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Broadcast • Live • recordingMicrophones

2013 G e a r g u i d e M i c ro p hon e 3

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G e a r G u i d e M i c ro p hon e inside

inside the modern studio mic cabinet ..................................... 4

Wired For stage: Wired performance microphones ............... 12

Wireless spectrum Update ........................................................ 18

Alternative Wireless Systems ..................................................... 22

products....................................................................................... 26

directory ...................................................................................... 31

6

Cover Background: The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY. Photo: Dino Perrucci

BY JaNiCe BrowN“it’s a beautiful, beautiful time for microphones,” says engineer/producer oliver Straus (new politics, born Cages). As the owner of a popular brooklyn recording studio, Mission Sound, Straus is always in the market for a great new microphone; he believes “there are always col-ors that are missing from a mic cabinet,” and that these days, there’s no excuse not to have several good and different flavors of microphones. “it’s so affordable now,” he says. “it’s like someone saying you can have picasso’s entire color palette for $2,795.”

indeed, microphone markets have surged in recent years, as the recording industry has spread out into a landscape of artist- and producer/engineer-run private, bedroom and commercial studios. With so many new buyers—especially considering the massive indie music industry with its propensity for diY—studio microphones of all shapes and sizes are in high demand. The modern mic cabinet can look pretty different from studio to studio; there are so many flavors of highbrow, workhorse, alter-native and classic microphones that there are almost no staples anymore.

But there are always the du-jour mics, the microphones engineers are gravitating to as musical styles evolve and fuse and revive. They are new and old, and both sur-prising and totally unsurprising.

NEW(ER) TO MARKET MICSdaniel James schlett, producer/engineer (diiv, Luke temple) and co-owner of Strange Weather recording, echoes Straus right off the bat: “there are tons of great microphones being built right now.” He’s quick to mention the Lucas and Blackspade Acoustics lines among the new generation

of microphones to be excited about.schlett has been using both the Lucas

cs-1 and cs-4 tube mics, noting, “it can be a really slow process to get one, but it’s well worth the wait. They’re both inspired by classic mics, but very much their own entity—the CS4 has basically the same dimensions as a U 47, but it doesn’t sound like a U 47 so much; it’s much airier, much clearer sounding and less aggressive. it’s good on everything.

“i’ll use the cs-4 for recording vocals, and drums, whether as a room mic, or an overhead, or the only mic for the whole drumset; it’s been really outstanding—

studio Mics

inside The Modern sTudio Mic cabineT

Modern tube Mics: The Blackspade acoustics UM17 (top left), its UM17r with pre-mium capsule (right), and the Lucas engineering CS-1 from the mic locker at Strange weather Studio. Below, Producer engineer and Dungeon Beach co-owner Keller McDivitt.

4 M i c ro phon e G e a r G u i d e 2013

studio Mics

super focused and three-dimensional sounding. i’ve also used the cs-1 on vocals, and i’ve been using it on bass amps. i had that setup on a bass amp last week, and when we moved to percussion overdubs, i didn’t even move the mic. i just kept it in front of the bass amp, recorded all the per-cussion overdubs from across the room with the CS-1 and it was great.”

Both the Lucas and the Blackspade Acoustics mics were born at least in part from the mind of highly respected mic designer oliver Archut (TAb Funkenwerk). the Lucas mics are co-developed by archut with engineer Terry Manning (Stax records, Compass point), while archut’s ami, inc. mic manufac-turing has a co-venture with the Swiss-based blackspade. “The new blackspade mics are fantastic,” Schlett continues. “one of those mics retails for like $1K and it’s amaz-ing, which is especially great com-pared to, like, $8K for a potentially questionable vintage U 67.”

producer/engineer and dungeon beach co-owner Keller Mcdivitt (The Ascent of everest, The Midnight Hollow) seconds schlett. “i recently got a chance to try the blackspade Um17 and was blown away on its performance; such a solid mic.”

Brian Bender, producer/engi-neer (Krystle Warren, José James) and owner of The Motherbrain, also names Blackspade and Lucas as some of the most compelling new mics on the market. “These guys seem to be doing more what the guys who made the mics that we all want were doing. rather than just recreate, they’re trying to make mics that look in both directions.”

meanwhile, producer/engineer Joe chiccarelli (my morning Jacket, Jason Mraz) has a couple favorite new mics as well—the bock Audio 251 for vocals and the neumann tLm 49 for overheads. and more generally of his recent mic choices, chiccarelli notes: “i’m a big fan of all the royer ribbon mics, as well as ribbons made by AeA. They’re great for electric guitars, drums and percussion—i use them every day.”

to that, he adds: “companies like Bock Audio and Wunder Audio are making great

The Bock 251 (above, left). a trio of Mojave Ma100s (below).

The Bomb Shelter Studio owner andrija Tokic with his Neumann SM 69 vintage stereo tube mic; below he demonstrates less than optimum miking technique with the SM 69.


clones of the classic mics; not exactly the same, but perhaps some of the old-school flavor [with] lower noise specs and a more open, modern top-end response.”

other acclaimed new large diaphragm condensers include the Lewitt 640 Fet and 840 “Authentica” dual-diaphragm mic, the nevaton MC51 multi-pattern condenser mic, and Audio-Technica’s new hi-fi AT 5040 studio vocal microphone.

SMALL DIAPHRAGM CONDENSERSCommercial studio owners are always on the hunt for both the client-pleasers as well as the everyday utility mics, like the small diaphragm condensers that get used all over sessions. Ken rich, a producer/engineer (Allison Miller, Tracy bonham) who owns and operates grand street recording in brooklyn, will routinely run mic shoot-outs for his team, as he did with the mojave audio ma-100s when he first got his hands on them.

“We put the mojaves up against a vin-tage pair of neumann KM84s and other similar mics on acoustic guitar, piano, as overheads and percussion, and in every case, they were just really, really great,” he shares. “the ma-100 just has more body than some of the other mics in that cat-egory.

“We continue to use them all the time,” rich adds. “They have omni and cardioid capsules, so i’ll use the omnis as room mics—we’ll do a wide-spread room pair on drums and hand percussion—and i’ll also use them on our piano, and as overheads on acoustic guitars in X-y pattern.”

Similarly, at Mission, Straus put up a pair of the new small diaphragm Miktek C5 mics against his KM-84s on a recent acoustic record. “i was blown away,” straus reports of the Mikteks. “They weren’t as fast and the frequency response wasn’t as broad, but they were somehow more focused. i felt like they were in some ways pre-eQ’d but in a very pleasing way, like what i would have done anyway. it’s just a great utility mic.”

He also shot the miteks out against

his mojave m100s. “The Mikteks were quite a bit drier, like comparing an SM57 to an aKg 451 on a snare, but they won in the mono shootout. As a stereo pair, in X-y coincidental, the mojaves won—it just seemed like their polar pattern was more open. the mojaves are a go-to on acoustic instruments and piano.”

RIBBONSThe last decade has seen a resurgence in ribbon mics, between the now-ubiquitous royers (r-121, 122) and Wes dooley’s AeA “big ribbon Mics,” as well as newer offerings from manufacturers like Cloud microphones (which just launched an rca-inspired 44a), cascade (Fat Head), and others. With many producer/engineers, ask them what their mic du jour is, and odds are it’ll be a ribbon.

producer/engineer Brian mctear (Local natives, Marissa nadler) of Miner Street recordings in philadelphia is one such case. “i’ve been blown away lately by the aea A440 on vocals, and the AeA A840s as a

pair as stereo room mics,” he says. “We put them just a few feet out from the kit with the nulls facing the drums. i love them!”

Chiccarelli cites AeA and royer ribbons as everyday choices for electric guitars, drums and percussion, while phil palazzolo (new pornographers, nicole Atkins) votes for the oktava mL19 for best ribbon. “it’s quirky sounding, but really cool,” he notes. “the top end is soft, but i would never call them dull. great as a room mic if your room isn’t really dialed-in, and super ‘classy’ sounding on horns and strings.”

Meanwhile, the Shure KSM353 gets Keller mcdivitt’s vote for top ribbon: “i’ve never heard another microphone that sounds that amazing in front of a cranked guitar amp.”

studio Mics

engineer Jon altschuler lends an ear to a production (above). a closeup of the aea r84 ribbon mic (right).


SURPRISING RE-DISCOVERIES

the electro-voice re-20 is a staple of any modern recording studio, but some produc-er/engineers are rediscovering its precursor, the 50s-era 666 dynamic. “it’s quite unusual in its color,” says chiccarelli of the 666, “it’s almost telephonic in tone, and great for some electric guitars, drums and even some lead vocals.

Ken rich, too, talks about this mic as an unexpected hit: “the electro-voice 666 often surprises me, just how well it sits in a track, on a powerful voice. it’s worked really well for us.”

in his east nashville studio, the Bomb shelter, andrija tokic (alabama shakes, Hurray for the riff raff) has been rediscover-ing his sennheiser md441. “i’ve been using it an awful lot, mostly for low-end stuff,” he says, “because it’s a really bitey, midrange mic, and it just seems to take care of overly woofy problems. Like obnoxiously large kick drums—if the drum is super boomy, but they want it to sound like a punchy rock-

and-roll kick drum, or if the bass player is turning up the low-end to a point where it’s shaking the room because that’s what they’re used to hearing at practice, you put the 441 on those things, and it makes the signal real bitey and lops off the extreme lows in a pleasing way.”

Back in Brooklyn, Jon altschuler (they might Be giants, david Byrne) recently got back with the Sennheiser Md441 as well. “on a whim, i put one up to record a fairly woolly guitar amp in the hope that the brighter mic would help it cut through,” he explains. “i’d forgotten what the mic sounded like, but i was very pleasantly sur-prised when i pushed the fader up—it’s got a nice full midrange and top end, almost approaching the detail of a condenser.

“since then, i’ve been using it regularly on guitar amps, often in combination with a darker mic to fill out the body if it seems appropriate. i’ve gotten great results put-ting it alongside a Coles 4038, 5 inches or more, depending on amp volume, from the speaker. it’s quickly becoming my go-to

The audio-Technica aT4060

electric guitar setup. The 441 also works really well as a vocal mic, for certain sing-ers.”

UNSUNG VOCAL MICS, ETC.While a great-sounding neumann U 67 or U 47 is often still top choice for vocals, engi-neers will often feel their way to the right path on each project.

