|
|
| |
|
[Wednesday at NAB]
|
| |
|
Mics Let Audience, Reporters Get a Li’l Closer
|
| |
|
by Craig Johnston,
~ April 16, 2008
|
| |
NAB DAILY NEWS
Broadcasters may have a tough time emulating the great content of radio’s Golden Age, but the mic offerings at this year’s NAB Show will help them to capture its warm, easy sound, while providing modern features like surround sound and line input recording for today’s electronic journalists.
Mics also are becoming more online-friendly and environmentally conscious.
Audio-Technica is featuring its AT2020 USB Cardioid Condenser Microphone, which plugs into a computer’s USB port. The manufacturer said it offers studio-quality articulation and intelligibility and works with popular recording software. The mic targets podcasting, home recording and voiceover use.
A-T also will showcase its 40 Series of large-diaphragm studio mics, for use as talent, on-air or for voice-over mics. Most popular at radio stations are the AT4050, AT4047 and AT4040.
The company also has redesigned mics in its line to be RoHS (restriction of hazardous substances) compliant, including the AT804, which has become the AT8004 with its RoHS redesign. A-T also now builds a longer version, the AT8004L, to allow the user to stick a mic flag on it and still have room for a hand.
Regarding RoHS, Dan Montecalvo, manager of OEM products at Audio-Technica, said, “All electronics parts and devices are eventually going to live out their useful life, then end up in the landfill. Up until now a lot of these products had lead solder on the printed circuit boards, lead-based paints, heavy metal like cadmium and other hazardous substances in them. We’re now getting close to having redesigned our entire mic line for RoHS.”
EV Microphones is returning to the NAB Show with its longstanding line of Electro-Voice microphone products, including the RE20 and RE27 dynamic cardioid microphones, designed for the broadcast booth, and the RE50 dynamic omnidirectional interview microphone.
“The profound heritage of the RE20 and RE27 for broadcast has pretty much made them the de facto standard for sit-behind-desk radio broadcast,” said Rick Belt, EV product manager for wired microphones. “We own 90 percent of the market share.”
HHB is introducing two models from its mic/recorder FlashMic series: the line input-equipped DRM85LI and DRM85-CLI. The mics were developed in response to requests from broadcasters for line versions of the DRM85 omni and DRM85-C cardioid FlashMics to enable journalists to record feeds provided at press conferences.
Both new FlashMics feature a bantam TT jack input on the base of the microphone body. An XLR to bantam jack cable is supplied which, when connected, switches out the microphone signal so that only the line input signal is recorded. This provides the flexibility of being able to record a press conference feed, then switch quickly to recording interviews or adding commentary to the piece.
AKG is featuring several products used for on-air broadcast, including the C414 series and the C4500B-BC. C414 mics have long had a distinctive sonic character; new members such as the C 414 B-XL models bring useful features, better specifications, ease of use and more accessories.
The C4500B-BC is a front-address, large-diaphragm condenser mic optimized for on-air, recording and post-production work. It is designed with performance improvements over older standard dynamic units, with no susceptibility to RF and EMI from digital gear in the control room.
AKG also will be showing its Perception series of condenser microphones, now hitting the market, as well as the D230 ENG mic and the Ultra-Linear Series and Blue Line Series of modular microphones, used for location events.
YOU’RE SURROUNDED
Holophone will show its surround microphones, designed to deliver surround sound for live programming and recording. The H4 SuperMini is a compact surround model equipped with a Dolby Laboratories’ Dolby Pro Logic II encoder that can be connected to a mixing console or recorder as a two-channel stereo source, but can be decoded as a six-channel plus subwoofer signal.
The company also is displaying its H3-D, which also lends itself to newsgathering and on-location productions. The H3-D requires a multi-track recorder to capture the mic’s surround recordings.
“Surround sound broadcasts will do for radio what color did for television,” said Holophone CEO Jonathan Godfrey. “With radio, listeners do not have the benefit of the visual image, so surround is the best way to make them feel part of the content. Holophone’s surround microphones are an easy introduction into recording surround sound as well as a means to build a surround library.”
Neumann returns to the show with its TLM 49 studio microphone, featuring with a warm, vintage sound, optimized for vocal recordings by the K 47 capsule. The company also will exhibit its U 87 and U 87 Ai, large dual-diaphragm capsules with three directional patterns selectable with a switch below the head grille. A 10 dB attenuation switch enables the microphone to handle sound pressure levels up to 127 dB without distortion.
Also on display from Neumann is the BCM 104 condenser capsule mic. It features a large-diaphragm condenser capsule and a cardioid directional characteristic, giving it the versatility for a range of applications such as news and round-table discussions, radio plays and musical recordings.
Redding Audio is displaying the Rycote line of microphone accessories, including the InVision “lyre” suspension, designed to isolate small, high-quality microphones where a discreet low profile is essential. It is engineered for use with a range of compact microphone series, remote capsule systems and some short- to medium-bodied small-diaphragm microphones. The InVision suspension series is designed for studio and installed sound use.
The company also will showcase the Duck Raincover, a waterproof roof for the Modular Windshield and S-Series windshield systems. It is designed for use in static remote broadcasts, where it reduces rain noise and keeps microphones dry.
Also on display: Windshield 10 Kit, designed for use with the Sennhesier MKH 8000 series with MZX 8000. The kit consists of a small modular suspension, Windshield 10 and Windjammer 10.
Radio stations with online video channels might be interested in the Sennheiser MKE 400, a lightweight and highly directional mini-shotgun condenser microphone for use with digital camcorders.
It runs for 300 hours on a AAA cell. An optional accessory kit includes a “hairy” windscreen and a 3.5mm jack-to-XLR adapter that allows the mic to be used with professional cameras.
Sennheiser also is showing its MD 421 large-diaphragm dynamic microphone, designed for a full-bodied sound with a five-position low-frequency control, and its MD 441 classic dynamic microphone with wide frequency response characteristics akin to a condenser mic.
The company also will showcase the SKM5200 handheld mic transmitter, capable of being paired with multiple Sennheiser and Neumann capsule options, nine total. It is designed to retain the modularity of the company’s SKM5000 while updating the mechanics, electronics and user interface. The SKM5200 works in conjunction with any Sennheiser 3000 or 5000 series receiver.
Heil Sound is displaying the PR 35 Dynamic Microphone, a large-diaphragm handheld. It draws on technology found in the company’s PR 30 and has a 1.5 inch diameter dynamic element on an internal shock mount. A dual wound voice coil has a magnet structure of neodymium, iron and boron.
Heil says the mic was based on requests from front-of-house mixers for a version of the PR 30 that a singer could use in a traditional handheld manner.
AEQ is in Las Vegas with the Live 20, an FCC-approved portable bidirectional broadcast wireless microphone system with high power, extended ranges and enhanced flexibility. The system allows a reporter to send audio to the control booth or studio while simultaneously receiving cue and talkback information.
|
|
|
|
