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ahzari said:

This was a really interesting post; if it is an actual fix it would be interesting to try, maybe Sennheiser may even start using the Eneloops..

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My factory refurbished RS180s from Sennheiser came with Eneloops from the factory...

Has anyone tested the transmitted range of these cans? I've already returned the 160s & 180s because they weren't even close to the stated 100 meters ( 328FT).

100m with direct line of sight no problem

Hey guys.  All the best with whichever set you choose and hopefully the other quality producers will give us some more options in the near future but in case this helps:
 
 
Sorry to hear about the RS220 dropping issue and I have experienced it myself with my buddy's set.  I usually don't recommend this company but I must humbly recommend the Sony MDR-DS7500 for your wireless set until Senn or another company comes out with their next revision.  I have been able to compare them to the RS220s since January.  Please note that hands down I am still a fan of a wired set any day such as the HD600s or better.  My buddy, after quite a few months of dealing with drops, etc told me that he had to send his RS220s in under some sort of RMA system and he has also picked-up a set of MDR-DS7500s (especially since they have dropped in price).  I can literally stand in my backyard or in my hip-level concrete basement while playing a DTS-HD-MA stream from two floors up with no drops at all with the MDR-DS7500s (Although there is an ever so slight hiss in the RS220s and the MDR-DS7500s at top volume).  One superior factor to keep in mind other than the comfort of the RS220s is that the RS220s still have an accessible replaceable battery while the MDRDS7500s only have the built-in battery but the MDR-DS7500s have about a 10-15hour life without requiring a charge still after 6 months so far (I will keep you updated on this one). 
 
Take care,
George

Can someone tell me the difference between kleer and DSSS technology? I read that DSSS is uncompressed transmission but isn't kleer the same? 

RS 220 uses an improved technology called DSSS (direct sequence spread spectrum).
 
The main difference is that DSSS transmits an uncompressed audio signal over 2.4 GHz while Kleer uses compressed wireless transmission. The lack of compression means a far more accurate dynamic range and decreased latency—crucial for watching video on a home theater.
 

Quote:

cpu8088 said:

RS 220 uses an improved technology called DSSS (direct sequence spread spectrum).
 
The main difference is that DSSS transmits an uncompressed audio signal over 2.4 GHz while Kleer uses compressed wireless transmission. The lack of compression means a far more accurate dynamic range and decreased latency—crucial for watching video on a home theater.
 

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...and DSSS' dropouts are a huge bonus too! 

cpu8088 said:

RS 220 uses an improved technology called DSSS (direct sequence spread spectrum).

The main difference is that DSSS transmits an uncompressed audio signal over 2.4 GHz while Kleer uses compressed wireless transmission. The lack of compression means a far more accurate dynamic range and decreased latency—crucial for watching video on a home theater.

 

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The Sennheiser literature on the RS 180 says that Kleer is a lossless signal transmitted on a 2.4 GHz operating frequency. So, assuming Kleer uses lossless compression, whereas DSSS is uncompressed, would comparing the two be like comparing FLAC to waveform? Both are technically lossless, but FLAC has to be decompressed before it can be converted to an analog signal, whereas waveform is completely uncompressed.

If so, I can see how the extra decoding step with Kleer would contribute to increased latency, but I'm not clear on why it would also result in less accurate DR. My understanding is that lossless codecs reproduce the same signal after decompression as before compression. That's the whole concept of lossless codecs: you don't lose anything in the compression process. Can you elaborate on that more?

I expect that what is being applied in the comment is the standard concept that "compression reduces dynamic range", but in this case, it is a different usage of the word "compression".

kstuart said:

I expect that what is being applied in the comment is the standard concept that "compression reduces dynamic range", but in this case, it is a different usage of the word "compression".

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I was wondering that myself. However, I also wondered if he knew something I didn't.

I am getting 100m transmission in my house (plasterboard walls ) with my Sennheiser RS220 headphones, great for practising drums to favourite songs on You Tube

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honeymonster said:

I am getting 100m transmission in my house (plasterboard walls ) with my Sennheiser RS220 headphones, great for practising drums to favourite songs on You Tube

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100m? You live in a warehouse?

I've had my RS220s for a few months now.  I enjoy how they sound and I love the freedom to be able to move around my apartment.  But whenever I turn a corner or move basically anywhere that isn't within line of sight of the transmitter, the signal starts to break up.  I'm going to try Eneloop batteries to see if they help, but it's definitely disappointing.  I don't think the walls in my building are particularly thick, and I get the micro drops even when I turn off my wireless router.
 
Has anyone else had similar problems and found a fix, like trying different batteries?  As it is, I basically have to move the transmitter to whichever part of the apartment I plan to be in--kind of defeats the purpose of true wireless.  The RS220's sound quality is indeed very nice, with its strongest trait probably being a surprisingly open soundstage and good image placement.  The resolution is somewhat fuzzy and lacking sharp detail, and the tonal balance is slightly too warm for my taste, but it's a fun, harmless sound signature that provides good background to doing errands around the house.
 
My source is the Algorhythm Solo's coax out.  By the way, how exactly does the RS220 work?  Since the transmitter can accept both digital and analogue signals, does that mean it has both a DAC and an amp?

dj nellie said:

By the way, how exactly does the RS220 work?  Since the transmitter can accept both digital and analogue signals, does that mean it has both a DAC and an amp?

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Yes. Regardless of the input used, the signal is transmitted digitally in 16 bit, 48 kHz modulation to the headphones, which then convert the signal to analog with an on-board DAC. If the input is analog, the base uses an ADC to convert the signal for transmission. If the input is redbook digital (say from a CD player's optical or coax out), the base will have to upconvert to 16/48 for transmission. I don't know if the RS 220 supports and is able to downconvert signals with a higher-res modulation than 16/48.

Because the signal being transmitted is information only, and not power, the amps for the headphones are in the headphones themselves, which makes the RS 220 entirely self-amplifying. Even if you wanted to use a separate amp, you couldn't.

I'd just like to add another "Issue with Drop Outs" post to the thread since there hasn't been an update in almost 3 months here.
 
I also just recently had my RS220s warrantied and replaced. 8 months after release they are still manufacturing 220s with the exact same issue. At my family home and work, these work fantastic. At my apartment-- not a chance in hell. The apartment is 12 floors and i am on floor 8 surrounded by approximately 12-15 wireless routers and god knows how many 2.4ghz wireless phones. The drop outs occur generally anywhere between 10-15 seconds for 2-5 seconds at a time.
 
I've attempted all sorts of questionable methods to make these work. This includes heavily tin foiling a cardboard box to sit the receiver in (approximately 2 feet from me at my computer). This reduced the drop outs ever so slightly, but they are still very present.
 
As i have many other places, i strongly recommend the RS180s as opposed to the RS220s. Half the price and significantly more reliable technology. Better sound quality, battery life, range, reception, and most of all... No sleep-timer.