Shure ULXD4D Dual Digital Wireless Receiver
Shure·Model ULXD4D·shure-ulxd4d
Photos
Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate above stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.
About the Shure ULXD4D
The Shure ULXD4D packs two full digital wireless channels into 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., with DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes.-networked outputs in addition to analog XLRThe standard 3-pin locking connector for mics and balanced line signals — pin 1 is the shield, pins 2 and 3 carry the balanced pair. and 1/4" — rack two and you have four wireless channels in 2U with 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. back to the console. The industry standard for mid-to-top-tier corporate, theatre, and touring rigs, edged out only by the Axient Digital line at the highest end.
The ULXD4D is Shure's answer to the question every production manager eventually asks: how do you get two professional wireless channels into 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. without compromising the RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping. performance you actually need on a real show? It lands squarely in the ULX-D line, which sits between the workmanlike SLX-D and the top-tier Axient Digital family — which is exactly where most corporate, theatrical, and club-level touring rigs live. Two discrete channels, full digital audio path, DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. networking baked in, and analog XLRThe standard 3-pin locking connector for mics and balanced line signals — pin 1 is the shield, pins 2 and 3 carry the balanced pair. outputs for rigs that haven't made the network jump yet. It's the pro workhorse that's earned that label by showing up night after night.
At 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. and 14 watts typical draw, the space and power math is straightforward — two channels cost you one rack unit and comfortably fit on a single 20-amp circuit alongside your other gear. The real operational story is in the outputs: both XLRThe standard 3-pin locking connector for mics and balanced line signals — pin 1 is the shield, pins 2 and 3 carry the balanced pair. channels are always live, and the primary and secondary DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. EtherConAn Ethernet plug inside a rugged XLR-style locking shell — tour-grade network connections that can’t be yanked loose. ports carry both channels simultaneously, so you can run analog as a fallback without touching a cable during the show. The 370mm depth means it needs a full-depth rack, not a shallow road case shelf. At 3.5 kg, two stacked units add 7 kg to your rack weight — worth noting when you're calculating caster load.
This receiver belongs in rigs where RFRadio Frequency — the wireless part of wireless. RF planning is why big rigs scan, coordinate, and combine antennas instead of hoping. reliability and clean digital gainHow much the preamp amplifies the incoming signal. Too low and you’re hunting through hiss; too high and peaks clip. structure matter more than saving $500. If you're running a single vocal channel at a small club, the investment doesn't scale. If you're running four to eight channels for theatre, corporate general sessions, or a touring support act, two ULXD4Ds in 2UThe 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. with 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. run to a DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes.-capable console is a genuinely elegant solution. Engineers who need frequency agility, encrypted transmission, or automatic frequency management across a large RF environment should be looking one step up at Axient Digital instead — the ULXD4D doesn't offer ShowLink remote control or the same interference avoidance depth.
In the rack
- If you're running two ULXD4Ds for four wireless channels, connect both units to the same DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. Primary network switch and assign them consecutive channel numbers in Shure Wireless WorkbenchShure’s free RF-management software — scans the airwaves, calculates compatible frequencies, and monitors every receiver from a laptop. — scanning and coordination across all four channels becomes a single operation rather than two separate sessions.
- Use the DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. Secondary port as a redundantA second copy of anything critical — supply, computer, network path — already running so one failure can’t stop the show. network path to a second switch or directly back to a redundant NIC on your playback or console computer — it's there precisely for no-dropoutA brief audio gap when the radio link fails — the thing diversity, distros, and coordination all exist to prevent. scenarios, and leaving it unplugged on a high-stakes show is leaving insurance on the table.
- The analog XLRThe standard 3-pin locking connector for mics and balanced line signals — pin 1 is the shield, pins 2 and 3 carry the balanced pair. outputs are summed from the digital path, not a separate analog stage, so there's no gainHow much the preamp amplifies the incoming signal. Too low and you’re hunting through hiss; too high and peaks clip. to be had by preferring analog on a DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. rig — use Dante as your primary and leave XLR patched to a nearby analog input as a hot standby, not as a parallel feed to the same console channel.
- Plan for the 370mm depth before you build the rack — if your road case interior is shallower than about 400mm with connector clearance, the ULXD4D and its BNCThe twist-lock coax connector used for word clock and antenna runs — it locks, so it can’t be pulled out mid-show. antenna cables will not close the lid.
Two-channel digital wireless receiver with DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. + analog outs. Pro workhorse.
I/O Ports (9)
| Port | Connector | Direction | Signal | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLR Out 1 | XLR MALE | output | analog audio | — |
| XLR Out 2 | XLR MALE | output | analog audio | — |
| Dante Primary | DANTE RJ45 | bidirectional | digital audio | 2 |
| Dante Secondary | DANTE RJ45 | bidirectional | digital audio | 2 |
| Antenna A (BNC) | BNC | input | antenna | — |
| Antenna B (BNC) | BNC | input | antenna | — |
| Antenna A Cascade Out | BNC | output | antenna | — |
| Antenna B Cascade Out | BNC | output | antenna | — |
- Power (IEC) (IEC C14)
Deciding between two?
Rack space, watts, weight and every connector, side by side.
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