After doing the tedious work of completing a documentary or complex news feature, the last thing anyone wants is an underpowered, unenthusiastic narrator. In addition to a high energy level, we also want that voice to have presence and sound bigger than life. How do we ensure a “big” sound from the voice artist?
Since the beginning of pro audio, connoisseurs of classic microphones have invested in rare, aging instruments that are said to bring a certain magical quality to the sound. Since many of these vintage mics are quite old, they incur an increasingly high level of costly maintenance. Most of the rest of us are priced out of this collector’s domain.
In the early days of pro audio, commercial recordings were often made with a single ribbon microphone, a simple broadcast console and a mono audio tape recorder. The choices were all about choreographing performers around the fixed microphone. Today, with the rise of digital audio workstations (DAW), the operational choices are infinite and the desire for perfection can overwhelm any recording.
The motor in a loudspeaker drive unit is a critical element in obtaining high performance. The moving coil principle is a century old and it has survived this long because it has certain advantages which no other technology has yet improved upon. For low frequency reproduction where significant travel is required, there is little competition.
To fully leverage the benefits of IP networks we need to think in IT terms. Just replacing the acronym MADI or AES with IP is insufficient as all we end up with is a very complex, poorly utilized, static network.
Network routing is a phrase that is bandied about broadcast forums liberally. But what exactly does it mean to route an IP datagram? And why is it important for broadcast and radio stations?
Those of us who have grown up doing professional audio recording establish certain rules of the road that we learn and tend to never forget. The problem is — over time — new technology makes these our old rules obsolete. Here are some common old-school myths that we now all need to forget.
Building and operating IP networks is much more than just about saving money on infrastructure costs. Its success is deeply rooted in the ease of flexibility, scalability, and inter-connectivity that it can provide. And one of the greatest benefits of IP is that the protocol and underlying hardware is independent of the data being carried, therefore, distributing and interfacing between different formats is easier than ever.