Shure Axient Wireless Microphones

Shure has a site dedicated to its wireless system called Axient.  It is a wireless microphone software system that manages UHF at its receiver and transmitter.  It has the capability of automatically managing networked devices and indirectly managing legacy wireless or incompatible devices.

The system also uses two frequencies per transmitter and receiver for what I call a dual redundant wireless microphone.  Shure calls it frequency diversity.  The site says that when one of these frequencies is interfered with the other is a backup.  Another frequency is then used for the interfered one within, what Shure says, is milliseconds using interference avoidance.  Interference avoidance can be used with frequency diversity.  That makes for a wireless signal that will never be interrupted as long as there are open frequencies.

The interference avoidance feature works by using the spectrum analyzer.  The analyzer finds clean RF and ranks the best ones.  You could manually switch to the better RF or have Axient do it for you when interference in detected.  Shure shows that this automatic switch can be done almost instantly from the time interference is detected.

Axient transmitters use lithium-ion batteries.  The way Shure describes how the batteries work is similar to how a modern computer battery works.  The batteries have a gauge that reports hours and minutes of life remaining within about fifteen minutes.  This information is also transmitted to the base station.  The batteries can be taken out of the microphones and charged in docks.  The batteries then have charge time, cycle count and battery health information just like modern Apple laptops.  The transmitter and receiver display the battery time remaining, giving peace of mind to a performer and sound technician.  The advantages of using manageable batteries seem to outweigh the advantages of fresh alkaline batteries for every show.

Axient also uses software called Wireless Workbench.  It has features like, storing spectrum scans, TV frequency database for locations, and listing open RF.  This software can also have non-networked device frequencies entered in, or it can find open frequencies for other wireless devices like communications.  This system can manage RF for all networked and non-networked devices.  The networked devices automatically adjust, but the non-networked devices have to be entered manually from a list provided by the Wireless Workbench software.

ShowLink is a trademark for the technology that transmits information in two directions on the Axient system.  Shure says that it can be used to control all the transmitter parameters.  This feature did not have its own page on the website but it was mentioned and alluded to.  It is used to control parameters and receive information on the transmitter.  Things like RF output level, preamp gain in the transmitter, and transmitter frequencies can be adjusted wirelessly.  The battery status is also transmitted.  Apparently this information is either embedded into the frequencies or on the edge of the frequencies being used.

The advantage of using a system like Axient is that the wireless components, whether networked or not, can be managed with software and hardware.  The Axient devices have the added ability of zero downtime, barring power failure or running out of clean RF in a venue.