The Sennheiser Profile Wireless Microphone system is an all-in-one, two-channel microphone setup designed to meet portable recording needs with ease. Backed by decades of German engineering, the Profile Wireless is an incredibly adaptable system that offers a variety of connection and application options.
The Profile Wireless features a distinctive design. The package includes two wireless clip-on microphones, a two-channel 2.4GHz wireless receiver, adaptors for Lightning and USB-C, as well as a cold shoe mount and magnetic clips for the microphones. While these components are standard for most two-channel systems, the Profile stands out with its innovative charging bar. This bar not only charges all units and houses the components (except for the 3.5mm and USB charging cables) but also doubles as a handheld microphone handle when needed.
This design is both unique and highly practical, allowing users to keep one or both microphones housed in the charging bar while in use. An included windscreen covers the end of the bar, making the Profile an excellent system for interviewing multiple people without needing to reset wireless microphones between takes. In tests, I clipped one microphone to myself and left the other in the bar, conducting interviews seamlessly. It was, by far, the easiest setup I’ve worked with.
“The Profile stands out with its innovative charging bar, which not only charges all units but also doubles as a handheld microphone handle when needed.”
One notable feature of the Charge Bar is the inclusion of a standard tripod thread, allowing for easy connection to a boom arm or tripod. This worked exceptionally well as part of a home studio setup for streaming or video calls. Thanks to the microphone’s impressive range (more on this shortly), I was able to use the Profile as a desktop microphone with ease.
Setting up the system is as simple as turning on the receiver and microphones, connecting the receiver to a recording source using one of the provided cables, and hitting record. Sennheiser has done an excellent job of offering a wide range of connection options. USB-C and Lightning adaptors easily slot into the receiver for connection to a phone or PC/Mac. For those using digital cameras, a 3.5mm TRS cable is included for DSLR or mirrorless devices. For monitoring, there is an additional 3.5mm TRS port on the receiver, which easily accommodates headphones.
The Profile Wireless also includes a backup recording feature, allowing internal recording on each transmitter. With 16GB of internal storage per transmitter, you can record up to 30 hours of audio. Retrieving audio is as simple as plugging the transmitter into a USB-C port on your PC or Mac and transferring the files.
Battery life on the transmitters is rated at seven hours of use while transmitting, or 14 hours when recording internally only. Use time increases significantly when the microphones are housed in the Charge Bar, as they can be used and charged simultaneously. It’s another example of how this system is both smart and highly adaptable.
In testing, I found the stated performance to be accurate, though battery life does become slightly shorter when the microphones are used over longer ranges. On that note, range testing for the Profile Wireless system was impressive. Rated for 245 metres (803 feet) line of sight, the Profile Wireless maintained a strong signal over long distances without issue. I conducted range tests at a local park spanning the full 245 metres, and the system managed the distance while maintaining a solid connection to the receiver attached to my phone, recording seamlessly.
For situations where signal strength might be compromised due to distance or line-of-sight issues, the internal backup recording feature provides added reliability. This can be activated from either the receiver or the transmitters, creating a backup recording effortlessly if the signal drops. Additionally, users can record to both the microphones and receiver simultaneously for built-in redundancy. It’s a robust system that functions without requiring additional software.
“With a range of 245 metres (803 feet) line of sight, the Profile Wireless maintained a strong signal over long distances without issue.”
Another standout feature of the Profile Wireless system is its independence from software support. All features and settings for both the receiver and transmitters are accessible via the OLED receiver display. This includes mic gain adjustments, capture modes, and low-cut filters for the microphones, as well as headphone, recording mode, and output level settings for the receiver. Navigation is handled through the touchscreen, which is generally user-friendly. However, during testing, I found it slightly challenging to accurately swipe to the desired setting with larger fingers.
As for the microphones themselves, Sennheiser has done an excellent job of integrating advanced features into this wireless system. With less than 8ms latency, the audio syncs seamlessly to video when connected to a phone or camera. In my recorded video tests, there was no noticeable audio lag, resulting in smooth and synchronized recordings that were easy to work with.
For audio capture, the Profile Wireless performs impressively. With a maximum sound pressure level (SPL) of 113 dB, the microphones handle audio spikes effectively before distorting. Additionally, the system offers stereo and mono recording modes, along with a safety recording mode that captures audio at a lower preset gain threshold. This ensures clean audio capture in any situation.
“The Sennheiser Profile Wireless Microphone System is the all-in-one solution I’ve been looking for…”
As for background noise, once again the Profile Wireless performed well. It does a solid job of capturing intended audio while reducing background noise without any noticeable vocal artifacts. With a signal-to-noise ratio of typ. 78.5, the Profile provides excellent capture with minimal background noise. For those new to the concept of signal-to-noise ratios, their calculations and why it is important, check out this great article from Cadance PBC Solutions Blog that goes into detail on those topics. Suffice it to say that the reduction in background noise during capture is quite solid.
To further boost the overall quality of the capture, the Profile’s microphones offer a 48kHz sample rating and an optional low-cut filter of 110Hz cleaning up the low end if needed. This allows for easy mixing during post-production as there is a lot of quality within the captured data to work with. As you can hear in the raw capture below, the Profile Wireless does a great job at capturing from the source.
The Sennheiser Profile Wireless Microphone System is the all-in-one solution I’ve been looking for. It offers superb recording quality, excellent features and the most adaptable system I’ve tested. Aside from a bit of fumbling with the tiny OLED touch screen, there is nothing I would change on the Profile Wireless. It offers everything a content creator needs to capture high-quality audio.
