Introduction
The Sennheiser EW D1-835S is a fancy wireless microphone set that claims to be really good and gives great sound for professionals. Now, let’s take a closer look at what it offers, how easy it is to use, its good points, and its not-so-good points.
Performance
- Crisp and clear sound delivery without interference.
- Seamless wireless connectivity for easy performances.
- Reliable signal transmission with minimal latency.
- Versatile frequency range suitable for various environments.
Ease of Use
- Intuitive interface for easy setup and operation.
- Lightweight and portable design for using on the go.
- Long-lasting battery life ensures extended performance sessions.
Pros
- Exceptional audio quality with minimal interference.
- Effortless setup and clear interface.
- Reliable wireless connectivity.
- Portable design with long battery life.
Cons
- Higher price point compared to some alternatives.
- Limited frequency options in certain environments.
Conclusion
The Sennheiser EW D1-835S is a really good wireless microphone system. It gives great sound, works well, and is easy to use. It might cost more than other options and has fewer frequency choices, but it connects easily and has amazing sound. It’s a good buy for both pros and people who really like this stuff.
Brian –
I received this microphone as a givaway in a contest. The microphone itself is built well and sounds great. I really want to love this mic. Unfortunately it’s riddled with reliability issues.
You must have relatively light use of 2.4 gHz radios (wifi, bluetooth, etc) to get any sort of reliability with the mic. I have a couple of wireless routers, bluetooth, and wireless DMX in our building. I’d consider this pretty standard of a live production environment. However, even with this, we get intermittent drops in signal. I’ve spoke with Sennheiser and their only suggestion was to relocate or remove other 2.4 gHz devices from the premises completely.
The antenna is ultra sensitive to touch and likely to cause drops as well. The antenna is located at the bottom of the mic. If you touch it or cover it, the signal will be dropped. In theory, you just show the talent how to hold the mic and you’re good to go. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work. People forget when they’re on stage, or hand the mic off to someone unexpected, and then your mic is dropping in and out like crazy.
Finally, a few minor complaints:
Their update scheme is lacking. Their documentation all refers to iOS and Android apps. It took at least 6 months from release date to actually have an iOS app available. To my knowledge, there’s still no android app. The only way to update the firmware is through said app.
The mic grill itself seems to be flaking off too, after just about a year of use.
With all of these complaints, I’m still giving them an 3-star rating, because the quality and features of the mic and superb. The auto gain control and the ability to remotely change settings on the mic from the receiver box is great.
Final thought, if you have a venue that has low 2.4 gHz usage, get this mic. Otherwise, a more traditional wireless mic may be a better bet.
Francis –
Connected the microphone easily to the church system and the output was clear and crisp. This was the output I was looking for. Next step is the loudspeakers to follow.
Sam –
One-time use batteries last only about 60% of our old UHF EW100 series, so not getting the rechargeable batteries should be illegal!
Running 3 of these units for the past 6 months, we have intermittent INTERFERENCE that sounds like a ‘tsk’ sound.
NOT GOOD… I moved entire church wifi on 5ghz. Very little 2.4 ghz wifi traffic from neighbors. Receivers are in direct line of sight, about 50 feet away. Tried a bunch of settings. No luck. We did have major interference (i think from tv stations) on our old RF mics. Sound happens at practices also, had only about 10 people in the whole church for last practice.
Don’t know what else to do.
Brian D. –
This systems is amazing! So simple to use! you plug it in and turn it on!!!! No worry, no hassle. Great Sennheiser audio and I don’t have to worry about RF interference.
Alan Leake –
I bought this mic recently because of the issues with the UHF frequencies being taken by others. I have thoroughly enjoyed this mic system. I am the singer in a rock band in my area and i have had no issues at all with this system. I would not hesitate to buy it again it I needed it.
Nathan Vaughn –
I bought a couple of these 2 years ago, tested them with an empty room and they worked great. In our church with the public wifi and 200+ phones and devices humming along they fuzz and drop like crazy. We tried shutting off our public wifi and it’s still trash. I’ve found other venues using them and they have the same problem. If they have wifi or people are packed in with phones, they crackle and drop like crazy. So unless you’re collecting phones at the door, good luck, these are not the mics for you. I wish we had never bought them and Sennheiser just blames it on the wifi. Sound wise they are crispy and bright and offer a ton of audio signal to the board. I actually run ours with the -20db pad on because they’re so hot.
007.Mr.E.Man –
I bought 3 of these. They had the 835 capsule originally. I bought 935 capsules and replaced the 835s. We recently had a hit where we used the sennheisers next to the shure digital mics. The sennheisers destroyed the shure mics. If you didn’t have any other mics except the shures, they sound ok, but when you put them up next to the sennheisers, it’s a night and day difference! Oh by the way, I have a couple of shure mics for sale!!
Stockwell –
Compared D1 digital version with the G3, same 835 head… I like the D1 more, the tone and clarity is a level up !
I wish i can afford the 965 head but $$$$..
RunFun –
I an running two of these mic (E835 and Lav) with a few other Wifi mic with no issues. Both receivers are on stage about 15 feet from the E835 and Lav so I would recommend that. We get about 4-5 hours of use out of rechargeable tenergy aa (used to be 6-7 with Sennheiser G3), but it is consistent with what Sennheiser advertised. Great clear typical Sennheiser sound, good choice to combat the ever shrinking free RF range.