape and the desire for smaller transmitters with greater feature sets.  I’m sure Shure “no pun intended” will gain a lot of traction with these new bag based camera compatible receivers.  I will wait and watch patiently as these systems evolve and develop as they become more wide spread and am looking forward to hearing unbiased user feedback. 

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I have a single channel 1u rack of Shure UHF-R I keep around for a handheld mic if needed.  I'm always amazed at how crazy the range is on that thing even if you're only using the factory whip antennas attached to the back.  Should be interesting to see what they've cooked up for the mobile field although I can't help but notice in the teaser video that all I see if RX 1 and RX2 labeled on it so maybe just a simple dual channel slot receiver?  Would be a bummer if it is indeed only two channels rather than the more increasingly needed four.

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1 hour ago, codyman said:

Would be a bummer if it is indeed only two channels rather than the more increasingly needed four.

I thought that it was only Zaxcom and Wysicom that had 4-channel receivers  ---  it is not an easy thing to do and I am pretty sure it was still a considerable challenge for Shure to get their receiver for the Axient systems in a small package. I'm wondering what they have done regarding power consumption and heat (things which are all important in a bag-based receiver), things which they are not too concerned with their rack systems.

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21 minutes ago, Jeff Wexler said:

I thought that it was only Zaxcom and Wysicom that had 4-channel receivers  ---  it is not an easy thing to do and I am pretty sure it was still a considerable challenge for Shure to get their receiver for the Axient systems in a small package. I'm wondering what they have done regarding power consumption and heat (things which are all important in a bag-based receiver), things which they are not too concerned with their rack systems.

True, just figured maybe the trend was heading that way for other manufacturers too.  We've had two channel slot receivers for 10+ years now (Didn't the SRa come out in around 2009?) but then again, we're talking about specialized equipment here and not the latest iWhatever which is going to sell millions of units per month so the R&D money I'm sure is what it is.  I'm not trying to rant nor complain but I'm just always curious and anxious as to whatever the latest piece of kit will be in our line of work!

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15 hours ago, Jeff Wexler said:

I thought that it was only Zaxcom and Wysicom that had 4-channel receivers  ---  it is not an easy thing to do and I am pretty sure it was still a considerable challenge for Shure to get their receiver for the Axient systems in a small package. I'm wondering what they have done regarding power consumption and heat (things which are all important in a bag-based receiver), things which they are not too concerned with their rack systems.

 

An engineer once told me that it takes a lot of magic to design even a two channel receiver for a slot. Some cameras provide less than 4 watts through the slot (which is by far very little power per channel) and heat is a severe concern. Some cameras rather add heat than dissipate. Possibly a reason why some manufacturers' leading receivers (Zaxcom, Lectro, even Deity) are not slot-in.

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I had a long discussion with Glenn Sanders where he explained all the reasons for Zaxcom not doing slot-in receivers. Seemed to make a lot of sense regarding certain compatibility issues, powering issues, heat dissipation and quite a few other things. I do know that a lot of Sound Devices users that have gotten very used to the various add-on chassis to accommodate what they call Super Slot are hoping there will be more offerings in this form factor. It remains to be seen if Shure has found ways to alleviate some of these limitations of slot-in form factor. I know the Axient system generally has not been too concerned about power consumption and heat dissipation since their system is primarily designed as rack system in fixed installations. We'll have to see how they have dealt with this when the first portable bag friendly units arrive.

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Our "leading receiver"  the 4 channel MRX414 is a slot mounted design. Not to be confused with the "Super Slot". Yes it is difficult to make a 4 channel slot in receiver. Our digital receiver draws under 1W per channel. The typical slot is too limiting because of its limited power supply, poor ability to dissipate heat and limited room for RF filters that in our case requires physical space. Slots that were designed for single channel FM receivers in the 70s and 80s are needlessly limiting now that the market for slot type receivers compatible with broadcast cameras has all but disappeared.  It will be interesting to see what Shure has done to get from about 8 watts per receiver down to a bag usable power consumption.

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If one of the major driving factors for these are for cameras and camera slots, most camera slots only accept two channels.  Some only one, depending on the camera and receiver, and you have to do a work-around to get two channels into the camera(why Lectro had to make the ‘5p’ variants of the SR’s).