Ben Lindell (chromeo, mgmt) shoots out vocal mics on every session to find the right fit for his vocalists. Lately, one mic in particular has been winning: the Lauten audio Horizon. “it’s surprised me,” he says. “it’s one of their first mics and was designed primarily to be great on drums and guitars, but it sounds seriously awe-some on vocals, too. on some voices, it has beat out some great mics, like the aKg c12vr and neumann U87, among others. it does a great job of capturing all the detail and dynamics of the voice without sounding too hyped.”

Chiccarelli, on the other hand, has had luck lately with the Manley reference cardioid and the manley gold standard mics. “They are honest and open, and can handle a lot of level without compressing or overloading,” he describes.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all in vocal mics, the modern mic cabinet will have its supply of “Swiss Army mics.” “one of the most popular mics for vocals at Seaside Lounge recording is the neumann Km 86,” says Altschuler. “The Audio-Technica 4060 is usually the next choice, if you’re looking for something that’s slightly warmer and grittier.”

brian bender’s favorite all-rounder for vocals is his neumann cmv-563. “i have an original neumann M7 cardioid capsule for it that’s in great shape, and that M7 vibe immediately connects to so many great vocals sounds from so many records. granted, that m7 sound is usually a U 47, but this gets me way closer than any mod-ern reproduction for cheaper than most of them, too. and it’s a real m7. i usually find the top for modern 47 clones a little razor-y. the cmv is way smoother; it sort of under-plays those little transients in a pleasing way without sacrificing the air on top.”

if Ken rich isn’t using a U47 or 67, he’ll often go to a Sony C37A, if not his Shure sm7, aforementioned ev 666, or—for a funkier take—his Turner Model 253 Cb-style

studio Mics

“It’s so affordable now [to stock your

mic cabinet]. It’s like someone saying

you can have Picasso’s entire color

palette for $2,795.”— Oliver Straus

The ubiquitous Shure SM57

Sennheiser’s MD 441


mic.Chiccarelli also calls out the vintage

sony c37a tube mic. “it’s got lots of charac-ter—open top end but not too much harsh midrange,” he describes. “i used it on lead vocals for the band Young the giant, as well as for singer/songwriter Bernard Fanning.”

palazzolo has recently discovered the Blue Bottle microphone for vocals. “Having been loaned a blue bottle with a few ‘caps’, i was really impressed,” he says. “Using a neve 1073 and La-2 with the same singer, i shot them out against an eLam, a U47 and a C12—all impeccably maintained—and it very much held its own against these clas-sics.

“it’s gigantic, almost comically so, but at around $7,000, you couldn’t get a vintage mic that worked as well. Maybe it’s not an investment prospect like some classics, but it doesn’t need a re-cap, or the diaphragm re-sputtered. it doesn’t have dirty contacts, and there’s something to be said about that.”

While Straus maintains there’s no such

thing as a “Swiss Army Mic” on vocals, he also believes: “if you can’t get it from an sm7, a U 47 or a U 87, you probably can’t get it. We have a gorgeous U 67, but these days, it’ll usually be a U 47 or sm7. and i’ve even punched in on vocals cut with a U 47, with an SM7.”

And Tokic—who has a string of clas-sic vocal mics on hand as well—has been finding himself using a 441 on vocals, and recently did a couple of records where he used SM57s for vocals, exclusively. “And i was absolutely thrilled when all was said and done,” he swears.

“That’s [SM57 on vocals] a thing people talk about doing that i never quite believed, but then i found myself doing a couple records that were just live, wide-open, loud records and i needed something like a 57 that wouldn’t pick up too much cymbals and other things in the room,” he explains. “i found if you crunch them up a little bit, you can get them to bite real good, cut through a mix and sound like a way more expensive microphone.”

in fact, the shure sm57 still comes up as a winning choice on many a project, in many an application. “This microphone is the sound of pop music since the 70’s,” says Bender of the sm57. “i mean, every-one ever, from Wu-tang to Queen. [it is] my favorite snare drum mic ever and also among the best guitar amp mics of all-time. nothing is as right as it is, as often.”

Schlett, too, sings its praises. “you can’t go wrong with an sm57,” adds schlett. “i have eight of them, and i use them all the time; i should get a few more. You can record everything with a 57 and get some-thing cool out of it. most of the stuff i work on is so manipulated anyway, but a 57 is a really solid starting point.”

And bender comes back to it again and again: “While there are, of course, several new posh Ldcs that are lovely—i am on the waiting list for a Lucas still, those Blackspade mics look amazing, gefell is keeping the porch light on—there is not another new microphone on the planet that could pur-port to being as important as the SM57.”

Live Mics

BY STeve HarveY

Although wireless microphones tend to be at the center of attention, since they are fre-quently in the hands of the lead singer and thus a focal point of a typical live perfor-mance, in truth many, many live sound engi-neers still rely on wired microphones, espe-cially across the backline instruments. We asked three experienced FoH engineers to share what brands and models of wired microphones they usually reach for when working with a typical rock band line-up.

“We all know the rule,” says ron Kimball, who has mixed bad religion live for many years. “if it sounds good at the source, any mic will work. i’m lucky enough to work with a band that understands this.”

Although it’s not unusual for artists to have an endorsement deal with a mic manufacturer, bad religion does not, and Kimball, who uses a total of 17 channels with the band—which currently has a six-piece line-up—is just fine with that. “i’d rather buy what i want and not get stuck with a painful exclusive,” he explains

For lead vocal, Kimball likes to use an audix om7. “as dr. graffin [lead singer greg graffin has a ph.d. in zoology from cornell University] has a normally low out-put when singing, i find myself with my preamp wide open, or close to it, and since i have 102-103 dB onstage, the audix om7 allows me plenty of gain before feedback everywhere. it also has this inherent ‘bite’ to it that puts him out in front without any eQing.”

background vocals from the bass player and guitarist are fed to the mix via an Audix oM6 and a Shure SM58 respectively. “The om6 and the sm58 are very similar; i like those two because the bass and guitar play-ers actually belt it out, and those mics both allow me to shut down what’s coming in behind them.”

Alan redstone, owner of Wavelengths pro audio, LLc, a production sound rental, sales and installation company located in Leominster, ma, has a similar philosophy to Kimball when it comes to mic choices. “With all the digital boards and onboard processing, i find it hard not to get a good

sound out of bad mics,” he says.“i have no problems with using the bul-

letproof standard Shure SM58—not a beta; it works and sounds fine 90 percent of the time,” he says. “if i have an option, i prefer to use the Audio-Technica Ae5400 cardioid condenser. it’s crisp and warm, high spL and i find it has good gain before feedback. it’s just a mic that works well for rock, jazz and acoustic singers.”

“i’ll use a Lewitt mtp 840 dm, shure KSM 9 or Shure beta 58,” says noel edwards, who has experience at front-of-house and monitors, and is equally at home in the studio or a live venue. edwards will listen to a singer’s natural voice in order to decide which mic will suit it best. “given the opportunity, i will a/B mics with the singer. i find that with all three of these mics, you can get them to cut over a loud band and still sound warm and full.”

Moving to the backline amps, Kimball says, “For guitars, i use two mics, but not to produce ‘a unique sound.’ i’m not making records here—except the two live records i did with the band!”

When bad religion first got in-ear moni-tors, it needed consistency from gig to gig, as it was not carrying any of its own mics,

other than for vocals. Consequently, Kimball relied on the SM57, a model that pretty much every venue owns.

“At the point where we started purchas-ing our mics, we tried many different ones, and the players kept coming back to the sm57s. i use one for rhythm and one for solos and accents. The guitars are panned left and right with the solo/accent mics right up the middle. i can feature a part and get rid of it without losing the body or making any uneven movements.”

Kimball positions the rhythm mic just off the dust cap and the solo/accent mic just on the dust cap, he reports. “i’d like to note that the guitar players have been trained to move the mic around to fit the ‘sweet spot’ on the speaker for their ears. i’m going to make it sound the way i want it to sound, but if they are happy, who am i to argue?”

“Hopefully the player has at least two speakers,” says redstone. “i like the ol’ reli-able 57. i like to use two 57s and place them between the dust cap and surround. by mik-ing two speakers, i eQ one channel fat and the other thin; the sum is a full rig sound that cuts through the noise of effects pedals.”

As with vocals, edwards will first listen to the guitar and select the most appropriate

Wired For sTage

FoH/studio engineer Noel edwards tends to turn to a Lewitt MTP 840 DM, Shure KSM 9 or Shure Beta 58 for live vocals mics.


make and model accordingly. “of course, everyone is going to use a Shure SM57; you can’t go wrong with that, but if i want to spice things up a bit, i will go for a shure KSM 27 or a Sennheiser 409—not to be confused with the newer 609 model.”

He adds, “i will generally just use one mic, unless the guitar player requests that i use two mics to capture a particular tone. i’ll usually place them a little off-center in the middle of the speaker.”

With all three engineers, bass guitar is usually a combination of direct output and a mic. “With Bad religion, i use the output of the ampeg svt and an sm57. this is a ‘salt and pepper to taste’ for me with respect to the p.a. du jour,” says Kimball.

He reports that some of the players prefer the direct sound in their monitors, while others favor the mic. plus, he notes, “it also gives me a backup should one of

the lines fail.”edwards typically favors the direct

output from the amp head, he says. “i find that i generally get the widest range of sound when using this method. Sometimes, depending on the genre of music, i will use a beta 98 on bass—very little mic, but it sounds great on the right bass rig. The red Hot chili peppers’ engineer uses a Beta 98 on Flea’s bass and it sounds amazing. Then again, it is Flea playing the bass. He’ll make any mic sound good!”

For redstone, “it’s real simple: an active di box—any pro one, really—and an ev re20 on the speaker.”

Kimball’s choice of snare drum mic with Bad religion is pretty traditional: an sm57. but with other artists—he typically works with production sound company rat Sound between bad religion tours—he’ll use whatever is available.

on kick drum, he says, “i use two mics—

a Shure beta 52 and a Sennheiser 901. Again, this is ‘salt and pepper;’ some of the players like the 52 and some like the 901 in the monitors. i mix them together most of the time, but some days, just one or the other sounds great by itself and, just like the bass, it gives me a backup plan.”

