Last year I reviewed Audio-Technica’s System 10 PRO, the company’s well-received 2.4 GHz wireless system platform offering user-friendly operation via half-rack chassis with two receiver unit slots. Through an Ethernet port, each rig’s receivers can also be mounted remotely, up to 300 feet away from the chassis—a considerable savings in applications where normally an antenna distributor would be employed. Five System 10 PRO chassis can be linked via RJ12 cabling for a total of 10 channels per system.
This year A-T continues to build upon the System 10 and System 10 PRO platform, now offering two new 2.4 GHz transmitters which I recently reviewed: the ATW-T1006 Boundary Microphone Transmitter and ATWT1007 Microphone Desk Stand Transmitter, both of which are extremely useful tools in house-of-worship, commercial/corporate, theater and a wide range of installed audio environments. From conferencing needs to capturing a choir wirelessly, the ATW-T1006 is a great-sounding boundary microphone; the ATW-T1007, with a Neutrik XLR input atop its body, ideally allows for podium microphone use (or any mic, for that matter) with provided phantom power. Both units are untethered via System 10’s license-free 2.4 GHz wireless network and Li-ion battery-provided power (with 9 approximate hours of operation time per 4.5 hour charge).
Unsurprisingly, these System 10/System 10 PRO transmitter accessories are intuitive to use and ruggedly built. Their back panels provide a miniUSB input for charging purposes and, underneath, a panel allows access to the Li-ion battery plus simple controls for pairing the transmitters to the receiver, a power switch, gain adjustment (-6, 0 or +6 dB), low cut filter, ID Pairing LCD, and control of the top panel’s touch-sensitive user switch with Standard and Conference modes of operation, aided by visual status indicators, via green, orange and red LED lighting. The ATW-T1006 and ATW-T1007’s modal operations are identical; in Standard mode, both LEDs will illuminate green when the transmitter mic is on, and glows red when the mic is muted. In Conference mode, both LEDs will illuminate red when the transmitter mic is on and will not illuminate at all when the mic is muted. A variety of press/hold strokes between available buttons accesses all functionalities of either transmitter.
Having used the System 10 PRO rig last year in a local church, I returned there to employ both the ATW-T1006 and ATWT1007 in choir capture and pastor/spoken word via Earthworks, DPA and Shure podium mic models, respectively. The results were easy, crystal-clear and euphonic thanks to a superb boundary microphone built into the ATW-T1006, and simple operation via either unit’s intuitive touch-sensitive user switch. After a quick rundown of its functionality, a number of speakers at the podium learned quickly to press to talk or mute the ATW-T1007. Regarding the ATWT1007, it’s a quick and easy way to put any wireless microphone anywhere in a facility; for houses-of-worship and theaters, it could be a real problem solver with numerous creative applications. Of course, both products shine in conferencing applications, too, but are by no means limited to corporate use.
