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The Care and Feeding of Microphones

Fig 1: Inset screw that holds the XLR connector in place.

The Care and Feeding of Microphones

For most engineers and sound companies, microphones represent a substantial investment, and they are a crucial set of tools for getting the job done. Yet they get abused, left out in the rain, dropped, carelessly tossed into cases, stored under poor conditions and largely ignored until something malfunctions. There aren’t a lot of things you can do once a microphone capsule gives up, but there is plenty you can do to prevent damage and ensure it performs up to spec over the long haul.

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An SPL meter app (such as this one from Studio Six Digital) is a valuable tool in evaluating volume levels in your sanctuary.

How Loud is LOUD?!

Before we get into this month’s topic, I should say that audio techs are a relatively new breed. Not long ago, your average church, synagogue or temple did not have a sound system. As a child I went to a Catholic church. The priest would enter the pulpit (a small tower on the left side of the church three or four feet above the platform/altar), climb half a dozen steps and deliver his sermon from this location.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Producers, Projects and Production Management

I just finished reading the book, Here, There and Everywhere, by famed Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick. Not only is this a great book for Beatles fans, but it also provides recording and live engineers a glimpse into the beginning of modern recording and production techniques. Emerick documents his career from his 1962 internship with the iconic EMI’s Abby Road Studios all the way through to the completion of the band’s 1969 Abby Road album and onward into his professional association and work with Paul McCartney, as well as a plethora of other well-known acts.

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Muse Receptor VIP

Muse Receptor VIP

Designed as an solution for using virtual instruments and/or effects in a live situation, the Receptor VIP from Muse Research is an dedicated hardware plug-in player in a rackmount chassis. The 2-in/2-out unit features a simple interface for loading/manipulating plug-ins and ships with ReValver HP guitar amp modeling, WaveArts MasterVerb 4 reverb and TrackPlug 4 channel strip processing, Camel Phat and Camel Space delay/filter effects and many more, with ample space for loading your own favorites.

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Link Dante DGlink Modular Stage Box System

Link Dante Modular Stage Box

Link’s DGlink Modular Stage Box System is said to be the first multi-protocol digital snake system to implement Dante, Audinate’s configuring, plug-and-play digital audio network that uses standard Internet Protocols. Dante is a scalable solution that works on both 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gigabit Ethernet and, coupled with Link’s unique hybrid approach, offers the end user a distribution system that will improve audio quality and simplify setup.

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Crest CLh 5000 and CLh 2500 Amplifiers

Crest CLh 5000 and CLh 2500 Amplifiers

The new CLh Series are ultra-high efficiency, servo-controlled, Class-D 2-channel amplifiers. The CLh 5000 produces 2,500 watts/channel continuous at 70.7 volts, while the CLh 2500 provides 1,250 watts at 70.7 volts — all from a 13-pound package. features include ACL™ (Active Clip Limiting) that automatically reduces gain at the onset of clipping; over-current and DC protection; remote turn-on; and a switchable low-cut filter.

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Antares Auto-Tune Live

Antares Auto-Tune Live

Designed for live performance, Auto-Tune Live is a real-time plug-in for correcting pitch errors, modifying the intonation of a performance or producing the familiar Auto-Tune vocal effect. Features include real-time MIDI control of performance parameters; MIDI control of target notes; “Humanize” realistic pitch correction; natural vibrato control for modifying of the depth of any vibrato present in the original performance; automatic formant correction; Throat Modeling technology; Antares’ Evo Voice Processing Technology; and more.

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Scam Alert: Production Companies Beware!

It has come to our attention here at FRONT of HOUSE that an East Coast (possibly New Jersey-based) individual claiming to be the “tour technical director” of a (well-respected and legitimate) production company working on a new touring Disney musical has been contacting sound rental and production companies in an attempt to procure gear under suspicious circumstances. Among the items “needed” by this individual included DiGiCo consoles, Meyer speakers, Shure and Sennheiser wireless rigs.

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PLASA 2012

PLASA 2012 Makes Last Stand at Earls Court

LONDON — In its 21st year, PLASA 2012 marks the final staging of the annual exhibition at Earls Court & Olympia before the show moves to ExCeL London (and the month of October) for 2013. Along with panel sessions on the industry’s involvement in this year’s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics, there were plenty of new professional audio products on display.

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Klark Teknik DN9610 AES Repeater

Klark Teknik DN9610 AES Repeater

LONDON — At the 2012 PLASA show, Klark Teknik unveiled the DN9610 AES Repeater. The unit is an easy to use, cost-effective solution for extending AES50 multichannel digital audio network connections (Cat-5e/Cat-6 cabling) to greater distances than previously achievable.

With two independent AES50 ports, the DN9610 is capable of extending two AES50 streams by up to 100m (330ft) and multiple DS9610s can be daisy chained in series for longer runs. Each AES50 feed can carry 24 bidirectional channels at 96 kHz or 48 bidirectional channels at 48 kHz.

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