Shure and Q5X collaborate on sports range
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“With the combination of Q5X and Shure, this is really the best of both worlds,” said Jens Rothenburger, director of pro audio marketing at Shure. “The new Axient Digital-Enabled Q5X Wireless Transmitters provide sound engineers and the sports industry with a complete solution in a superior, already-established form factor.”
For more than a decade, Q5X has worked closely with professional sports leagues (like the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, MLS, and CFL) and major sports networks to develop wireless bodypack transmitters specifically to safely meet the rigorous demands of athletes without impeding athletic performance.
Shure has extensive experience bringing sound to live sporting events, including the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, the Olympic games, NHL finals, World Cup soccer, and MLB World Series telecasts with its portfolio of microphones, transmitters, and receivers.
Developed to directly address ongoing technical challenges plaguing major sports organisations, the Axient Digital-Enabled Q5X Wireless Transmitters incorporate the most innovative wireless technology in the world. With outstanding signal quality in even the most complex venues and congested RF environments, Axient Digital provides maximum stability, range, and clarity for professional productions that demand flawless execution.
“Q5X prides itself on developing transmitters to solve difficult wireless audio problems for our customers,” says Paul Johnson, CEO of Q5X. “Now, we have a proven digital technology that can be placed in literally any form factor.”
Three form factor models feature the latest Axient Digital technology, including the CoachMic, PlayerMic, and AquaMic, which is designed for wet environments such as outdoor functions or water sports.
The new CoachMic combines the functionality of a large, easy-to-use rocker-style mute switch with the security of digital encryption. This new form factor securely and unobtrusively captures the coach’s audio for post-production, while giving the coach the opportunity to confidently mute the mic for game strategy or other sensitive discussions.
During the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago in February, coaches from both teams were miked with the wireless CoachMic transmitter, which aired during the live national broadcast. The transmitters used Shure Axient Digital to transmit audio to the engineers mixing for TNT Sports. The mics could also be remotely muted by the audio engineers, via Q5X MicCommander, as the coaches entered the locker rooms at halftime.
Originally developed for the NBA, the PlayerMic is a flexible bodypack transmitter that is deemed by the NBA to be the safest solution to be worn by the players. This version of the Q5X PlayerMic bodypack transmitter has been co-developed with Shure to be compatible with Axient Digital wireless receivers for best-in-class digital wireless transmission.
When a waterproof solution is required, the AquaMic is designed to capture crystal-clear audio in demanding environments such as water sports or buried in the outdoor playing field when players can’t wear them. The AquaMic is fully submersible, so it is suitable for challenging environmental situations like those in reality television, film, and sports broadcasting.
The MicCommander enables users to control all aspects of the bodypack transmitters remotely, including set up and monitoring: on/off, frequency, mic offset, RF power, groups, and battery level.
