Recording - May 2016 - 48

B Y PA U L V N U K J R .

DynaMount V1 and X1-R Robotic Microphone Mounts
The ultimate solution for mic positioning

in position and 1º rotation, all from your
chair? That's the point of the DynaMount
systems, and while they are functionally simple, they house a complex set of electronics
and features.
I was introduced to the DynaMount
crew at last January's Winter NAMM
Show by Placid Audio's Mark Pirro (see
our April 2016 interview). DynaMount
makes motorized/robotic microphone
mounts-in simple terms, these motorized
contraptions mount to the top of a mic
stand and allow you to move your microphones back and forth, side to side, and
at various angles (depending on the chosen model), all from the comfort of your
control room. The remote control is handled by an app on your computer, tablet
or smart phone. Think of it as a motorized assistant that won't need a lunch
break... sorry, interns!
I am guessing the skeptic in you may
be thinking, "How lazy are you that you
can't walk out into the tracking room and
position a mic?" Sure, fine... but let's consider the common scenario faced by
many studio owners like me, who don't
have the luxury of interns or assistant
engineers.
You set up the guitar amp, the guitarist
has dialed in his tones, you position your
mics in the usual spots, you walk back to
the safety of the control room, the guitarist
starts to play... and neither of you is
happy with the sound. Thus begin multiple trips back and forth to the amp, making minute adjustments for phase and
sound. How many times have you made
one adjustment too many... and since
there's no human Undo button, you psych
yourself out and can't seem to ever get
back to the magic spot you once had?
What if you could position your mic or
mics at your usual starting point, and then
adjust them precisely by increments of 1/16"
48

RECORDING MAY 2016

Mount up!
There are four models in the line and
each with varied levels of movement.
Each model is made up of one of two
metal tracks with a tooth-style pulley system similar to what's inside a 3D printer.
The single axis models only move side to
side, dual axis models move right to left
and front to back, and each version offers
the additional choice of a fixed or rotating mic mount with a full 360 degree
rotation.
I was sent the simplest version, the V1,
which moves on a single axis with a
61/4" throw/range of motion. It has an
Axial Nudge Increment of 1/16" . I also
received the top of the line X1-R. Axis
one (front to back) offers a throw of
51/2", Axis two (side to side) is 61/4",
and the mic as mentioned will rotate
360 degrees. (The other models are the
V1-R, which adds rotation to the V1,
and the X1, which has dual axes but no
rotation.)
Each unit, while light, is a tad bulky
and will require a good quality weighted
mic stand. You will also want one that is
adjustable to compensate for the added
height of the DynaMount.
The V1 is 14.75" x 4" x 3.75" and
weighs 1.8 lbs. The X1-R is 14.75" x
4" x 3.75" and weighs 4.2 lbs. Each
model accommodates microphones
weighing 5 lbs. or less when right side
up or 2 lbs upside down or sideways.
The DynaMounts can be hung upside
down or angled on their side. In the latter case, when turned off, the mount will
slide and skip on its track, but when
powered on, it will return precisely to its
calibrated position.

Each one is built exceptionally well, but
note that all of the mechanics are exposed
and on the delicate side. I would not recommend dropping them, and the folks at
DynaMount recommend not adjusting or
moving the mount on the tracks manually.
Each one is powered by an included wall
wart, and you will need an Internet connection for setup and wi-fi or USB for use.
Apps and setup
The DynaMount app is available for
use with multiple platforms-Windows
PCs and Macs, Android and iOS tablets
and phones. Once installed, you can use
a phone app at the same time as the one
on your DAW for added flexibility.
Set up is handled by step-by-step
instructions at DynaMount's web site,
and you need to follow them to the letter!
It's not complicated, but still must be followed in order. The DynaMount has its
own internal Wi-Fi transmitter and its
own IP address which is used during initial setup.
I downloaded, installed, and ran setup
on the V1 DynaMount unit in about 7
minutes. The second one took longer-I
got cocky and thought I could do it by
memory, and skipped a crucial step
twice! This is a time when all of you nonmanual/instructions-reading folks like me
will want to acquiesce and follow the
instructions.
Be aware, initial mic setup with the
DynaMount system is a bit more timeconsuming than your standard mic setup.
You will need decent, quality weighted
stands with tight threading. You will need
to be sure the stands will accommodate
the height of the DynaMount plus your
mic in relation to the speaker cone on
your amp or any other source you choose
to try the system with. If you are using a
multiple mic setup, or a pair of
DynaMounts, you will also need to be
aware of their positioning to each other...
you don't want to experience any mid-air
microphone collisions!
I would suggest you experiment on
your own time and not with a client waiting in the wings. Although this sounds
complicated, most of it is common sense.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2016