Tech Focus: Wireless Bodypacks, Part 2 - A Look at the Leading Transmitters Rugged design, hands-free setting, frequency-diversity are common features By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 7:00 am
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With RF bodypacks getting smaller, tougher, and smarter, audio transmitters offer a wide variety of features. Here's a selection of some of the leading current models.
Click here for Tech Focus: Wireless Bodypacks, Part 1 - Smaller, Tougher, Smarter
Audio-Technica ATW-T5201 bodypack transmitter
Audio-Technica
The ATW-T5201 bodypack transmitter features a rugged, ergonomic metal body, highly visible OLED screen, power/mute indicator LED, soft-touch controls, 80-Hz high-pass filter, and programmable function button that can be set to switch to a backup frequency or mute the transmitter. The transmitter is available in two frequency ranges - DE1 (470-590 MHz) and EF2 (580-608 MHz, 653-663 MHz) - to provide complete coverage of the receiver's bandwidth. It has a cH-style screw-down 4-pin connector and supplies 5V DC bias to power condenser microphones. Switchable RF power provides 7 hours of battery life (two AA alkaline) at the high (50-mW) setting, 9 hours at the mid (10-mW) setting, and 10.5 hours at the low (2-mW) setting. The ATW-T5201 includes a field-replaceable whip antenna and a protective carrying case. www.audio-technica.com/
Electro-Voice RE3-BPT UHF bodypack transmitter
Electro-Voice
The RE3-BPT compact, lightweight UHF bodypack transmitter accepts a wide variety of input devices. The all-metal body is robust and durable and operates on two AA alkaline or rechargeable NiMH cells. An ultrasonic sync function enables simple system setup by syncing the transmitter to the receiver frequency tuning and other functional data. The selectable output power (band-specific) assists in overcoming the challenges of both long and short transmission ranges. The tuning bandwidth affords generous frequency-tuning options, helping to avoid various sources of possible interference. The device's magnetic sliding latch and lock mechanism keeps the battery door closed securely and allows effortless access to batteries. Recharging contacts provide functional use with the optional BC2 charging station allowing the NiMH rechargeable cells within two bodypack transmitters to be charged without removal. www.electrovoice.com/
Lectrosonics
The DBu digital encrypted beltpack transmitter features AES 256-bit CTR encryption, wideband tuning (470-608 MHz for U.S., 470-614 MHz for export), a highly linear RF output stage for reduced intermodulation distortion, and true 50-mW transmission RF power for excellent range and resistance to dropouts. The unit features a multifunction switch that can be configured for mute or power, making the unit flexible as well as 24-bit/48-kHz digital audio for pristine sound quality.
Lectrosonics DBu digital encrypted beltpack transmitter
The SSM (Super Slight Micro) digital hybrid wireless micro transmitter tunes across 76.8 MHz or three standard Lectrosonics frequency blocks, features power settings at 25- or 50-mW RF power, and runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It measures 2.52 x 1.48 x 0.57 in. and weighs 2.3 oz., including battery. The SSM responds to RM remote commands, compatible with the Lectro RM smartphone app. Frequency bands offered are A1 (470-537 MHz), B1 (537-614 MHz), C1 (614-691 MHz), and D1 (691-767 MHz, export only).
The SMWB (single AA battery) and SMDWB (dual AA) transmitters tune across 76.8 MHz or three standard Lectrosonics frequency blocks and come in several frequency ranges. RF power for these models are selectable at 100, 50, or 25 mW. The SMWB and SMDWB feature the standard TA5 connector with servo-bias mic input found on all previous SM Series units and all current TA5 beltpack units. The SMWB and SMDWB units can be configured as either a transmitter or a recorder, with files stored on Micro SD card memory in the industry-standard Broadcast Wave (.wav) format at 24 bits. The Micro SD memory card can also be used to update firmware in the field. These transmitters feature IR sync for quick setup and can be configured via RM remote commands, compatible with the Lectro RM and PDR Remote smartphone apps, for hands-free setting changes.
The WM is a water-resistant transmitter with a membrane keypad and a specially designed water-resistant machined-aluminium housing. The WM offers 256 synthesized UHF frequencies in 100-kHz steps in nine blocks, each covering a 25.6-MHz bandwidth. Features include selectable RF power at 50, 100 and 250 mW; dual bi-color modulation LEDs for accurate gain adjustment; and a backlit LCD for ease of use. Two AA batteries power the WM, with internal-switching power supplies providing constant voltages to the transmitter circuits from the beginning (1.5 V) to the end (0.85 V) of battery life. The WM responds to RM remote commands, compatible with the Lectro RM smartphone app, for hands-free setting changes. www.lectrosonics.com/
Quantum5X Systems QT-5100 RefMic
Quantum5X Systems
New this year, the QT-5100 CoachMic transmitter features a large, easy-to-use rocker-style mute switch physically integrated into the transmitter's form factor. It is designed to be worn either vertically in the inner breast pocket of a suit jacket or horizontally on the belt and has an LED indicator light visible in either orientation to display whether the unit is muted or transmitting audio. Also new this year is a Sennheiser-compatibility companding mode, which allows use of existing Sennheiser receiver inventory.
The QT-5100 family of wideband remotely controlled transmitters are designed for sports applications and are frequency-agile from 470 to 700 MHz with 3,000 selectable channels across 75-MHz blocks in 25-kHz steps. Currently, besides the original QT-5100
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Tech Focus: Wireless Bodypacks, Part 2 - A Look at the Leading Transmitters Rugged design, hands-free setting, frequency-diversity are common features By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
