In Broadcast - August 2020 - 54

54

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 10 - Issue 8 | August 2020

InSound

Microphones in Action
"We decided on using Sennheiser's
Digital 6000 Series. These radio mics
were chosen because I needed 100%
reliable performance. Also, the mics
needed to work on a fairly short local
range as the receivers were close to
where the action was taking place. In
radio mic terms 'less is more'. What
you don't want is lots of high power
when you've got multiple frequencies
plus IEMs and Captain Tom
Moore's Bluetooth hearing
aid all radiating in local
proximity, so low
power
output
was important,
combined
with
battery consumption
and the crystal-clear
audio quality."
Anaïs Mitchell's hit musical
Hadestown
has
attracted
worldwide attention since making
its Broadway debut at the Walter
Kerr Theatre last April. Directed by
Rachel Chavkin, the show boasts an
all-star audio production team, led by
Sound Designers Jessica Paz and Nevin
Steinberg. Included among the show's
audio gear are DPA Microphones'
4066 mnidirectional Headsets, 4061
Omnidirectional Lavaliers and 4099
Instrument Mics.
"For the actors, who are all double
mic'ed, we chose a combination of
DPA 4066 Omnidirectional Headset
Mics with backup 4061 Miniature
Omnidirectional Mics attached to the
frame," says Paz. "I greatly appreciate
the discreet profile of the 4061s as
they are very easy to hide in a wig or
someone's hair."
Following a string of successful dates
on Broadway and London's West End,
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical hit
theatres across the UK and Ireland.
Associate Sound Designer Tony Gayle
In Hadestown, the actors used
a variety of DPA microphones

For the first time since The Blitz,
the RAH stood empty for an event

specified a JBL VTX A8 system for the
tour, supplied by Orbital Sound.
To capture the pit orchestra's drum
kit with maximum detail and punch
while achieving adequate isolation,
Gayle selected AKG C414 XLS largediaphragm condenser microphones.
"The C414 is an industry standard,"
said Gayle. "It's a great all-around
large-diaphragm mic that you know
you can put on vocals, a trumpet,
or
a
high-sound-pressure
instrument and it will sound
great."
Seventy-five years after the
end of the Second World War
in Europe, London's Royal
Albert Hall (RAH) hosted We'll
Meet Again for VE Day 75 with
Katherine Jenkins to honour
those who gave their lives so that
subsequent generations could
come to know peace and freedom.
Event
production
supplier,
SFL provided the audio and video
production for the live performance.
For the first time since The Blitz, the
RAH stood empty for an event, but its
true life force - the audience - were
able to enjoy the performance of
Welsh mezzo soprano artist Katherine
Jenkins and other musicians in the
comfort of their own homes. Another
'first' was the way the stage was

cont'd...

Socially distanced backstage at the Royal Albert Hall
for VE Day 75 celebrations

presented, with the empty auditorium
as its backdrop.
"Showing the completely empty
auditorium, void of its 5,000-plus
audience, sent a really powerful
and emotive message to the online
audience," says Craig Lawrence, video
& projects director at SFL. "Safety
and social distancing were our utmost
priority in the planning process."

The V 402 is Neumann's first-ever
stand-alone microphone preamp

provides the ideal signal path for all
Neumann microphones because it is
free from any coloration whatsoever.
No artificial additives could make the
sound of a Neumann U 47 or U 87
more desirable than it already is."
Harman Professional Solutions and
UK distributor Sound Technology have
announced that the AKG Podcaster
Essentials bundle, previously only
available in the US, is now
available in the UK.
Designed to give podcasters,
video producers and content
creators a professional edge,
the AKG Podcaster Essentials
bundle includes the new AKG
Lyra USB microphone, AKG K371
headphones, Ableton Live 10 Lite
recording software, a four-part
Berklee Online recording class,
and a full set of audio cables
including a headphone splitter.
"Today's podcasters and content
creators need versatile, powerful
audio solutions that enable them to
create the highest quality productions
that stand apart from the crowd," said
Chris Hansen, director of recording
and content creation, Harman
Professional Solutions. "The AKG
Podcaster Essentials bundle provides
everything creators need to transform
their computer into a professionalquality podcasting studio."

In terms of the audio sources, SFL
team provided a mixture of DPA and
Shure Axient Digital Wireless radio
microphones, with the Jenkins' Shure
mic being specially customised with
encrusting crystals. All microphones
were placed around the stage
for instruments and piano. Shure
PSM1000 IEMs and d&b M4 monitor
wedges, were used on stage.
On the new product front, German
studio
specialist
Neumann
has introduced the V 402,
a
microphone
preamplifier
with
integrated
headphone
monitoring. The V 402 is
Neumann's first-ever stand-alone
microphone preamp.
"All Neumann microphones,
classics as well as current
models, have unique sound
characteristics", says Ralf Oehl,
the Berlin company's CEO. "Finding
a preamplifier with the matching
The AKG Podcaster Essentials bundle is
uncompromised sound fidelity wasn't designed to give podcasters, video producers
and
content creators a professional edge
always easy - until now. The V 402
http://www.inbroadcast.com http://www.shure.com http://www.shure.com https://es-mx.sennheiser.com/ https://es-mx.sennheiser.com/ http://www.neumann.com/homestudio/en http://www.dpamicrophones.com https://www.akg.com/COLLECTIONS/bundles/AKG+Podcaster+Essentials.html?dwvar_AKG%20Podcaster%20Essentials_color=Black%20%2F%20Gray-GLOBAL-Current
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