Although it’s not unknown for an engi-neer to individually mic cymbals from below, use of one or two overhead mics tends to be more typical. For Kimball, graffin’s wideopen vocal mic—a wireless Telefunken M80 or an Audix oM7—has always picked up plenty of cymbal. “it’s the only ‘over-head’ i use,” he says. “since i’m not doing r&B or jazz, i just find it unnecessary.”

plus, he adds, “i have Brooks Wackerman on drums. He uses 18-inch crashes for hi-hats, which are very smooth through the M80, and everything else is picked up through other mics on the

stage.”Kimball’s choice of tom mic is another

reliable old standard. “i’m lucky to have one of the best drummers around, and i have a fantastic drum tech, so i really don’t need any special mics on the toms. i use Sennheiser 604s. They’re rugged, they clip on easy, they’re light—every ounce counts on fly dates—and they’re cheap. And one more thing: they sound great!”

redstone also favors two mics on the kick: “i really like using a shure 91a inside and a Heil pro 48 on the front. With the shure, being a half cardioid, i can get a good shot at the beater for the snap and the pro 48 for the punch of the drum. if i can’t get inside the shell for the 91, the pro 48 will still give me that snap and punch with the built-in low pass at +10 dB, 60 Hz to 100 Hz, from the front, with or without a front head.”

As for snare, he continues, “Top and

bottom for me, but no out-of-phase: sm57 on top and an Audio-Technica ATM450 side-fire on the bottom—super sweet sound.”

Any good mic will do on toms, he says. “i use a-t’s pro 35. it’s small, so it doesn’t get whacked, and has good spL and isola-tion. it’s really all in the tuning of the drum. i have always said if you can’t tune ’em, don’t play ’em!”

For cymbal overheads, he says, “Just give me a pair of earthworks sr25s and i’m happy.” Hi-hat? “top or bottom, depend-ing on the style of music being played,” he says. “i like an aKg condenser, like the c430. if you play an open hi-hat, i usually mic that from the loading dock.”

“My favorite alternative to the SM57 is a beta 98,” comments edwards. “you can use it on all the same instruments on which you use an SM57 and it sounds great. They are a bit more delicate than the SM57, but it is a versatile microphone.”

edwards’ go-to for kick is the Lewitt dtp 640 reX. “This mic has a dynamic capsule and a condenser capsule, and comes with two outputs. The mic sounds amazing and no matter what the genre of music is, you can get your kick to sound nice and phat.”

His overheads serve two purposes, he says. “i want my overheads to pick up the sibilance of the cymbals, but also capture the overall sound of the kit. The right over-heads will make the entire drum kit sound very big and wide. My preference in over-heads is the Lewitt Lct540. You can hear everything with these mics, but you can still use them on a loud stage without picking up the entire stage.”

For the rest of the kit, he says, “i gener-ally don’t get too fancy with my choice of mics when it comes to toms and hi-hat. i use beta 98s on the toms and a Shure KSM 137 on the hi-hat. in some instances, i may use the Sennheiser 604, depending on how the drummer decides to tune his toms.”

When the band features more play-ers than just guitar, bass and drums, says redstone, “if there’s a Leslie [cabinet], then i’ll use an audix d2 on the top and a d4 on the bottom.” For horns, he adds, “ev re20 and Sennheiser Md 421 only.”

of course, these are all just opinions, says redstone. “but remember, sound guys are like artists: everything i do is the only way to do it!”

Live Mics

“If it sounds good at the source, any

mic will work. I’m lucky enough to work

with a band that understands this.”— Ron Kimball, FOH engineer, Bad Religion


spectruM update

BY STeve HarveY

Back in June 2009, in order to free up the airwaves for digital television, the Federal Communications Commission decreed that wireless microphones and similar devices, such as wireless intercoms, would no longer be permitted to operate in the so-called 700 mHz Band, effec-tive June 2010. the ruling significantly reduced the amount of UHF spectrum available for use by the systems, which at some locations and for some events were already struggling to share limited bandwidth.

Wireless audio and similar systems had to vacate the 700 mHz Band—actu-ally 108 mHz of bandwidth extending from 698 through 806 mHz, or tv chan-nels 52 through 69— to make room for the switchover from analog television to dtv, as mandated by congress years earlier. those rules applied to everyone: not just to professional audio users such as production sound companies, perfor-mance venues and broadcast operators, but also churches, schools and amateur musicians.

While there are some wireless audio systems operating at higher frequen-cies, such as the 2.4 gHz band, most manufacturers chose to focus on develop-ing new products or retuning old products for use in what the FCC refers to as the “core tv bands,” channels 2 (54 mHz in the vHF band) through 51, excluding channel 37 (608-614 mHz), which has traditionally been reserved for use by medical telemetry and radio astronomy equipment. virtually every wireless audio equipment user in the country had to take advantage of the offers from manufacturers to retune their systems, where it was technically feasible, or else had to purchase new gear that operated in the new permissible frequency range.

the Fcc made provisions in its 700 mHz band auction plan that were intended to allow wireless system operators and con-

sumer tv Bands devices (tvBds)—which are expected to begin appearing on the market later in 2013—to operate together on the available spectrum. tvBds are intended to operate in the unused channel spectrum between local tv channels, the so-called “white spaces.”

in its plan, the Fcc reserved a minimum of two tv channels, which are 6 mHz each, per geographic market exclusively for rF systems use that are strictly off-limits to tvBds. these are located either side of channel 37.

Further, wireless system operators must register with the various Fcc-approved tv bands devices database administrators nationwide, such as Spectrum bridge and

Telcordia. Those databases are to be used by portable and fixed unlicensed tvBds to identify available wireless chan-nels at their specific geographic location. (information on reserved channels can be found using Spectrum bridge’s “Show My White Space” online tool.)

Just three years later, however, yet more channels and the protections afforded by the 700 mHz plan are about to be stripped away. The problem is that mobile device in your pocket. Streaming video and audio, apps and e-mail con-sume a lot of bandwidth. According to Cisco’s annual study, global mobile data traffic almost doubles every year, and there’s no end in sight to that trend, certainly through 2016. As noted by the FCC, an iphone requires 24 times, and an ipad 122 times, the spectrum of a tradi-tional standard cell phone. According to AT&T, wireless data traffic on its network is up 20,000 percent since the launch of the iphone six years ago.

in an effort to provide telecommuni-cations companies with the bandwidth they need in order to keep up with consumer demand and stave off the oth-erwise inevitable dropped calls and slow-down of data transfer, the FCC started

looking for spectrum to free up for mobile wireless devices. it came up with a plan to auction off spectrum to the telecoms that is currently used by tv broadcasters and vari-ous government agencies.

As it stands, the plan intends to per-suade certain broadcasters to either relin-quish spectrum that is not currently being used or alternatively move to another spot on the dial. That, the FCC hopes, will free up spectrum in the 600 mHz UHF range that can be auctioned off.

Unfortunately, the vHF and UHF bands are exactly where wireless microphone and intercom systems (and other wireless equip-ment) work best. They can be designed and built to operate at other frequencies, such

space WanTed: Wireless specTruM updaTe

Spectrum wireless has introduced both iPhone and android “Show My My white Space” apps to help wireless mic users determine available frequencies in their vicinity.


as 900 mHz, 2.4 gHz and 5 gHz, but the practicalities of these systems dictate that they perform optimally in the prime real estate between 60 mHz and 800 mHz.

So it appears that pro audio users are about to lose another chunk of spectrum, just a few years after they lost 100 mHz of bandwidth. For many, that will inevitably involve yet more expense, retuning or re-equipping, once again, with systems oper-ating outside the spectrum being auctioned off.

the 600 mHz Band plan, like the 700 mHz Band plan before it, has implications for more than just wireless mic users. the FCC earlier this year extended the period for comments on its incentive auction plan, and in the process, received a reported 80 responses from broadcast organizations,

wireless carriers, and manufacturers and users of unlicensed wireless equipment including mics, medical equipment and tvBds.

virtually no two entities appear to exactly agree on every point of the plan or precisely how it should be implemented. but the forces ranged on the side of the FCC’s plan, whatever form it might even-tually take, are intimidating, and include Congress, which sees an opportunity to add billions of dollars to the coffers to offset some of the nation’s deficit. The FCC, for its part, has earmarked the first $7 billion raised by the auction to build a nationwide public safety communications network.

There are various rumblings, including those from Wispa, the Wireless internet Service providers Association, that indicate there is fairly wide support for proposals

that would strip away some of the provi-sions currently protecting wireless mic operators in the Fcc’s 700 mHz plan. For example, in its comments, Wispa advocates the elimination of the two channels that are exclusively reserved for wireless mic and intercoms. google and other potential white space users reportedly also support this notion.

The idea is that wireless audio equip-ment operators should instead reserve the spectrum that they require. Those users should also not be allocated the full 12 mHz bandwidth (two tv channels), as is currently the provision, says Wispa. Wireless mic operators should instead share that specific spectrum with other devices through coor-dination with the database systems, espe-cially at those times when a full comple-

ment of rF mics is not in use. The idea is also that the spectrum

should be used more efficiently, by allow-ing unlicensed devices such as tvBds to opportunistically share those frequencies without interfering with the wireless audio gear. Wispa also wants the Fcc to allow opportunistic use by unlicensed devices of channel 37.

but as Shure noted in its comment fil-ing, “The fact is wireless microphones do not have access to sufficient UHF spectrum today to meet the needs of many profes-sionally produced large events, and the commission’s proposal in the incentive Auction nprM [notice of proposed rule-making] to auction further tv Band spec-trum and allocate the guard bands for the exclusive use of unlicensed devices, if adopted, will further exacerbate the

spectrum availability disparity between consumer products and professional audio equipment.”

the nFL, which not only requires access to significant chunks of wireless spectrum every weekend for the hundreds of channels used by its coach, player and official mic and intercom systems, as well as the atten-dant broadcasters, but also operates one of the most rF-intensive events in the country, the super Bowl, agrees. “despite nFL’s best efforts to manage its wireless micro-phones on its increasingly scarce spectrum, nFL has received numerous recent reports of wireless microphone interference during games, rendering coaches unable to com-municate plays to their quarterbacks and referees unable to consult one another on calls,” it wrote in a letter to the FCC.

of course, there are best practices that enable wireless audio equipment users to optimize their use of the available spec-trum. As Shure notes in its filing, there are five variables that may be adjusted in exist-ing equipment or future designs in order to maximize spectrum efficiency: audio compression, forward error correction, modulation efficiency, intermodulation dis-tortion (imd) and receiver sensitivity. each can be adjusted against the others, but with varying degrees of success; for example, modulation efficiency may be increased, but at the expense of lower operating range, less immunity from interference and higher design costs and complexity in future gear.

