Sennheiser Profile Wireless: one-minute review
With relative upstarts likes DJI, Rode, Hollyland and more all releasing tiny wireless microphones recently, veteran audio manufacturers have started to get in on the action. Sennheiser’s Profile Wireless is an attempt by the company – long famed for its excellent studio mics and headphones – to muscle in on the market, and I’ve found it to be yet another very impressive compact mic, ideal for anyone who wants to elevate their recorded content for vlogs, podcasts, interviews and more.
With a lightweight, compact design (each of the two transmitters weighs just 27g, while the whole package including a charging bar weighs 290g) and a solid 20-ish hours of battery life, the Profile Wireless is easy to carry around all day, and its 24-bit audio quality beats the pants off the internal mics used by smartphones, laptops and cameras – the things you’ll likely be pairing it with when recording content. It can also be used completely independently of other hardware, thanks to each of the transmitters having internal storage space for recordings.
While its lack of so-called ‘premium’ features like Bluetooth recording, 32-bit float and automatic noise cancelling might give would-be completionists and professionals pause, I don’t think there’s much wrong with Sennheiser’s less-is-more approach. By keeping things simple and effective, the Profile Wireless makes for a worthy affordable alternative to the likes of the DJI Mic 2 and Rode Wireless Pro.
Sennheiser Profile Wireless: price and release date
- $299 / £259 / AU$549 for 2-Channel Set with receiver, two transmitters and charging bar
- Replacement receivers and transmitters sold separately
- Available now
I think the best way to purchase the Sennheiser Profile Wireless, which is on sale now, is as a complete kit. The 2-Channel Set package includes a receiver, two transmitters, a charging bar/interview mic, three adapters (for mounting the receiver on a camera cold shoe, or on a USB-C or Lightning device), two magnets for attaching the transmitter to clothing, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, a USB-C to USB-C cable, three windscreens (two for transmitters, one for the interview mic) and a soft zip-up carry case to hold everything securely.
The transmitter and receiver components can also be purchased separately, but I’d see that more as an option for replacing damaged or lost components (or buying spares) rather than for building a wireless mic setup.
The Sennheiser Profile Wireless is a bit cheaper than premium rivals like the DJI Mic 2 and Rode Wireless Pro, but more expensive than the compact DJI Mic Mini and Rode Wireless Micro. I think the pricing is about right, as the Profile Wireless can’t match the premium models on features such as 32-bit float recording.
Sennheiser Profile Wireless: specs
| Dimensions | Charging bar: 152 x 41 x 55mm (L x W x H) Receiver: 45 x 42 x 19mm (L x W x H) |
| Weight | 30g (receiver) 27g (transmitter) |
| Transmission range | 245m |
| Connectivity | Receiver: USB-C, USB-C/Lightning out, 3.5mm headphone, 3.5mm output; Transmitter: 3.5mm input |
| Battery | 7 hours, plus two additional charges from the case |
| Audio | 24-bit |
| Noise cancelling | No |
Sennheiser Profile Wireless: Design
- All main elements slot into charging bar
- Entire package weighs 290g
- Adapters for USB-C, Lightning and cold shoe included
The main two elements of the Sennheiser Profile Wireless package are the transmitter and receiver units. The transmitter is a small and lightweight mic that can be attached to clothing via a built-in clip or a magnet (the latter being suitable for thin fabrics like t-shirts only), and can be used in tandem (for stereo or two-person recording) or solo (for mono recording). It links wirelessly to the receiver, a slightly larger unit that can be attached to smartphones, tablets, laptops or cameras; the receiver takes the audio signal and converts it to digital audio data on a video or audio recording, and also features an OLED touchscreen for adjusting settings and viewing input levels in real-time. The touchscreen is tiny, which can make tweaking things tricky at times, but given one of the key features of the setup is its compact size, I think this is just par for the course.
Both the transmitter and receiver elements are handsome (if not showy or fancy) to look at and constructed well, just as I would expect from a Sennheiser product. They also come with a cleverly designed charging bar, which features space to dock them for storage and recharging, plus room to store adapters and magnets. Its long, narrow shape, and the fact that the transmitters are stored at one end, means it can be repurposed as a traditional handheld microphone, held by the user and pointed towards interviewees – much like you’d see a news reporter wielding for a vox pop or red carpet interview. That’s something I’ve never seen on other wireless mics, and a good reason to consider buying the Profile Wireless if you’re planning on creating that sort of content. The charging bar also has a standard tripod mounting point on one side, so you can attach it to a tripod or mic arm if you wished.
As with most small wireless microphone packages, the Profile Wireless can be attached to various devices. Included in the box are adapters to attach the receiver to Lightning devices, USB-C devices and cameras (the latter using a cold shoe mount). The transmitters can also be used completely independently, thanks to onboard recording controls and 16GB of built-in storage space – enough for about 30 hours of audio. Each also has a 3.5mm input for attaching an optional lavalier mic, and it’s a nice high-quality metal connector too, with a screw fit for firmly securing the lav mic cable. Again, that’s a nice premium touch that I haven’t seen on similar wireless mic systems – the DJI Mic 2 has a lav input, but it’s just plastic with no screw fit.
Sennheiser Profile Wireless: Performance
- 24-bit audio quality
- Automatic backup recording
- Wireless range of up to 245m
Like most 2.4GHz wireless mics, the Profile Wireless records audio at 24-bit quality. Some recent mics, like the DJI Mic 2 and Rode Wireless Pro, offer an option to record at a higher 32-bit float quality, but that’s not available here. I don’t think most users will find that a huge loss, as the 24-bit audio sounds great here, and 32-bit float (the files of which take up a lot more space than 24-bit files) is something that’s really designed for professionals and uncompromising perfectionists rather than regular users.
As stated above, I found the Profile Wireless’s audio quality to be excellent, having tested it both in and outdoors in various ambient noise conditions. The lack of active or intelligent noise cancelling means you may want to consider alternative microphones if you’re likely to be consistently recording in loud environments, but as long as you can live with some background noise I don’t think it’s a feature you’ll miss too much. There are removeable furry wind shields included to help reduce noise on blustery days, too.
The 24-bit audio does a fine job of making voices sound clear and weighty, whether you’re recording onto an external device via the receiver or directly onto a transmitter using the on-board controls. There are adjustable gain controls included on the receiver, plus a Safety Channel mode that, when using two transmitters, records a second version of the recording at -6dB in case the main channel clips out due to an unforeseen loud noise.
Another feature not included here but present on some rivals is direct Bluetooth recording, where you can pair a transmitter directly with your mobile device to record audio, bypassing the receiver altogether.
One great audio feature Sennheiser has added is Backup Recording Mode, which automatically switches to on-board recording when the wireless signal is weak or drops. The wireless range is good (up to about 250m in clear conditions) but having this as a fallback option in case of connection issues may turn out to be a godsend for some.
Battery life is fairly decent, with around 7 hours of operating time on each transmitter and the receiver, plus an addition 15 or so hours in the charging bar. So you’re looking at an overall recording time of around 21 hours when using a single transmitter at any one time – roughly the same as you’d get from the Rode Wireless Micro.
Should I buy the Sennheiser Profile Wireless?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Sennheiser Profile Wireless: also consider
How I tested the Sennheiser Profile Wireless
- Used regularly for two weeks in quiet and noisy environments
- Paired with iPhone 13 and Panasonic Lumix GH6 II
I tested the Profile Wireless both in and outdoors, both with its receiver physically connected to devices (my Apple iPhone 13 smartphone and Panasonic Lumix GH6 II camera) and in solo mode, making sure to record in a variety of environments, in order to see how it handled different background noises and weather conditions.
