Established in 1924, beyerdynamic has a long, proud heritage as a German manufacturer of microphones and headphones. The Beatles toured in 1966 with specially designed beyerdynamic ribbon mics, and recent decades have seen beyerdynamic continue to provide high-quality microphones to stages and recording studios alike. As with many mic manufacturers, beyerdynamic's product line has grown to include wireless systems for stage use. We test one of their latest wireless mic designs in this issue.
The Opus NE 600 S is a single-channel UHF wireless system with a no-fuss setup, simplified controls and companding noise-reduction system. The receiver's front panel covers the bare essentials with a channel readout, RF (radio frequency) and AF (audio frequency) level meters and two buttons. The first button initiates a scan of the available frequencies, picking the clearest of 16 channels for the particular venue. Once the scan is complete, the second button sends the selected channel to the transmitter to synchronize the two components. Up to 16 Opus 600 systems can be used at the same time, provided all 16 channels are clear in the venue.
The receiver's rear panel offers unbalanced 1/4-inch and balanced XLR outputs, mic/line level switch and squelch control knob. Dual antenna connectors accept a pair of large (11-inch) antennas for true diversity operation. These antennas pull in a stronger signal, allowing for improved performance with reduced transmitter power (more on this later). Rack ears and antenna cables are included to allow for rack mounting of the half-rackspace Opus receiver.
Beyerdynamic extends the Opus 600's simple approach to the transmitter as well, where you'll find just one control (the on/off switch). One LED indicator lights to indicate low batteries, or flashes to indicate a frequency mismatch between transmitter and receiver. The transmitter doesn't offer much to write about, so the real news here is the NE 600 S's interchangeable capsule system.
The Opus 600 system offers three different mic capsules to choose from. These include the DM 969 capsule (dynamic supercardioid, $319 list), DM 960 (dynamic hypercardioid, $429) and EM 981 (condenser cardioid, $419). The capsule you initially choose affects the overall system price. Depending on the capsule, the Opus NE 600 S system is selling with street prices between about $650 and $750.
Other configurations of the Opus 600 system include a beltpack transmitter (starting at $630 list, system) and NE 600 D dual-channel receiver ($730, receiver only). Beltpack options include lavalier and neck-worn mics, as well as guitar or instrument input.
In Use
Setup of the Opus system is easy: press Scan to find the cleanest channel, then hold the bottom of the transmitter near the receiver and press Act to synchronize the two components. A nice touch is the receiver's “pilot tone recognition,” which silently mutes the system when the transmitter is turned off. This makes a mute switch (and all the confusion it can cause) unnecessary—simply power the transmitter all the way off when not needed.
Regarding battery life, the Opus system offers about 20 hours of transmit time from a pair of AA batteries. This is impressive, and at least a doubling of operation time over most wireless systems. Beyerdynamic accomplishes this in part by throttling the transmitter's output power back to 10mw (30 or 50mw is typical), thereby extending battery life.
The obvious question is whether this adversely affects performance or range, and it seems to do neither. Rated at 300 feet outdoors, the Opus system's transmission distance and resistance to RF noise tested to be on-par with comparable wireless systems. The explanation is likely in the “passive” parts of the RF link: the antennas. The Opus system has large half-wave antennas that pull in more signal, and the hand-held transmitter itself is quite large (for a longer antenna, perhaps). This may improve the beyerdynamic's 10mw performance to match that of systems generating several times as much power.
The Opus companding noise reduction system is a good one, delivering clear, noise-free audio with no audible artifacts. If the RF system is doing its job to carry the signal with maximum clarity and minimal coloration, the sound quality of any wireless mic is defined by its capsule. The capsule is where sound pressure becomes a signal, and it's truly the “make or break” point for a mic's sound.
Of the three capsule styles available, the DM 969 dynamic supercardioid capsule is the least expensive and has the least impressive performance. Clarity and high-frequency detail are pretty typical of dynamic mics in this price range, which is perfectly adequate for most speaking and singing applications. The DM 960 dynamic hypercardioid capsule takes things up a notch, as it uses the same element as beyerdynamic's popular TG-X 60 wired vocal mic. This capsule has a more “open,” natural sound than the DM 969, making it well suited to both male and female vocals, as well as the spoken word.
The EM 981 condenser cardioid capsule is recommended for speaking applications by beyerdynamic, but I found its clear, open sound to be a great fit for vocals as well. The EM 981 capsule has a low-cut filter that's quite aggressive, making for a somewhat thin sound in some applications. I left the filter off most of the time, and found the EM 981 capsule to be very resistant to handling noise and plosives anyway. Too bad the condenser capsule lacks a pad switch for use with very loud voices or instruments.
Everyday Logistics
With capsule attached, the Opus handheld transmitter is a whopping 11 inches long (several inches longer than most handheld wireless mics). The mic is quite substantial in diameter as well. This may take some getting used to, especially in smaller hands. Though the mic looks like it could do double-duty for self defense, it doesn't feel that substantial. The body of the Opus transmitter is entirely plastic, and I found it to lack the solid, hefty feel I appreciate in a handheld mic.
Any concerns about handling noise with the plastic body were quickly put to rest. The Opus mic, regardless of capsule attached, is almost completely resistant to handling noise. I tapped it, rolled it in my hand, bumped it—nothing. Kudos to beyerdynamic for making one of the quietest handheld mics I've ever used. Resistance to pops and plosives was also excellent across all three capsule models.
The Opus system comes in a form-fitted nylon soft case that looks much like a laptop case. This is a nice touch, but I have to wonder how often people will be transporting around their Opus systems from venue to venue. I would trade that fancy case for missing features in an instant. Perhaps the money spent for all that nylon and foam would have been better used on a low battery indicator for the receiver, a feature I think no wireless system should be without.
Keeping with the industry trend of overseas manufacturing, the Opus system is made in Taiwan; only the capsules themselves are made in Germany. Beyerdynamic should be commended for keeping the most crucial part of the manufacturing on their soil, but additional capsules command a high premium if you wish to purchase one (or two). Fit and finish of the Taiwanese parts are good, but screwing a fine German capsule onto the transmitter still feels a bit like bolting a BMW engine into an economy import. Beyerdynamic does stand behind Opus systems with a two-year warranty.
In some ways, the beyerdynamic Opus NE 600 S system is a study in opposites. The Asian-made electronics are stripped-down in their controls and metering, while the German-made capsules offer no-compromise beyerdynamic quality. This rather odd pairing is done to keep the Opus 600's price point low and sound quality high, a goal beyerdynamic succeeded in hitting. Too bad a few important features had to go, features I'd bet most Opus 600 buyers would trade a nifty padded bag for.
