Shure ULXD4 Wireless Mic Receiver
Shure·Model ULXD4·shure-ulxd4-mic-g50
Photos
Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate above stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.
About the Shure ULXD4
The ULXD4 wireless mic receiver delivers professional 24-bit digital audio with AES-256 encryption for secure wireless transmission in corporate and broadcast environments. Its Ethernet port enables networked monitoring and control via Shure's Wireless WorkbenchShure’s free RF-management software — scans the airwaves, calculates compatible frequencies, and monitors every receiver from a laptop. software, which is essential for managing multiple channels at scale. The half-rackThe standard slice of rack height: 1U = 1.75″. A 3U box takes three slices; half-rack gear pairs two units side by side in one. form factor and robust RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping. performance make it a workhorse for mid-to-upper-tier touring and installed sound applications.
The ULXD4 is Shure's single-channel digital wireless receiver, the receiving end of the ULX-D system — a platform that sits firmly in the mid-to-upper tier of professional wireless. In a live-audio rack, its job is straightforward: take an RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping. signal from a handheld or bodypack transmitter and hand a clean, latencyThe delay between sound entering and leaving a digital system. IEM rigs fight to keep the whole chain down to a few milliseconds.-managed audio signal to your console or splitter. What separates it from analog or entry-level digital alternatives is 24-bit/48kHz conversion with AES-256 encryption baked in, which matters less on a club stage and considerably more in corporate, broadcast, or any environment where signal security is a stated requirement.
Half-rackThe standard slice of rack height: 1U = 1.75″. A 3U box takes three slices; half-rack gear pairs two units side by side in one. width means you need a panel or a second unit to fill a 1U slot — plan for that at load-in. At 12W typical draw it's gentle on a power strip, and the 220mm depth keeps it inside most standard rack rails without crowding cable management behind the unit. The RJ45 Ethernet port is the feature that changes your workflow at scale: connect it to a network switch and Shure's Wireless WorkbenchShure’s free RF-management software — scans the airwaves, calculates compatible frequencies, and monitors every receiver from a laptop. gives you remote frequency coordinationCalculating a set of wireless frequencies that won’t interfere with each other or local TV — the homework behind a clean RF night., gainHow much the preamp amplifies the incoming signal. Too low and you’re hunting through hiss; too high and peaks clip. adjustment, battery monitoring, and alert logging from FOHFront Of House — the main mix the audience hears, and the console position out in the room where it gets mixed. or a laptop in the wings. The two BNCThe twist-lock coax connector used for word clock and antenna runs — it locks, so it can’t be pulled out mid-show. antenna inputs support standard diversityA receiver with two antennas and two radio sections that continuously picks the stronger one — the difference between a dropout and a show. setups, and you can run active antenna distributionOne pair of antennas feeding many receivers through an amplified splitter — replaces the forest of whips and keeps RF levels consistent. upstream to share antennas across multiple ULXD4 receivers without degrading RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping. performance.
This receiver makes sense if you're building a rig where wireless management needs to happen remotely, you're running four or more channels and need Wireless WorkbenchShure’s free RF-management software — scans the airwaves, calculates compatible frequencies, and monitors every receiver from a laptop. coordination, or a client or venue specifies encrypted RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping.. If you only need one or two channels for a straightforward live music application and encrypted digital transmission isn't a requirement, the cost is harder to justify against simpler analog systems. If you need more than one channel in a single rack unitThe standard slice of rack height: 1U = 1.75″. A 3U box takes three slices; half-rack gear pairs two units side by side in one., look at the ULXD4Q quad receiver instead — four ULXD4 channels in 1U is a much more efficient use of space and infrastructure when the channel count is there to fill it.
In the rack
- Pair two ULXD4 units side by side in a single 1UThe standard slice of rack height: 1U = 1.75″. A 3U box takes three slices; half-rack gear pairs two units side by side in one. space using Shure's rack-mount hardware kit — buying a half-rack filler panel for a solo unit is wasted money if a second channel is even remotely likely later.
- Run a small Ethernet switch inside the rack and home-run a single Cat5eStandard network cable grades. In an audio rig one cheap Cat5e run can replace a 48-channel copper snake; AES50 wants it shielded. to FOHFront Of House — the main mix the audience hears, and the console position out in the room where it gets mixed.; Wireless WorkbenchShure’s free RF-management software — scans the airwaves, calculates compatible frequencies, and monitors every receiver from a laptop.'s remote battery alerts alone are worth the cable run on shows where transmitters are on talent you can't interrupt.
- If your antenna runs exceed about 7–8 meters, add a Shure UA221 passive splitter or an active distribution amp at the antenna position rather than relying on the BNCThe twist-lock coax connector used for word clock and antenna runs — it locks, so it can’t be pulled out mid-show. inputs directly — the ULXD4's RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping. performance is only as good as the signal it receives.
- Set output gainHow much the preamp amplifies the incoming signal. Too low and you’re hunting through hiss; too high and peaks clip. at the receiver to match your console's input sensitivity before doors; the ULXD4 holds its last gain setting across power cycles, so once it's dialed for your specific console and snakeA multicore cable bundling many channels into one stage-to-console run. A sub-snake collects one corner of the stage into a drop box., it stays there through the run.
ULX-D digital wireless single-channel receiver. 24-bit/48kHz, AES-256 encryption.
I/O Ports (6)
| Port | Connector | Direction | Signal | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLR Out | XLR MALE | output | analog audio | — |
| 1/4" Out | TRS QUARTER | output | analog audio | — |
| Antenna A | BNC | input | antenna | — |
| Antenna B | BNC | input | antenna | — |
| Ethernet | RJ45 | bidirectional | data | — |
- Power (15V DC) (DC BARREL)
Deciding between two?
Rack space, watts, weight and every connector, side by side.
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Why sealed IEMs make you feel disconnected from the room — and exactly how to put the audience back into your mix with one or two well-placed mics.
Why your wireless mics and IEMs need a frequency plan, what intermodulation means in practice, and how to coordinate channels for a clean show.
When you need a combiner vs a distro, active vs passive, cable choice and length math, and how to scale a 4-pack rig into an 8 or 12-pack without intermod nightmares.