Wireless audio manufacturers have responded to the pressure placed on the available spectrum over the last several years with various innovations. Current wire-less systems will typically support between 15 and 20 microphones in a single tv chan-nel, or 6 mHz; shure has developed a High density mode for its ULX-d digital system that can cram 47 mics into that same spec-trum. At full power in standard operating mode, ULX-d will support 17 mics, which, as Shure notes, is comparable to the best analog systems available.

James stoffo, one of the industry’s preeminent wireless coordinators, has ventured into manufacturing in an effort to relieve some of the pressure on the spec-trum. radio Active designs, a collaboration between Stoffo and two other rF experts working on broadway and in broadcasting, launched its first product, the Uv-1g wire-

spectruM update

“The fact is wireless microphones do

not have access to sufficient UHF

spectrum today to meet the needs of

many professionally produced large

events….”— Shure FCC Comment Filing


less intercom system, at the nAb Show in April. The idea, according to Stoffo, is to free up more of the available bandwidth for spectrum-hungry microphones by moving intercom channels, which must currently share the same frequencies, into another range completely.

Current intercom systems operate in the UHF bands using frequency modula-tion (Fm); the Uv-1g system uses rad’s proprietary enhanced narrow band technology, a form of AM with dSp, in the vHF bands. that technology enables the rAd system to fit an intercom channel into 25 kHz. a typical UHF system requires 300 kHz. as a result, the system will support 30 base stations of intercom with 180 packs in the same space of UHF spectrum that one current 4-drop FM technology system currently occupies, according to Stoffo. needless to say, the product launch at nAb attracted representatives from all the major sports organizations in the country.

The FCC suggests that a transition by the pro audio manufacturers to digital tech-

nologies is one potential long-term solution to the problem. but as Shure points out in its recent filing, “While digital technology has improved, there are important tradeoffs vis-á-vis analog transmission. The interplay of various design elements (audio coding, error coding, compression, modulation, intermodulation distortion (“imd”) and receiver selectivity) makes it difficult to simultaneously achieve high spectrum effi-ciency and robustness against interference, while providing the low latency necessary

for live performances. given these chal-lenges, some of the currently available digital wireless microphones are less spectrally efficient than the leading ana-log models for the same audio quality and working range. in addition, efficiency improvements that can be achieved through the use of digital technology cannot be achieved in the absence of clean, interference-free UHF spectrum.”

The transition to digital products should be allowed to continue at its own pace, says the Shure filing, and in

the meantime, analog and digital systems should be allowed to coexist in the spec-trum. but as the company’s comments also point out, such a demand would once again place an onerous burden on wireless audio system operators: “[U]sers have made a huge investment in analog equipment dur-ing the 700 mHz transition that is capable of providing satisfactory service for many years. Therefore, it would be detrimental for the FCC to impose a mandatory transition to digital wireless microphones.”

The wireless internet Service Providers association (wiSPa) has been advocating for the elimination of the two channels that are exclusively reserved for wireless microphones and intercoms.

WireLess Mic users

BY CLive YoUNg

They say land is always a good investment “because they aren’t making any more of it.” The same could be said of the radio spectrum, and as the FCC has sold off large swaths of it in recent times, wireless microphone users have become all too aware that they aren’t making any more frequencies either. pro audio manufacturers have answered the challenge with various responses, literally trying to achieve more with less—more robust sound with less bandwidth—as they attempt to make the most of the tv band channels they have left.

With the arrival of tvBd devices immi-nent, added wireless congestion expected and more spectrum sales seemingly inevita-ble, end users and the pros who spec their mics are in a bind: either they buy a new system and hope that it still has enough room to work within in a few years, or they somehow attempt to go back to wired mics even though modern production demands often make that impossible.

Finding neither option to be an option at all, wireless mic operators are increas-ingly exploring alternative wireless micro-phones technologies, ranging from digital wireless mics to microphone systems that work outside the typically used tv channel frequencies. of course, deciding to take the road less traveled sends up all kinds of red flags to the uninitiated—what about latency? What’s the range like? can you use them outside the U.s.? are they reliable or are they going to cut out just before the singer hits the high note? in short, are these things ready for prime time?

As far as rick Camp is concerned, the answer is yes. a first-call FoH engineer, Camp has mixed the likes of Madonna, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, anita Baker and many others, and these days, his wireless mic of choice is Sony’s dWX digital wire-

less system.“about 25 years ago, i was doing earth

Wind and Fire, and they had Sony wire-less mics,” he recalled. “back then, Sony didn’t have the best-sounding capsules, but they had the best-sounding receiv-ers—nobody could beat them. Then Sony kind of dropped off and i didn’t see them anymore.” Fast-forward a few decades and Camp heard about the dWX wireless system last year. With a summer 2012 tour mixing babyface ahead of him, Camp got his hands on the modern-day Sony system, which transmits and receives 24-bit/48-kHz digital audio, while offering a reported dynamic range of more than 106 db and a frequency response of 20 Hz to 22 kHz.

“on babyface, we were out on tour for about a month and a half, so we were hit-ting all the sheds and amphitheaters, 10,000

people and up every night,” he explained. “Frankie beverly was the headliner and we were opening for him. We brought our own console and the Sony wireless mics, and the sound company was amazed by them. you don’t see Sony wireless on a lot of riders and tv shows, but that’s going to change. They work great–the range is superb and babyface really put them to the test. At the end of his show, he and his brother would run out into the audience all the way to front of house, and take a lap around the whole arena. not a problem—no dropouts, no nothing; they were rock solid.”

of course, range doesn’t mean much if a wireless mic sounds terrible to begin with, but Camp found that wasn’t an issue. “The sound is better because they’re not using the companders like on a regular analog wireless systems,” said camp, “and latency?

geTTing an angle on alTernaTive Wireless sysTeMs

Kenny “Babyface” edmonds (left) and FoH engineer rick Camp put a Sony DMX wire-less mic system through its paces last summer on an arena tour.


if there’s any, i haven’t heard it yet.” nonetheless, the person who has to be

most satisfied by a microphone is the end-user, and Babyface, a multi-grammy winning producer in his own right, was no slouch in that regard. “The Sonys have change-able capsules,” said Camp. “Their new capsules sound pretty nice to me, ’cause we tried the dWX in rehearsal with the Sony capsules and it sounded pretty good, but we switched it to the Shure KSM9 capsule because that’s what he’s used to singing on, and it’s my favorite capsule as well.”

perhaps the ultimate stamp of approval, however, is the fact that Camp now hopes to switch some of his other clients to the sony dWX: “now i’m going to try and get it on some of the one-offs that Jennifer [Lopez] has coming up this summer, like party in the park in London.”

much like the U.s., the U.K. has had its own spectrum upheaval in recent years. in the past, wireless mic users had exclusive use of a dedicated channel—channel 69—but 2012 saw that change to a requirement to shared use of channel 38 (with temporary shared use of channels 39, 40 and 69 in a pinch). it was that change that led gilead Limor, a corporate audio-visual specialist for London-based music, arts & media, to leave the tv bands behind altogether.

“i work mainly in conferences and cor-porate events with up to 200 delegates,” he said. A typical event has up to six radio mics for spoken-word use, along with “a room full of mobile phones switched on—mostly set to silent—which used to come across as interference in my Channel 69 mics.” disruptive calls from home weren’t the only reason he made the switch, however;

while Channel 38 was designated to replace Channel 69, it’s not as wide or as stable, therefore less frequencies are available. “it is also unclear whether our communications regulator in 5-10 years may choose to sell of Channel 38 as well,” he added.

Faced with these issues, Limor made the jump to wireless microphones operating in an entirely different part of the spectrum: “Buying into the 2.4 gHz range, which has a strong case for future use, seemed a logi-cal move. Another consideration was that there’s a license fee for Channel 38, versus no license fee for 2.4 gHz.”

the result was that Limor’s conferences now make use of Line 6 Xd-v55 handheld mics with standard capsules. “as i under-stand it, Line 6 mics convert the signal to digital at the source—thus a very short analogue signal path—and send a wireless

digital stream. Since the transmitter and receiver are communicating in binary, inter-ference is ignored and not processed with the incoming signal, hence, no noise. i have no complaints—clear signal every time. My only gripe until now was the lack of 19” rack hardware for this particular product line.” that hardware debuted at infocomm in June, 2013.

2.4 gHz is where Wi-Fi networks reside, so some thought has to be put into antenna placement and frequency scanning. Wi-Fi networks with high channel counts can sometimes overlap with 2.4 gHz wireless mic systems, resulting in network slow-downs.

“Just like with all the UHF band mics, rF distribution and smarter antenna deployment make an enormous differ-ence,” advised Chris regan, Ceo of

wireless antenna manufacturer rF venue. “operating range, mitigating third-party interference, and maintaining a reliable rF link are all heavily influenced by your antenna system and also your transmitter power levels.”

Sometimes solutions come down to simply experimenting with multiple channel-use settings. Line 6, for instance, offers rF1, a redundant 4-channel mode, but defaults to rF2, which uses two channels. Using the latter mode would make it less likely to overlap with Wi-Fi channels in use, while bringing latency under 2.9 mS and allowing more simultaneous systems.

“There’s been some learning curves for us, like using any other wireless technolo-gies, but you have that kind of problem with UHF or vHF signals, too,” said Landon balding of Monumental entertainment, recalling the first time he set up a different Line 6 system: Xcv-75 handhelds.

As the manager of Mosaic, an a capella group with a modern pop/hop-hop vocal style that primarily plays corporate events, he said the act came to use alternative wire-less systems purely by chance: “We had an event in my hometown of grand Junction, Co and went down to the local music store; they had this product on the shelf and spoke very highly of it. We weren’t search-ing for a digital solution; we kind of walked into it and gave it a shot.”

For the vocal act, the two main selling points were that the system could travel (“Mosaic performs a lot overseas, so we can travel with the mic worldwide and it’s license-free”) and digital modeling tech-nologies. The microphone’s capsule can be interchanged with any Shure, earthworks, Heil or telefunken capsule, but it also offers digital modeling of various Shure and Sennheiser mics, so Mosaic elected to emu-late the Shure beta58.

Brent Handy, a systems installer, design-er and project manager for advanced Sound & Communications in Kansas City, Mo, takes a pragmatic approach to alterna-tive wireless systems, noting that his com-pany “is a dealer for just about every major wireless manufacturer’s line. We cherry pick specific models from each line to minimize overlap, maximize purchasing power, and most importantly, provide our customers with the best solutions.”

