Wireless freedom, especially for guitar and bass!
Wireless technology is great for freeing-up performers on stage, but freedom is no substitute for tone. You can bounce back-and-forth from one side of the stage to the other, but if you don't sound good, what's the point? Guitarists and bass players have specific wireless needs that many vocal-oriented wireless systems just can't meet. For them, the freedom isn't worth the cost. That's why X2 Digital created the XDS95. Their goal: build a wireless device that works as well as a guitar cable. Specifically designed for instrument use, this system gives you all the freedom you want, with no compromise in sound quality.
How wireless works
In the simplest terms, wireless gear works just like a personal radio station. The incoming audio source is modulated using a carrier frequency, sent through the air from the transmitter to the receiver, then out to your PA system. Normally, full-range audio signals contain too much information to be transmitted consistently. The sound would drop out while the receiver frantically tried to keep up with the transmitter. As a result, most wireless manufacturers use companding technology. First, the audio signal is COMpressed to shrink the amount of information that needs to be transmitted. The receiver is now able to handle everything. It then exPANDs the incoming signal, trying to fill in the holes as best it can before pushing it to the mixer. There are fewer dropouts, but the sound quality suffers. Think about listening to your favorite song on an uncompressed CD, then again on the radio. You know what you're listening to, but much of the subtlety is missing.
Pass all of your performance through the air with no companding
Guitars and basses are extremely expressive instruments, with a wide dynamic range and extended frequency response. When you compand their output, the dramatic impact is lost. Changes in volume are evened out, with the quietest sections sometimes cut altogether. Much of the upper harmonic structure of the music is dropped in favor of a strong fundamental. The natural character of the instrument goes away, and the performance becomes lifeless and thin. Fortunately, X2 Digital figured out a way to send all of the audio signal wirelessly, without any companding. The XDT1 transmitter converts the analog output of your pickups to a digital stream of ones and zeros before sending it out over the airwaves. With this 24-bit conversion process, nothing gets lost, and all the dynamic expression is saved. X2 Digital's XDR1 receiver then reassembles the data into analog audio, passing it to your mixer as normal. This TruDIGITAL circuitry delivers a dynamic range of 117dB, to preserve all your volume changes. Go from a whisper quiet clean tone to set the mood, build tension with a volume swell, then kick on the high-gain distortion to take the music over the top. It all comes through flawlessly with the XDS95. Bass players will especially appreciate the low-end frequency response, all the way down to 20Hz. You'll get tight, focused tone, even from the lowest notes on a five-string.
Compact, stompbox-style construction
While most wireless systems are bulky and awkward, the portable, stompbox-style design of the XDS95 is a great fit for guitar and bass players. Both the transmitter and receiver easily fit in most standard hardshell cases or gig bags, so there's no need for extra trips out to the tour van during load-in. Setup couldn't be simpler. Select any of the five preset UHF channels, plug into your instrument and the PA, and you're done! In fact, you can use up to five XDS95 systems simultaneously with no interference. If you tour extensively, you may run into RF interference on certain channels in different cities. No problem. X2 Digital's DigiScan feature can automatically locate the cleanest signal path anywhere you play, so the music flows with no interruptions. All of this happens with no external antennas to aim, and no gain- or squelch-settings to slow you down. You'll be ready to rock in about the same amount of time it takes to plug in a cable!
All the ins and outs
Speaking of cables, the XDS95 includes a special instrument patch cord. There's plenty of length to connect your guitar comfortably, and a threaded end to secure it to the transmitter. Loop it around your guitar strap a few times before plugging in to your guitar, and you won't have to worry about the cable coming undone. The XDR1 receiver has a 1/4-inch stereo output jack for easy connection into any PA system. Five-segment LED indicators on both sides of the system make it easy to monitor everything that's happening. They show you the current active channel, audio signal strength, and remaining battery life in one-hour increments. The transmitter will run for up to twelve hours on a single 9-volt battery. The receiver can also be battery powered (eight hours on a 9-volt), or plugged-in with an optional AC adapter (sold separately). To maintain the best possible quality control, the entire XDS95 system is produced in the USA. While X2 Digital is a relatively new company, its two principle founders were the first to produce wireless technology for musical applications more than ten years ago. With their expertise and commitment to quality, you can count on this wireless system to give you the freedom you crave and the tone you need.
