The QLX-D is Shure’s latest addition to its growing line of digital wireless microphone systems and utilizes some of the technology developed for the company’s higher-end Axient products and ULX-D Series to good effect. Shure has successfully been able to package the QLX-D system in an economical version with user-friendly controls.
Feature Savvy
The QLX-D features 24-bit digital audio, 120 dB of dynamic range, pairing of transmitters and receivers over IR sync, automatic channel scan, networked channel scan to configure open frequencies for connected receivers, AES-256 encryption for secure wireless transmission, and a high-contrast LCD menu. The QLX-D is set up for networking and can be used with Shure Wireless Workbench 6 control software for remote control of receiver settings from a PC or Mac. It is also set up for third-party control systems such as AMX/Crestron, and iOS devices for control and monitoring with the ShurePlus Channels mobile app.
At the heart of the system is the half-rack QLXD4 digital wireless receiver. It comes with a 12V AC wall-wart power supply, two detachable half-wave BNC antennas, and rackmount hardware that also supports front mounting the antennas with two BNC extender cables (also included).
The first thing I noticed upon pulling the QLXD4 receiver out of the box was the metal enclosure. The construction seemed fairly sturdy. On the back panel along with the AC and antenna connections, there is a switchable mic/line XLR output, 1⁄4-inch instrument output, a network cable port and a reset button that’s accessible through a pinhole.
Start It Up
Upon firing up the QLXD4 receiver, I immediately noticed that the five buttons available to me were very self-explanatory. How refreshing. The high-contrast LCD menu was easy to scroll through. I found 25 frequency groups settings with 67 channels on group 1 alone. The manual says that there are more than 60 preset compatible channels per frequency band (region dependent) and up to 17 compatible systems per 6 MHz TV channel can be hooked up together or 22 systems per 8 MHz channel.
Speaking of frequencies, the QXL-D systems operate in the 470 MHz to 937 MHz (country-dependent) UHF range. My test system was set in the mid-600 MHz band and was trouble-free.
The receiver’s front panel LCD clearly shows the Audio and RF LED meters with peak indicator. The audio gain is adjustable with the audio buttons to the right side of the screen up to 60 dB (+42 and -18). Another function that you can control through the menu is the lockout feature. It’s great for installations or any other situation where you don’t want an end-user messing with the settings.
While all the components are available à la carte to assemble custom applications, the four standard individual variations being offered are: QLXD24 handheld system, QLXD14 body pack with headworn or lavalier mic, QLXD14 body pack guitar system, and body pack and handheld combo. I tested the combo version — handheld and lavalier with body pack. I used them both going through a number of channels to check consistency and they both performed well. The IR sync worked great for deploying frequency changes to the mics.
My impression of the QLXD2 handheld mic is that it is also built like a tank — metal composition, and a little heavy, but with a good balance. The LCD screen is crisp and eminently viewable. The 4-way menu switch is inside and accessible when the metal piece that covers the battery compartment is removed. As far as the flip-up cover inside that covers the actual batteries, it’s pretty flimsy (but aren’t they all). The QLXD2 is available with a variety of mic cartridge options including the venerable SM58 (the one I used for my tests), SM86, SM87A, the Beta 58A, Beta 87A, Beta 87C, KSM9, and KSM9HS Cartridge.
The QLXD1 body pack also seems very solid. Again the menu buttons are located in the battery compartment. It uses the same type of backlit LCD screen as the handheld does. Surprisingly, the top-accessible on/off switch on the body pack made no power-on/off pops when it was used and worked well as a cough button.
The QLXD1 can also be paired with a choice of microphones such as the SM35 Performance Headset Condenser, MX150 Subminiature Lavalier (Omnidirectional), MX150/C Subminiature Lavalier Microphone (Cardioid), WL183 Condenser Capsule Lavalier (Omnidirectional), WL184 Condenser Capsule Lavalier (Supercardioid), WL185 Condenser Capsule Lavalier (Cardioid), WL93 Condenser Capsule Lavalier (Omnidirectional), WB98H/C Condenser Capsule Instrument Clip (Cardioid), and the MX153 Omnidirectional Earset Headworn Microphone. Beyond that, the QLXD1 also supports a wide variety of third-party lavaliers and headworn mics, such as the Countryman H6 headset.
As for the batteries, the transmitters (handheld and body pack) are designed to run on Shure lithium rechargeable battery packs. They can also use standard AA batteries. The lithium rechargeable can provide up to ten hours of continuous use and report remaining runtime in hours and minutes. Standard AA batteries can provide up to nine hours. The lithium batteries can be recharged with Shure’s single and multiple bay battery chargers. Battery metering can report remaining runtime in hours and minutes on both the receiver and the transmitter.
Because I only had the one QLX-D system to test drive, I didn’t really get a chance to try any multi-unit networking. I did go to the website because the user guide referenced a full manual online that would cover more in-depth issues like networking, setting IP addresses and connecting to external control systems. Unfortunately, it wasn’t accessible yet. Note: At press time, the full manual became available from Shure’s website —ed.
Shure does offer a free iOS app ShurePlus Channels mobile app, but it’s mostly a demo of the $9.99 version, which provides wireless control of frequency assigns, audio levels, audio output muting, channel and device naming and menu lockout. The free version can verify whether your system is on the network, but that’s about it.
The Wrap Up
Overall, I’m impressed with the QLX-D. Construction is solid and thoroughly professional. It provided clear, dropout-free performance that rivaled hard-wired systems, with no audible artifacts whatsoever. The operations were clear and fast to implement. There are plenty of channels available to support a large number of systems or find a clear pathway in a crowded RF environment‚ and with any wireless rig, that’s most of the battle these days.
At a Glance
Solid, Mid-Priced Digital Wireless
The QLX-D combines easy setup and solid performance with features from Shure’s higher-end digital wireless systems at an affordable pricing starting at $999 (MAP).
Shure QLX-D Digital Wireless
PROS
Great-sounding; easy set-up; useful feature set; long battery life; four handheld transmitters (SM58, Beta 58A, Beta 87, KSM9) offered.
CONS
Hinged internal battery on handheld is somewhat flimsy; iOS control app is $9.99.
Price: Bodypack system without mic, $973 ($1,076 with WL185 lavalier); system with SM58 handheld, $999. (Numerous other variations offered).
Manufacturer: Shure
More Info: www.shure.com