While Handy’s company sells analog

WireLess Mic users


“I think the better 2.4 GHz mic

platforms have come a very long way

from where they were just 5-6 years

ago; you might be surprised if you

haven’t checked any out in a while.”— Chris Regan, RF Venue

systems, in his opinion, most of them still have compander artifacts, less gain before feedback, and simply don’t sound as good compared to their 24-bit digital counter-parts. between those concerns and the additional challenge of having 14 broad-casters in his market, Handy has moved to spec’ing digital wireless “almost exclu-sively, selling mostly the shure ULX-d and Line 6 Xd-v75. these systems fit the needs of the bulk of my customers. There will be some instances where the new shure BLX [analog system] might fit the budget and be made to work in a specific environment, but for the most part, i like the sound of digital and the fact that digital does not glitch as blatantly when experiencing inter-ference as similarly priced analog. That is my experience.”

Top analog systems support upwards of 20 microphones per tv channel, or 6 mHz. in its standard mode, shure’s ULX-d supports 17 mics, which is comparable, but when set at High density, it can fit 47 wire-less microphones into that same amount of

spectrum. That feature came in handy for Handy, who recalled, “We recently com-pleted an installation of 32 shure ULX-d systems in an overland park, Ks Jewish Community Center theater, where we installed an allen & Heath iLive console last year. Shure’s inclusion of the dante proto-col meant i could connect to the iLive rack with one cable, which allowed us to patch all stage inputs to the rack. Shure’s software is great, and the set-up is fast. The units become a system, not just a bunch of con-nected parts; in about five minutes, i had 32 receivers programmed.”

While some might have concerns about 2.4 gHz systems competing with Wi-Fi networks, Handy recalled installing three Xd-v75s in a downtown Kansas city event center that had more than 30 simultane-ously active wireless routers. “never once have they had a drop out issue,” he said. “The units were installed as specified by Line 6, and we spent an hour on site during the peak of the business day trying to make them fail.”

in another instance, he installed eight systems in a bonner Springs, KS Methodist church surrounded by a well-populated neighborhood. “We have had no issues, and the church is very happy with the sound quality,” he reported. “The pastor’s body pack used the same Countryman e6 series mic she had been using with another ana-log system, and she was blown away by the precise detail.”

For now, most installations and produc-tions seem to be sticking with tried and true analog-based systems, but alternative wireless mics are undeniably becoming more popular. “overall, i think the better 2.4 gHz mic platforms have come a very long way from where they were just 5-6 years ago; you might be surprised if you haven’t checked any out in a while,” said rF venue’s regan. the same could be said for digital wireless systems as well. As the spectrum becomes more congested and digital mic technologies advance, it may not be long before alternative wireless aren’t considered alternatives any more.


product shoWcase

AKG Project Studio C4500 BC

aKg has updated its project studio Line of microphones, originally launched in 1993. First out the gate is the C4500 bC, specially designed for on-air broadcast purposes. The mic is designed with cardioid pickup and offers an edge-terminated, large dia-phragm condenser capsule. it has a reported 8 db-A self-noise and 145/165 dB spL capacity. the mic’s acoustical design and front-end address allow it to be used for on-air broadcast work and use in front of instruments, due to its 3-stage filter and low up-close bass boost, allowing for close posi-tioning to sources.aKg | akg.com

Audio-Technica AT5040Audio-Technica’s AT5040 Cardioid Condensor Microphone boasts high fidelity performance as a studio vocal microphone, featuring four ultra-thin (2 micron) rectan-gular diaphragms that function together to provide combined surface area unachiev-able in a standard round diaphragm. The AT5040’s large-diaphragm characteristics and fast transient response also make it ideal for recording acoustic instruments such as piano, guitar, strings, and saxophone.

With the AT5040, four matched dia-phragms function together (with outputs

proprietarily summed) as a single high-performance ele-ment. by using four diaphragms as a single capsule, the AT5040 achieves remarkably large sur-face area without the increased weight and decreased transient response that are the expected limitations of expansive size. Another key AT5040 design feature is advanced internal shock mounting that effectively decouples the capsule from the microphone body. For addition-al isolation, each AT5040 is also provided with Audio-Technica’s

new AT8480 shock mount. The AT8480 was engineered not only to isolate the micro-phone, but to rid the apparatus itself of any unwanted resonances and other audio aberrations that could be transmitted to the microphone. it also features a unique lock-ing mechanism that holds the microphone securely in place.audio-technica | www.audio-technica.com

Blue Microphones Interchangeable Capsule Series

Blue microphone’s interchangeable Capsule Series provides a wide range of tonal characteristics with its three inter-changeable microphones: the Bottle, Bottle rocket Stage one and Stage Two. each capsule in the series is numbered from b0 to b8, and each has their own unique sound. From airy highs to larger-than-life lows, the bottle Caps capture anything from vocals to bass, wind instruments to horns.

The bottle combines low noise and great transient response integrated with its interchangeable capsules. The Class A discrete amplifier circuit of the bottle is designed utilizing a single hand-selected eF86 pentode vacuum tube in triode mode.

The bottle rocket Stage Two offers blue’s vacuum tube microphone with an interchangeable bayonet-mount capsule system. The Stage Two vacuum tube micro-phone’s transformerless, Class A discrete

tube amplifier circuit delivers low noise, superb transient response and utilizes a single hand-selected eCC88 vacuum tube.

Also designed with a compact form fac-tor, the Stage one is the accessible Class A discrete solid state microphone with a foundation for interchangeable capsules. Compared to similar microphones, the Stage one has a very loose self-noise speci-fication (<7.5 db) and a very high output level (+12dBv), making it the perfect choice for today’s high sample rate/deep word length digital platforms.Blue microphones | www.bluemic.com

AudioVault MicVault Live Appaudiovault has released micvault Live, an iphone app which pro-vides miking advice from seasoned pros, helping users choose the best possible microphone to use on a particular sound source.

aimed at all skill levels, micvault Live provides microphone recommendations for everything from drums and percussion, to strings, guitars and vocals. And, if the recommended mic is beyond the user’s price range, the engineers offer a low-budget alternative when appropriate. information is provided in a simple interface, and the app includes photos of all of the recommended microphones, as well as links to the microphone manufacturers’ websites.

micvault Live draws upon the combined knowledge of pro audio review contributor Jason spence, chris “sully” sullivan and Chris Taylor, whose combined credits include work with artists such as michael Jackson, Lynyrd skynyrd, Janet Jackson, Keith Urban, Barbara streisand, Joe cocker, steven curtis chapman, megadeth, Jewel, conway twitty, and amy grant. their tv mix credits include the grammy awards, super Bowl, cma awards, cmt awards, mtv awards europe and the garth Brooks central park concert. audiovault | audiovault.co

2013 G e a r G u i d e M i c ro p hon e 27

Cascade Fat Head II Active/Passive Ribbon Mic

the cascade Fat Head ii active/passive ribbon microphone offers a unique feature that allows the user to have the option to switch between either mode with a simple flick of an internal switch. The Active mode requires phantom power and will add up to 25 db of gain, which opens up the option to use this microphone with a wide range of preamps. The passive mode operates as a traditional ribbon microphone and is best used with high gain preamps. The micro-phone has an optimized circuit to produce a warm, open, and detailed tone by utilizing only high quality components throughout the design. revolutionary, incredible sound plus value, and groundbreaking have been used to describe the new Fat Head ii active/passive ribbon microphone. cascade microphones | www.cascade-microphones.com

Cloud Microphones 44-A Ribbon MicrophoneAnnounced at Musikmesse this year, Cloud Microphones’ new Cloud 44-A brings the quality of the classic rCA Type 44 ribbon mic to the modern era. internally, the cloud 44-A ribbon remains unchanged from the original 1930 rCA design, however it also incorporates Cloud’s Cloudlifter circuitry for a more modern compatibility.

When engaging the device’s onboard high-pass filter, the 44-A provides voice actors and vocalists with the benefits gained

from reduced proximity effect. With the fil-ter switched off to its “music” position, the microphone captures the most challenging sources in fine detail, and with unusually high sensitivity.cloud microphones | www.cloudmicro-phones.com

DPA Microphones d:facto II Handheld Vocal MicdpA’s special talent for producing mics with visual elegance and technical excellence is demonstrated in the d:facto ii handheld vocal microphone range. the d:facto ii brings the true studio sound to the live stage. Featuring a state-of-the-art adapter system enabling seamless integration with many professional wireless systems such as sony, Lectrosonics, shure, Wisycom and Sennheiser in addition to the wired dpA handle, this microphone defines versatility.

Where sound pressure levels are a chal-lenge, the d:facto ii is up to the task with its 160 dB spL threshold, three-step pop-pro-tection grid and best-in-class low handling noise. Superbly linear in frequency and phase, both on- and off-axis, the d:facto ii reproduces the singer’s voice effortlessly. its supercardioid polar pattern provides high separation from nearby sound sources

Electro-Voice RE320electro-voice’s newest addition to its re performance group is the re320, engineered for perfor-mance in virtually any imaginable application, delivering excellent results when micing vocals or instru-ments on both the studio and stage. The re320’s key features include electro-voice’s variable-d proximity control technology for tight, bold, expressive, and consistent tonal performance, their patented humbucking coil for noiseless operation, and a high-output neodymium magnet structure capsule that delivers fast and accurate transient response and pronounced high-frequency detail.

rounding out the feature set is the new “dual personality” switch, which essentially creates two mics in one. one setting of the switch engages a response curve that is ideal for voice and most instrument micing, while the other switch position activates a response curve designed specifically for kick drums with dips and peaks exactly where kick drums need some attention.electro-voice | www.electrovoice.com

product shoWcase


making the job easy for both the singer and the sound engineer.dpa microphones | www.dpamicro-phones.com

Lectrosonics HH TransmitterLectrosonics’ HH Handheld transmitter provides a wireless solution for presenters, educators and for use in houses of worship without compromising the quality of the audio transmitted. as part of Lectrosonics’ digital Hybrid Wireless microphone sys-tems, the HH transmitter accepts the stan-dard thread-on capsule that best suits the user’s need, and offers 44 db of input gain range. two Lectrosonics capsules, the HHc cardioid condenser and the HHs supercar-dioid condenser, are also available to work with the HH transmitter.

the Lectrosonics HH transmitter is also equipped with a membrane switch con-trol panel / high-resolution Lcd display. designed to facilitate intuitive operation and setup, this menu-driven system offers numerous essential operating parameters, including operating frequency, audio modu-lation level, battery status, and additional information. The transmitter also has a talk-back feature that enables communication between the performer and, for example, the front of house engineer.

the HH transmitter is powered by 2 aa batteries and offers selectable rF power at 50 or 100 mW.Lectrosonics | www.lectrosonics.com

Lewitt MTP Live SeriesLewitt’s newest additions to its mtp Live Series include the MTp 940 Cm condenser microphone and the dynamic MTp 840 dM, which both offer a wide range of features and impressive performance specifications.

