With all the high-tech wizardry available today to manipulate sounds in the studio, microphone placement reigns as the most important way to get quality audio recordings. With the right placement of mics, most other electronic sound tools are not needed. Yet, not enough engineers, producers and artists understand the value of this art.
Reading spec sheets for microphones these days can make one’s eyes gloss over. So much is so similar. Yet, we know each mic sounds a bit different, which is where subtle creative differences come into play. One especially mystifying spec to many is whether or not a mic has a transformer. What does a mic transformer do and is it better with or without one?
Townsend Labs has announced that AAX DSP support is now built into version 1.3 of the Sphere plug-in — the software component in the Sphere L22 microphone modeling system.
Most audio engineers know the purpose of a microphone preamplifier is to increase the gain of the mic. Beyond that basic task, mic preamps can color the sound and help skilled users create a signature sound. In this article, we’ll look deeper at microphone preamps and examine the many choices available today.
Azden has introduced the SGM-250MX, a new cine microphone for video and film production with a supercardioid pickup pattern for rejecting side noise.
Countryman Associates has introduced the A3 Halo Gooseneck Microphone, a new mic based on the A3 podium mic with an ultrabright LED indicator ring and a dual-element design to deliver high sound quality.