 

I love slot-in receivers and cameras with Uni-slots.  Both of my (now old) P2 VariCam’s have slots and it just makes life SO much easier, on multiple levels.  And no slots is one of the things that drives me crazy about “cine” cameras.  I’m shooting tomorrow with my F55 and it’s like going back to 2010, because I have to rig the receiver to the side(I use BEC boxes and plates which attach to the side of the A/B plates with thumb screws) and then separate power and signal and you have to remember to turn it on and off.  Maybe “first world problems”, but still, there are better, cleaner and more efficient ways to do it(apparently we’re trying to leave that way in the past, though).

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Slot cameras have never been a thing for "cine" style shooting, only for news and some docs.  They are ok if you will be working with the same camera a lot, but not great for a day-hire freelance soundie re: needing to adapt to multiple camera configs.  I would say that of the cameras I've worked with in the past 5 years none of them would take a slot receiver of any kind.

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On 6/5/2021 at 5:53 PM, RunAndGun said:

it’s like going back to 2010


That‘s about the last time I ever supplied sound to a camera of any kind. 
 

For that reason and the various other reasons mentioned by Jeff and Glenn, I don’t like the slot-in format. Every aspect of it is a compromise and that’s rarely good. And it’s kind of strange that it became something if a standard format, when it was inly really intended as a camera receiver. 
Of course, now that we have all these accessories for it, it doesn’t seem like it’s going away soon. I‘m glad to see Lectro have introduced a new receiver that is not slot compatible, and perhaps Shure are going this way, too, after all?

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Shure have teased an image:

 No photo description available.

 

I went nuts and boosted the exposure on that image heaps, but haven't picked up any additional details/clues. I'll note that there are clearly four stacks of LED lights, maaaybe that's because it is a quad receiver? (like the Wisycom MCR54) But more likely I suppose it is two pairs of LEDs, with each pair being for RF & audio levels for that channel.

197246429_10165758402335647_8627231676302983071_n.jpg

 

But can tell from it's name ("Shure ADX5D") that this is now 110% certain to be a dual receiver, as we can easily tell from Shure's naming conventions. That's just dashed any slim hopes this might be a quad receiver. Wisycom continues to stand alone in this regard as a Superslot quad receiver.

 

Have found out what frequencies they'll be available in:

ADX5D A receive frequency is 470 ~ 636 MHz;

ADX5D B receive frequency is 606 ~ 810 MHz;

ADX5D C receive frequency is 925 ~ 1000 MHz;

 

Also went through FCC approval for "2.405-2.48 GHz 1.3 mW", that would be for Shure Showlink.


 

On 6/6/2021 at 3:38 AM, Jeff Wexler said:

I had a long discussion with Glenn Sanders where he explained all the reasons for Zaxcom not doing slot-in receivers.

 

Zaxcom have got one Superslot product: Zaxcom SRX220

https://zaxcom.com/products/srx220/

 

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It is live! The new Shure ADX5D Superslot receiver for their Axient Digital series.
 

Seems like there are a few asterisks listed here 😕
 
* Country-Specific Functionality Restrictions:
  1.  Interference avoidance is only available in Manual mode when using DB15 or DB25 backplates with United States models
  2. ShowLink is not available when ADX5D is used with 3rd party control devices in the United States.
 
Zaxcom patent lawyers are having a chilling effect?? Or thus perhaps Shure is just being extra overly cautious. Don't quite understand though why what would be totally fine for their rack based products, wouldn't be ok to then be in a Superslot form factor instead?
No photo description available.
 
 
I like how there is a headphone output, you could for instance have a Sound Utility bring this along and listen themselves to how the lav wiring sounds immediately after it has been done. 

Also helps for troubleshooting, if for instance I cease hearing any audio, it gives another point which I can check in to as to where in the signal chain the issue might be. 
 

 

 

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I'm assuming when they say "only available in manual mode" they mean that you can tell a transmitter yourself to go to a specific frequency remotely, however, the showlink's auto mode of this isn't available to keep an eye out for you and switch things when needed?

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Just watched the walk test. Sure it has all cool features and what not. Maybe it sounds exceptionally good and show link plus potentially backup frequencies is a nice to have, but the Wisy blows it out of the water in terms of range at the same test.

 

But as you said, maybe something like this plus a 4ch wisy could be a pretty good package for sound quality and flexibility on the booms and radio reliability for talent in a reasonably small footprint.

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Ah yes, the ADX5D has nearly double the power consumption vs a Lectro SRc: 2.2W vs 4.2W
 

13 minutes ago, Mattias Larsen said:

But as you said, maybe something like this plus a 4ch wisy could be a pretty good package for sound quality and flexibility on the booms and radio reliability for talent in a reasonably small package.


Yup, am definitely thinking about it. 

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