The MTp 940 CM includes three switch-able polar patterns—wide cardioid, cardioid and super cardioid—allowing maximum flexibility when dealing with a diverse range of sources and environments; from lead vocals, public speaking, choirs, to classic unplugged situations with a singer and an acoustic instrument. A three-position high-pass filter makes it possible to directly influ-ence the proximity effect, adapting it in the to the sound source in the best possible way. Additionally, the three-position pre-attenua-tion pad guarantees clip-free results even in extremely high spL environments. the exter-nally biased large-diaphragm of the MTp 940 CM offers a 135 db dynamic range. due to its high headroom and Lewitt’s own, patent pending, direct Coupling circuit design, the MTp 940 CM delivers an ultra-low self-noise level of just 9 dB.

The MTp 840 dM is useful onstage and in the studio, with a three-step high-pass fil-ter directly influencing the proximity effect, allowing the adaptation of the character of the mic to an individual artist’s require-ments and tastes. Utilizing phantom power, an internal three-position amplifier makes the MTp 840 dM an active microphone, allowing for enhanced capturing of vocal nuances and distant sources.Lewitt audio | www.lewitt-audio.com

Line 6 Relay V75-SC Digital Wireless Handheld Transmitter

Line 6’s new relay v75-sc 14-channel digital wireless handheld transmitter includes a super-cardioid condenser and is designed to use with the Xd-v75 digital wireless system. the relay v75-sc isolates vocals while rejecting stage noise, resulting in strong vocal clarity and articulation.

Featuring 24-bit audio qual-ity, 10 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response and a wide dynamic range of up to 118 db (A weighted), the relay v75-sc signal is so clear and strong that it sounds and performs like a wired microphone. thanks to compander-free Line 6 digital wireless technology, relay v75-sc allows vocalists to convey every nuance of their performances to the audience with crystal clarity. relay v75-sc also offers four microphone models, allowing vocalists to choose the perfect sound to match their voice, performance style and venue.Line 6 | www.line6.com

Mojave Audio MA-301fetmojave audio’s ma-301fet Condensor Microphone is the latest upgrade from mojave’s ma-201fet, which includes the addition of a 3-position pickup pattern selector, a 15 db pad and switchable bass roll-off. The microphone is ideal for vocal recording, voice overs, broadcast, and numerous instruments, providing warm, full-bodied reproduc-tions of vocals and instru-ments, reminiscent of some of the most-loved classic condenser microphones.

With its multi-pattern capabilities—Cardioid, omnidiectional, and Figure-eight (bi-directional)—


mojave audio’s new ma-301fet condenser Microphone adds greater flexibility for recording a multitude of instruments, voices, and other sound sources. These capabilities are augmented still further with the incorporation of a switchable 15 db pad and switchable bass roll-off. mojave audio | www.mojaveaudio.com

MXL Microphones CR89 Large Diaphragm Condenser

mXL rebranded its well-received v89 large diaphragm condenser (Ldc) as the mXL cr89, a fixed-cardioid micro-phone that PAR Senior Contributor russ Long claimed, in an exclusive first review for the maga-zine, “performs well beyond its street value and can easily adapt to most any studio recording requirement.”

“Less than two lbs., the brass-bodied Cr89 measures 2.5 inches by 7.25 inches and features a 1 1/4-

inch diameter, 6-micron gold-sputtered dia-phragm behind its tuned grill cavity. it has 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response specs with a signal/noise ratio of 80 dB, a maxi-mum spL of 138 dB and 124 dB dynamic range.

“The mic features impressive build quality, both inside and out, and has a lovely, sleek flat black finish. The mic’s FeT design incorporates a transformer-less output. included with the cr89 is a wooden storage box, a cleaning cloth, and a heavy-duty shockmount that attaches to the mic via a threaded shaft at the base of the microphone.” mXL microphones | mxlmics.com

Nevaton MC50-QUAD and MC52-MS

new for 2013, nevaton Microphones released two microphones: the mc50-QUad and the mc52-ms. Both mc50-QUad and mc52-ms are large diaphragm condenser microphones that employ nevaton’s legendary transducers, Class-A amplification with unprecedented low-level of 4 db self-noise and more than 130 db dynamic range.

the mc50-QUad offers 4-channel primary signal outputs for direct control of both dual 33mm capsules, positioned 90 degrees from each other. The MC52-

m/s is a one-mic solution for the mid-side stereo recording technique. it utilizes two large dual diaphragm transducers of the Figure 8 and omni or Cardioid (optional) patterns. The design of both microphones is based on the principle of a single point source pick-up that creates a three-dimen-sional sound image without phase-related anomalies.nevaton microphones | www.nevaton-mics.com

Pearl Lab Priority Large Membrane Cardioid Condenser Microphone

This buzzed-about microphone from pearl Lab is a handmade cardioid large diaphragm condenser with a unique rect-angular capsule featuring “an unusually

Royer 15th Anniversary R-121 Micto mark the company’s 15th anniversary, royer Labs has announced its limited edition r-121 ribbon Microphone; only 250 are available. Founded in 1998, royer Labs began by producing its first mic, the r-121 with a black royer logo, before it later changed to a green logo. The limited-edition mics will don the original black logo to mark the company’s 15th anniversary.

John Jennings, royer Labs’ vice president of sales and marketing, com-mented, “the r-121 is an exceptional microphone, but i have to admit to being sentimentally attached to the first few r-121s with their black logos. When david showed rick perrotta and me the original r-121 design, we knew we had a game changer on our hands. That mic laid royer’s foundation, and over the past fifteen years, r-121s have been used on countless world renowned recordings; everything from heavy rock to the finest classical and scoring work. it’s become a fixture with many pro audio engineers and producers, and it was a huge factor in our receiving the 2013 technical grammy award. the 15th anniversary r-121 Limited edition ribbon microphone has a rich and unique heri-tage that, in many ways, has defined who we are as a company.”

in addition to carrying the original royer black logo, the 15th anniversary r-121 Limited edition ribbon microphone also ships with a special 15th Anniversary Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by david royer, the company’s chief engineer after whom the company is named.royer microphones | www.royerlabs.com


large membrane,” explains Us distrib-utor independent Audio’s Fraser Jones. this, offers Jones, contrib-utes significantly to the priority’s “astonishing sonic capabilities.” its capsule has been tuned for vocals in particular, with a slight increase (2-3 dB) around 5 kHz, “which corresponds to the presence increase often sought particularly for vocals,” offers pearl Lab promo-tional material. independent audio (Us distributor) | independentaudio.com

Sanken CU-55 Cardioid Microphone

sanken’s cU-55 cardioid microphone report-edly offers flat off-axis response for even broadcast audio, featur-ing a side-firing 16 mm capsule with a resonant chamber, identical to Sanken’s premium cU-44x studio mic; the same diaphragm mate-rial as the proven co-100K and cUW-180 models; and a -10 db attenuation switch. Frequency response is a notably flat 40 Hz - 20 kHz, with a maximum spL of 137 dB (at 1% tHd). “it’s warm and natural, not hyped at all, and is really great as a compact side-address

mic that is easy to maneuver into tight spaces,” endorses prolific nashville record-ing engineer Chuck Ainlay.plus 24 (Us distributor) | plus24.net

Telefunken Elektroakustik M81 Reggae Dynamic Cardioid MicrophoneTelefunken T elektroakustik has introduced its new M81 reggae version of its popular universal dynamic cardioid microphone. The M81 reggae, featuring a three-color red, yellow and green paint finish and a Lion of Judah graphic is a tribute to the interna-tionally known reggae artist toots Hibberts of Toots & The Maytals. Frederick “Toots” Hibbert is widely recognized as the man who coined the word “reggae.”

in comparison to the m80, the m81 retains the same minimal proximity effect, feedback rejection and mid-range, how-ever, the top end is said to be pulled back a bit, yielding a flatter overall frequency response—a factor that Telefunken sug-gests makes it appropriate for use on lighter sounding voices, as well as electric guitar, percussion and rack toms.

As an alternative to the top end capa-bilities of the Telefunken M80, the M81 is a tool that is a bit less specialized, giving the microphone more universal application abil-ity in both stage and studio use.telefunken elektroakustik | t-funk.com

product shoWcase

Sterling Audio ST6050 Ocean Way Edition Studio Microphonerecently reviewed by Pro Audio Review, Sterling Audio’s ST6050 ocean Way edition condenser micro-phone can now be heard by potential customers “in use” by the designer and lauded La engineer himself, Allen Sides. The “impressive, larger-than-life sound” of the ST6050, illustrates Sides, can now be heard via youTube videos featuring demo tracks created by Allen himself at his legendary ocean Way recording studios. demo tracks include vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, piano, Bass, piano, piano/B3, show-casing the st6050’s recording versatility. Hear and download these demo tracks at the official Sterling Audio website, or watch the Allen Sides video demonstrations and other demos and artist interviews at the Sterling Audio youTube channel.sterling audio | sterlingaudio.net

ADKAdK was established in 1997 by recording engineer/vintage-mic collector, Larry villella, in order to replicate the sonic attributes of vintage european microphones. The AdK microphone design approach includes opti-mization to match spectrum analysis and computer modeling of the response curves of villella’s favorite microphones.adkmicrophones.com

AEAAudio engineering Associates’ (AeA) Wes dooley drew upon his 40 years of experience and passion for ribbon microphones when he reintroduced the AeA r44 (based on the rCA 44) back in 1998. Since then, AeA has introduced mic preamps specifically for ribbon use alongside other ribbon micro-phones, including the A440 active version of the 44 mic, and the r92, optimized for close miking.wesdooley.com

