Sennheiser Profile Wireless microphone (2-Channel Set) review

With content creation booming like never before, it’s clear that great audio can make or break your next video. Enter the Sennheiser Profile Wireless—a recent addition to the all-in-one, dual-channel wireless microphone market. Along with a unique charging bar design, it promises “everything you need to capture high-quality audio with minimal effort.” Is the Profile Wireless ready to take the crown as the go-to all-in-one system? Let’s hit record and dive into this Sennheiser Profile Wireless review.

Editor’s note: this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Sennheiser Profile Wireless?

There’s no shortage of options on the market for all-in-one wireless microphone systems, but props to Sennheiser for its unique “charging bar” design.  Although made of plastic, it feels sturdy and contributes to keeping the unit’s overall weight down. The charging bar discreetly houses two wireless transmitters with omnidirectional microphones, each offering 16GB of onboard memory, a dual-channel 2.4 GHz receiver with a touch-screen OLED display, USB-C and Lighting adaptors, and a cold shoe mount for use with a camera.

But wait, there’s more.

Sennheiser also provides a zippered pouch for transport, with room for the included windscreens, USB-C cable, and 3.5mm cable. Two magnets are embedded into the back of the bar, which can quickly attach to the transmitters for various placement options when micing up yourself or your guest. Talk about a kit!

The transmitters automatically link with the receiver when removed from the charging bar, so once your receiver is connected to your device or camera, you’re up and running quickly. The Profile Wireless does not require an app to operate — another win in my book. You can use your phone’s native camera, and it’s also the only all-in-one system with a charging bar that can double as a handheld or, thanks to the threaded mount on the bottom of the bar, a desktop mic. Overall, it’s a well-thought-out design that easily fits into a backpack or camera bag.

I only have one grievance with the charging bar design, and it’s a minor one. The charging bar isn’t designed to hold the receiver with an adapter attached. If you’re creating content with your phone, you’ll need to attach and detach the receiver’s USB adapter each time you use it. It’s not a huge inconvenience, but it’s an extra step to your workflow, and the adaptors are pretty small. Easy to drop if you’re not careful or dealing with numb fingers like myself from our frigid Canadian weather. Just for comparison, the DJI Mic 2 allows you to store the receiver in the charging case with an adapter attached—one less step.

How do you control the Sennheiser Profile Wireless?

Each Profile Wireless transmitter contains physical power and record buttons. You must press the record button to activate the internal recording feature (this can also be toggled via the receiver), and your audio files can be retrieved via the transmitter’s USB-C port on the unit’s underside. As mentioned, each transmitter offers 16GB of internal memory, which Sennheiser states is enough room to record up to 30 hours of internal audio.

The rest of the Profile Wireless functions are controlled via the receiver’s OLED touchscreen. The interface includes three menu trees: one for each transmitter and one for the receiver. Swipe left to access channel one’s transmitter settings, swipe right to access channel two’s transmitter settings, and swipe up to modify any receiver settings.

Under the transmitter menu, you can activate recording, mute, adjust your gain, engage low cut, and adjust the brightness of the LED lights. Under the receiver’s menu, you can select between recording modes (Mono, Stereo, Safety), adjust your headphone output level, enable Backup Recording Mode, pair transmitters, and adjust any brightness levels and date and time settings if you feel inclined.

A quick note on Backup Recording Mode. This feature automatically starts internal recording whenever the wireless signal weakens, giving you a reliable safety net if you forget to engage it via the transmitter—another handy feature to avoid losing valuable content due to unexpected signal issues.

How does the Sennheiser Profile Wireless connect?

The receiver connects to your device via the supplied USB-C or Lighting adaptors. It can also connect to a camera via a 3.5mm audio cable and includes a cold shoe mount. You’re also provided with an additional 3.5mm headphone output jack for real-time monitoring. Regarding battery life, Sennheiser advertises 7 hours of performance off a single charge.

How does the Sennheiser Profile Wireless sound?

Compared to relying on my phone’s microphone, the first noticeable difference when using the Profile Wireless is the background room tone and reverberation reduction. The general hum is eliminated without a noise canceling feature, and the rowdiness of someone (cough*Harley*cough) outside the video room is also kept at bay. My voice is well-replicated, clear, and upfront. No issues here!

Once outside, using the Profile Wireless effectively reduces the low-end rumble of general city noise and passing traffic, allowing you to hear my voice without distraction. However, if you listen at 1:32, you’ll notice a slight drop in treble frequencies as I change the direction I’m walking. While the transmitters use omnidirectional microphones, I believe the treble dip happens because the transmitter is clipped to my right lapel, but my head is turned to the left as I speak, effectively directing my voice away from the mic. To avoid this, it’s a good idea to keep the transmitter centered on you or your guest whenever possible for consistency.

In my distance test, unfortunately we start to hear some signal interruptions almost immediately. As mentioned in the video, the setting isn’t ideal for a range test, and to be fair, this happens with almost every wireless microphone distance test I perform, so it’s clear your surroundings play a big role in performance. Interestingly, the signal improves noticeably when I stop moving and head back toward the camera. Thankfully, the internal audio is always a reliable backup in situations like this—that’s exactly what it’s there for.

Should you buy the Sennheiser Profile Wireless?

The Sennheiser Profile Wireless is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a dual-channel, all-in-one wireless microphone system. Its sleek, compact charging bar design makes it highly portable, while essential features like onboard recording and a safety track mode add peace of mind when creating content in the heat of battle. On top of that, it works with pretty much anything—your phone, laptop, or camera. It has everything you need to capture a quality voice recording without unnecessary extras.

What should you get instead of the Sennheiser Profile Wireless?

If you have some wiggle room in your budget, consider the DJI Mic 2 for $50 more. It features a similar all-in-one, dual-channel design but includes a few things the Profile Wireless does not. The receiver has a physical control wheel and a touch screen, a metal locking charging case, 32GB of onboard memory compared to the 16GB provided by the Profile Wireless, and also has noise cancelation mode. This feature is handy if you often film in busy environments like trade shows or city settings. Snag one for $349 at Amazon.

If you’re a more casual content creator, the more affordable DJI Mic Mini is also worth a look. You still get two transmitters and a charging case, but it’s worth noting that the Mic Mini does not offer any built-in safety features like onboard recording. You’ll simply have to do another take if you experience any signal interruptions while recording. You can find the DJI Mic Mini for $169.99 at Amazon.

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