I bought the Sennheiser Profile Wireless system after years of lusting after the DJI Mic 2 and Rode systems.
In the end what convinced me was the case and the cost. So how did it turn out?
The case
I thought the design was a really good idea – a way to use the system as a stick mic while leaving it in the case. The design also allows the furries to be left on the mics (which the DJI system didn’t allow) which was a must for me.
I haven’t used it like a stick mic yet though because it is just easier to pull out a transmitter and record with that.
The case is big, bigger than I would like, and I do look longingly at some alternatives because of it. The usb c connection is usable only for charging, not for data transfer, which is also annoying. But I remind myself that I’d have to take the windscreens off to put them in the case with the DJI, or have a larger transmitter with the Rode, and I’m ok.
The cost
When I bought it the Sennheiser system was $270, and the DJI and Rode were more expensive. That made the choice easier. I’d been planning to replace my uber-annoying Deity PR-2 with a Zoom F2, but the Sennheiser system was only $50 more. Since I didn’t need the extra features the F2 would have, and really didn’t want to have to use a lav mic, the Profile Wireless system was the obvious choice.
My use cases
I’m not a YouTuber by even generous definitions, but that was part of the justification for the purchase. For that, the system works just fine. I connect the receiver to my phone and all is well. I haven’t bothered recording on the transmitters.
For audio journaling, which is my main use case, the system is really good. The transmitters are small and can be used without a receiver. Simple controls – turn on, start recording. 32-bit recording means no clipping to worry about and that is all I need. I can just take a single transmitter and use it when I need to.
For audio journaling with, say, one of my kids, like in the car on a long trip it works ok. The issues I’ve had were not to do with the wireless system but with the Twisted Wave app on my phone not having any meta data at all. The audio was good, and it was really convenient to set up. I think in the future I would connect the receiver to a recorder rather than my phone. It would be nice if the system had a way to mark the files recorded by the transmitters as being simultaneous for easier post processing.
The weak spots
Something I’m discovering as I get older is that for devices like this filenames are everything. In this the Profile system works ok. It includes the date & time in the filename – yay! – but it does NOT include the transmitter number or give you any way to add it. It also includes an incremented counter, which is ok.
The net result is filenames like “REC_0009_20260224_191551.wav” No indication of which transmitter, which is annoying. In theory two identical filenames are possible, but in reality it isn’t a concern because their incrementing numbers aren’t aligned.
Other items:
- There is no way to start recording on both transmitters simultaneously.
- No timecode is recorded so aligning the two transmitter recordings in post will have to be done manually.
- It didn’t sound very good with some external mics, like the AT8010 and RE50. Not really an important feature for me.
- The transmitter cannot be inserted into the case with a magnet attached, which is a minor annoyance.
- The system has a feature to turn off the LEDs but it is not useful when the transmitters are used without a receiver. First, if you turn off the LEDs when the transmitter is still in the case, then you have no ability to tell what’s going on. 2nd, when you turn the transmitter off and on the LEDs reset. A better system would be to have the LEDs turn on briefly to confirm control inputs and then go back to off.
Overall opinion vs. my other options
Overall I’m happy with the system. It does what I need it to do, the filenames are usable, and it is the best audio journaling option I have right now.
vs. Sony PCM-A10
The Sony is convenient, but you can’t clip it to a shirt. The Sony’s mic connection is on the side, so using a lav mic makes it pocket-awkward. The A10 will likely be better for stereo & ambiances, but I have yet to test this much.
vs. Diety PR-2
The PR-2 can’t remember date and time from one day to the next requiring me to sync the date and time with the app. That makes it a real pain for journaling. It does record timecode and can be synced to other devices but I don’t have use for that.
The PR-2 has a better preamp, and with external mics it has more gain. It was borderline useable with an RE50, for example. I have yet to make real use of it though.
The PR-2 can record in stereo.
The Deity lav mic sounds just fine with the Sennheiser.
vs. Sound Devices MixPre
No contest for convenience, but the MixPre has better features for almost everything at the expensive of massive size and weight by comparison. I mention the Mixpre only because it was my first choice for audio journaling for quite a while.
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