AKGFounded in vienna in 1947, aKg has grown to become one of the principal microphone manufacturers with a product range that spans all areas of professional audio—live performance, studio recording, broadcast and boardroom.akg.com

AMTApplied Microphone Technology has been manufacturing microphones for near two decades, and takes the approach of produc-ing microphones for specific instruments. A recent addition is the i series with inline preamps.appliedmic.com

AUDIO-TECHNICAAudio-Technica began back in 1962 in tokyo’s shinjuku-Ko district manufacturing stereo phono cartridges, marking over 50 years of business. The company’s range of microphones includes wired and wireless models for applications in live, broadcast, studio, commercial and industrial. audio-technica.com

AUDIXStarting life back in 1984 in redwood, CA, Audix moved to oregon in 1991, where it established a manufacturing facility. The

company focuses on simple, elegant designs with microphones covering applications in corporate, live, broadcast and studio.audixusa.com

AVANTONEAvantone transducers are manufactured by Avant electronics, which is owned by Ken and Sue Avant. Along with premium studio monitors, the Avant mic line includes ribbon, FeT and tube models.avantonepro.com

AVLEXbased in Kansas City, Mo, Avlex offers solu-tions principally for presentation and theater applications. other audio applications are covered with microphone ranges with differ-ent brand names, such as Mipro for location and broadcast use, and Superlux for more studio-specific uses.avlex.com

AZDENAzden has more than 40 years of experience utilizing CAd and SMT technology to create a number of standard and wireless transduc-tion solutions. originally an oeM manufac-turer for many brands, the last 15 years has seen Azden raise its own brand identity.azdencorp.com

BEHRINGERUli Behringer founded his eponymous company in 1989 in germany. since then, behringer has grown to have offices in 10 countries, including its own Asian factory, and has created its own parent company, music group. Behringer offers a range of general-purpose dynamic and condenser microphones.behringer.com

BEYERDYNAMICbeyerdynamic was founded back in 1924. developments in a number of audio areas, including wireless, continue, and beyer-dynamic condenser, ribbon and general dynamic microphones still form the back-bone of many mic collections.beyerdynamic.com

BLACKSPADE ACOUSTICSSwiss maker blackspade offers two tube mics in two versions each for a variety of applications. The classic format designs were

conceived with the “aim of building high quality performance recording tools that cost less, with performance on par with the estab-lished industry standards.”blackspademics.com

BLUEblue Microphones began in 1995 by found-ers Skipper Wise and Martin Saulespurens. With experience gleaned from years of repairing and improving classic micro-phones, blue focuses its designs to deliver the best possible reproduction of specific vocal or instrument types. bluemic.com

BOCK AUDIO DESIGNSFrom 1996 to 2006, former studio tech david Bock ran soundelux microphones. He then opted to start his own company where he continues to develop his own hand-built, high-performance designs.bockaudiodesigns.com

BRAUNERdirk brauner was developing ideas with tube microphone circuits back in 1993 when he founded brauner Microphones, creating a limited number of handcrafted microphones based on his vm1 design. the Brauner line includes a variety of condenser microphone models, with either tube or FeT internal circuitry.brauner-microphones.com

CAD AUDIOCAd Audio, in business for over 75 years, lays claim to introducing the first studio condensers to offer high-end performance at affordable prices in the late 1980s. CAd Audio manufactures a variety of visu-ally distinct condenser, tube, ribbon and instrument-specific microphones for the stu-dio and live markets, and, under its Astatic brand, for installation applications.cadmics.com

CASCADEU.s.-based cascade produces a wide variety of mic types, but is best known for its range of ribbon microphones and the retro styl-ing of many of its designs, including the Fat Head ii.cascademicrophones.com


professionaL Microphone Manufacturers directory(compiLed WitH tHe assistance oF aUdio media WorLdWide)

CHARTEROAK ACOUSTICSFounded by producer/engineer michael deming in Connecticut in 2002, Charteroak manufactures tube and solid-state micro-phones, which are assembled and inspected by hand, with each being studio-tested before shipping to the customer.charteroakacoustics.com

COLES ELECTROACOUSTICSColes electroacoustics has manufactured its bbC-designed ribbon microphones in the U.K. for over 30 years. originally designed for radio and television broadcast, the com-pany’s ribbon mics have become primary tools of choice throughout the sound record-ing industry. coleselectroacoustics.com (distributed in U.s. by independent audio)

CORE SOUNDCore Sound was founded in 1990 by electri-cal engineer Len moskowitz to serve the professional and hobbyist digital audio community and discriminating musicians. Core’s offerings include binaural models, the “Stealthy” stereo cardioid pair for field recording, and the TetraMic single-point Ambisonic soundfield microphone.core-sound.com

COUNTRYMAN ASSOCIATESWith more than 30 years of experience, Countryman Associates manufactures microphones for a variety of live applica-tions, including theater, presentation and live music. The range consists of a number of mini and micro microphones, including its popular headworn models.countryman.com

CROWNKnown for its innovative pZM designs, Crown boundary layer microphones are now distrib-uted by sister Harman pro company, aKg Acoustics.crownaudio.com

DIGITAL REFERENCEdigital reference, based in Thousand oaks CA, offers a wide selection of wired micro-phones and wireless mic systems. digital reference cites affordability, high perfor-mance and high reliability as the common

factors in each of its designs.digital-reference.com

DPAin 1994, danish manufacturer Brüel & Kjær spun off its pro audio division and out-sourced sales and service of its 4000 series microphones to the former employees that designed them, under the name danish pro Audio. dpA has continued and extended the line, which includes mini, compact, large-diaphragm, reference test microphones, underwater microphones and surround microphones. dpamicrophones.com

EARTHWORKSFormed in new Hampshire by david blackmer, inventor and founder of dbx, earthworks Audio has specialized in wide-bandwidth, low-noise electret pencil micro-phones in omni and directional versions. The earthworks line also includes its pianoMic system.earthworksaudio.com

ELECTRO-VOICEelectro-voice has been developing pro audio products, principally in the area of sound reinforcement, for 80 years. The venerable re series are among ev’s microphone mod-els, a line that includes both standard and wireless microphone products for live, stu-dio, install and broadcast applications.electrovoice.com

EQUATION AUDIOArmed with the intellectual property of noted mic guru Fred Cameron, and com-prised of key members of the team behind the original CAd equitek line, equation Audio’s mic lines include the Alpha drum mic series, the dominion series of handheld condenser and dynamic microphones, and the F.20 large-diaphragm condenser mic.equationaudio.com

FOSTEXFounded by the Foster electronic Company in Tokyo back in 1973, Fostex has estab-lished itself in location recording and broad-cast audio, designing and manufacturing recorders, loudspeakers, headphones and a number of microphones for these applica-tions.fostex.com

HHB COMMUNICATIONSHHB, in collaboration with sennheiser, entered the microphone market with a range of recording microphones aimed at audio journalists and field recordists. HHB’s FlashMic line includes omni and cardioid models.hhb.co.uk

HEIL SOUNDthe origins of the Heil sound date back to the 1950s when a young organist, Bob Heil, began to dissect the sounds around him. Moving into design and the manufacturing, Heil sound became renowned for ground-breaking, early sound reinforcement systems. returning to pro audio in recent years, Heil has introduced a series of dynamic micro-phones that have quickly found loyal adher-ents on the stage and in the studio.heilsound.com

HOLOPHONEMusician and sound designer Michael godfrey founded Holophone in toronto, Canada in 1994, looking to deliver realistic listening experiences with recorded multi-channel audio. The company has a number of products that accommodate surround applications and, more recently, single chan-nel models.holophone.com

JOEMEEKreferencing many of the experiments made by Joe meek in the early to mid 1960s, Joemeek continues to provide solutions in a number of areas of project and pro audio, including a range of small- and large-diaphragm condenser and dynamic micro-phones.joemeek.com

JOSEPHSON ENGINEERINGsince 1998, Josephson engineering, as well as producing and supplying capsules to other microphone manufacturers, has pro-duced its own range of high-performance microphones for studio, location, live and instrument-specific applications.josephson.com

JTS MICROPHONESFor near three decades, Jts has been investing large amounts of resources into microphone research and development of

professionaL Microphone Manufacturers directory


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a line that includes both wired and wireless microphones optimized for affordability, per-formance and reliability.jts.com.tw

JZ MICROPHONESover the past decade, Latvian manufacturing company, Scruples, ventured into the pro audio market with a number of products, including microphones under the violet brand. Scruples created a spin-off company, JZ microphones, that has been established to concentrate on microphone develop-ment with technical innovation and unique aesthetics.jzmic.com

KEL AUDIOcanadian mic maker KeL audio specializes in microphones with unique sonic signa-tures, conceived to enhance sound sources. Condenser models, each with a specific char-acter, currently comprise the value-priced, high-performance line.kelaudio.com

LAWSONFounded by gene Lawson in 1979, and now handcrafted in nashville, tn, Lawson Microphones has a range of high-end tube and FeT offerings, taking the best character-istics of legendary classics and re-creating them with superior quality components for a lifetime of reliable service.lawsonmicrophones.com

LAUTEN AUDIOLauten audio was founded by Brian Loudenslager and is based in san Jose, ca. it is a high-end manufacturer, focusing on microphones that target both profes-sional and amateur recordists. The company released its first product, the Horizon tube microphone, in october 2006.lautenaudio.com

LECTROSONICSsince 1971, Lectrosonics’ wireless micro-phone systems and audio processing products have been used in mission-critical applications including broadcast and stage. innovations from the rio rancho, nm-based company include its hybrid digital technol-ogy, blending digital precision with tra-ditional wireless transmission techniques. Lectrosonics’s offerings include a handheld

transmitter as part of its hybrid digital line, accommodating a variety of thread-on cap-sules from other manufacturers.lectrosonics.com

LEWITTin just a few short years, roman perschon’s austrian company, Lewitt, has produced a broad and varied line of studio and per-formance microphones, from condenser to dynamic, from large diaphragm to handheld to pencil, wired to wireless, instrument specific to broadly flexible—with an equally broad range of endorsees who favor the line for studio and stage.lewitt-audio.com

LINE 6Line 6 is a manufacturer of digital modeling guitars, amplifiers and related electronic equipment. The company was founded in the mid-1990s and is based in Calabasas, ca. in 2008, Line 6 acquired X2 digital Wireless, which entered the company into the digital wireless market with products for guitar, bass, vocals and wind instruments, in musician and professional packages.line6.com

LUCAS ENGINEERINGLucas devices are custom-built, hand con-structed one-at-a-time in the Usa by audio technicians and tested in a professional studio situation before delivery. the Lucas microphone offerings are classically inspired while thoroughly modern tube designs.compasspointstudios.com/lucas

M-AUDIOFormed in 1988, and now part of the inMusic family, M-Audio is focused on computer-based products and on providing solutions to mobile musicians. The M-Audio micro-phone selection includes solid-state and tube condenser models.m-audio.com

MANLEY LABORATORIESSince 1989, and now located in Chino, CA, manley Laboratories has focused on the development of a number of products based on tube designs. Among these are the range of Manley tube microphones, which include the 2-channel, multi-pattern Stereo reference gold mic.manleylabs.com

MERCENARYbased in Foxboro, MA, Mercenary Audio not only distributes gear from many other companies, but it also manufactures its own products, including the KM-69 small-diaphragm condenser microphone.mercenary.com

MICROTECH GEFELLWith german roots tracing to the late 1920s, microtech gefell has been in continuous production of fine microphone products since 1943. The product line includes studio condenser, handheld dynamic and instru-mentation/measurement microphones. microtechgefell.de

MICWThe MicW microphone line ranges from handheld vocal mics to compact, desktop, shotgun and boundary models for record-ing, live and conference audio applications. MicW is the recording microphone subsid-iary of Beijing-based BWsa tech Ltd., which has been manufacturing precision test and measurement microphones for the domestic Chinese markets for over 12 years.mic-w.com

MIKTEK AUDIOMiktek claims inspiration from the iconic mics of the past in developing capsules and unique circuits designed to capture that elu-sive, classic sound. incorporating premium, precision-matched, high-quality compo-nents, Miktek designs have achieved acclaim by some of the world’s most renowned recording engineers. All Miktek microphones are hand-built in nashville.miktekaudio.com

MILABThe Milab story begins in 1941 when rune rosander produced crystal, and then subse-quently carbon and dynamic microphones. in the late 1960s, the rectangular capsule and double-sided rectangular capsule were developed and are still part of produc-tion today. The name Milab (Microphone Laboratories) came into being in 1970.milabusa.com

MOGANFounded in 2011 as a division of Hosa Technology, Mogan Microphones specializes in subminiature microphones for the music,


theatrical, broadcast, House of Worship and presentation markets. drawing from Hosa’s experience as a provider of connectivity solu-tions, Mogan microphones can be readily fitted for use with wireless systems from the world’s leading manufacturers.moganmicrophones.com

MOJAVE AUDIOdavid royer established mojave audio in his garage in Fullerton, CA in 1985. Known for his ribbon microphone designs with royer Labs, mojave audio is the outlet for david royer’s tube and FeT condenser microphone designs.mojaveaudio.com

MXLmXL microphones are designed and manu-factured by U.s.-based marshall electronics, in el Segundo, CA. The brand has a variety of standard microphone types aimed at offer-ing premium performance to the expanding “cost-effective” market.mxlmics.com

NADY SYSTEMSFounded by John nady in 1976, nady Systems was, and remains, at the forefront of wireless mic design. nady was among the first to address the issues of noise reduction in wireless systems. The company has branched out and now includes a comprehensive range of studio condenser, ribbon, instrument-specific and UsB microphones.nady.com

NEUMANNWith a history going back to berlin in 1928, neumann has been involved in the design and manufacture of a wide range of audio products, but it is with microphones that the name is most associated. neumann microphones include legendary models still hand-manufactured with traditional tech-niques, refined by modern science. neumann became part of the Sennheiser group in 1991.neumann.com

NEVATONnevaton is a russian microphone manufac-turer with roots dating back to 1947, when an acoustic laboratory established itself at the Leningrad (now st. petersburg) optical and mechanical association (Lomo). the company’s product catalog includes stereo microphones; small-, medium- and large-

diaphragm condenser mics; boundary layer shotgun microphones; and miniature micro-phones.nevatonmics.com

OKTAVAThe russian-made oktava microphone line includes a wide range of small- and large-diaphragm condenser microphones (includ-ing models with interchangeable capsules). Handheld condenser mics and tube con-denser mics are also in the line, along with ribbon models.oktavausa.com

PEARLin 1941, rune rosander established pearl, which was the first microphone manufactur-ing company in Sweden, and remained the sole Swedish microphone manufacturer for the next 40 years. The company’s early stereo microphone, tL 4, led to more than 20 other models developed over the past several decades.pearl.se (distributed in U.s. by independent audio)

PEAVEYafter graduating college in 1965, Hartley peavey started his company using the logo he came up with while doodling in his notebook. With products spanning the entire audio world, peavey microphones feature units for use in the studio and on stage, including wire-less systems.peavey.com

PSCSince 1976, professional Sound Corporation (pSC) has been a manufacturer and distribu-tor of professional audio products for the film and video industries. Within its product range are a noise-canceling headset and mini lava-lier microphones.professionalsound.com

REVOLABSrevolabs, inc. is a provider of wireless audio solutions for unified communications, enter-prise collaboration, and professional audio applications across a range of markets. The company’s wireless conferencing and micro-phone systems are utilized across the globe for a variety of applications, from webcasts and video conferencing to podcasts and broadcasting. The company is headquartered

in Sudbury, MA.revolabs.com

RØDErøde came into existence after Henry and Astrid Freeman emigrated from Sweden to australia in 1967. its background in audio product development within its own Freeman group of companies led to the development and release of the first røde microphone in 1990. The company’s range has grown with tube and conventional microphones for main-ly studio and broadcast use.rodemic.com

ROYER LABSFormed in 1998 to bring david royer’s ribbon designs to the world, royer produces a wide range of ribbons that include phantom-pow-ered and tube models, as well as roadworthy, ruggedized models.royerlabs.com

SACOMA successor to the Sabine wireless line—early innovations in digital and alternative frequen-cy wireless—Sacom brings a “mission critical” level of attention to their systems be they for stage, broadcast or boardroom.sacomusa.com

SAMSONSamson began in 1980, designing and pro-ducing wireless microphone systems. Since then, the company has diversified into a num-ber of areas including conventional, ribbon and UsB microphones.samsontech.com

SANKENSanken Microphones is based in Tokyo and has focused since 1926 on producing high performance, original condenser and dynamic microphone designs for studio, broadcast and live use.sanken-mic.com

SCHOEPSFounded in 1948, the company has special-ized in the design and manufacture of con-denser microphones. The Schoeps range now includes condenser solutions for all manner of studio, broadcast, live and location scenarios, as well as surround applications.schoeps.de

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SE ELECTRONICSse electronics was founded by Siwei Zou, a classical musician from Shanghai. Through years of education and experience in both china and the U.s., his designs began to be developed in Shanghai in 2003. The product line includes the rupert neve Signature line and a range of other ribbon and tube and solid-state condenser microphones.seelectronics.com

SENNHEISERSennheiser has been delivering pro audio for more than 50 years, filling many microphone cabinets, whether it is for music, broad-cast, post, live or location applications. The germany-based company has its U.s. head-quarters in old Lyme, ct, where it distributes standard-setting wired microphones and wire-less microphone systems.sennheiserusa.com

SHUREFounded in chicago, iL by sidney shure in 1925 to sell radio parts, the company pro-duced its first microphone in 1932. Shure now boasts a collection of wired and wireless microphones, including the sm58. innovation continues with the KSM series of high-perfor-mance studio microphones, and a full line of performance, broadcast, install and perfor-mance mics.shure.com

SONODORESonodore microphones and microphone preamplifiers are manufactured in Holland by rens Heijnis audio electronics. producer/engineer bert van der Wolf of northstar recordings has been involved in the devel-opment of these recording tools from its conception in the early ‘90s, and has been using them in his own recordings for many years. Sonodore microphones are known for high-resolution, accurate and transparent performance. sonodore.com

SONTRONICSdesigned and developed in the U.K. and handcrafted in Shanghai, Sontronics pro-duces a full line of affordable but high-quality dynamic, tube and Fet condenser and ribbon designs. Sontronics has such confidence in its microphones that each is sold with a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser.sontronicsusa.com

SONYSony has a long history when it comes to microphones, and its current range (which includes nearly 100 different models) reflects Sony’s continued involvement in all pro audio arenas. recent innovation has been focused on Sony’s fully digital wireless microphone systems.pro.sony.com

SOUNDFIELDBased in the U.K. and formed in 1993, Soundfield manufactures and continues to develop its multi-capsule, tetrahedral design for both enhanced stereo and multichannel applications.soundfield.com (distributed in the U.s. by transaudio group)

STERLING AUDIOSterling Audio employs several advanced technologies in its large-diaphragm condens-er mics. one of the features is the exclusive disk resonator system, developed to com-pensate for the 14-kHz frequency roll-off that is inherent in large-diaphragm mics. Sterling’s designs, which include ultra-thin diaphragms and long, lossless line-driving capability, also reflect its continuing working relationship with tube guru and mic designer, Aspen pittman.sterlingaudio.net

STUDIO PROJECTSFrom the B, c and cs series, studio projects microphones are designed and engineered by brent Casey for high performance and value. the studio projects line of condenser microphones includes over ten models in four series. studioprojectsusa.com

TELEFUNKEN | USAtelefunken | Usa was incorporated in early 2001 to provide restoration services and build reproductions of vintage Telefunken micro-phones. in addition to faithful recreations, Telefunken has taken advantage of modern materials and techniques to develop new condenser and dynamic designs for studio and stage.telefunkenusa.com

T.H.E.Based in connecticut, taylor Hohendahl engineering produces microphones designed to include state-of-the-art electronic circuitry

and premium transducers for accuracy and transparency. The range includes reference condensers, modular mics and a binaural sphere.theaudio.com

TRINNOV AUDIOLocated in France, trinnov audio specializes in the digital processing of acoustic fields. The company has produced the Srp surround array of microphones, to be used with high-resolution dSp technology.trinnov.com

VIOLET DESIGNviolet has been developing and manufactur-ing in Latvia since 2003, where it produces a combination of tube, solid-state, large- and small-diaphragm condensers. Quality and consistency, as well as visual appeal, are cited by violet as key to its product development and manufacture.violetusa.com

WUNDER AUDIOMike Castoro’s Austin, TX-based company builds on classic vintage themes in its line of products including a console, mic pre and eQs and seven high-performance condenser microphones.wunderaudio.com


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Gear Guide - Microphones

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