Grammy Award-Winning Classical Cellist Uses the DPA 4061 and DPA 4088 Microphones for All Performances on the Silk Road Ensemble Tour

Yo-Yo Ma’s Audio Engineer Jody Elff relies on DPA Microphones’ 4088 cardioid headset and 4061 omnidirectional miniature microphones for the Silk Road Ensemble tour.

The Silk Road Ensemble, featuring the Grammy-winning classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma, explores the intersection of a variety of musical traditions, drawing inspiration from the historic Silk Road network of trade routes, where wildly diverse cultures and ideas mingled and evolved. The tour combines Western instruments like the violin, viola, cello, and bass with such Eastern instruments as the shakuhachi, kamanchech, oud, pipa, and sheng. more

Rio Rancho, NM – April 2012… Lectrosonics, recognized the world over as a leading manufacturer of wireless microphone systems and audio processing products, is pleased to introduce the release of Version 5.1 firmware for the company’s highly acclaimed Venue Wideband modular receiver system. The V5.1 firmware provides an important enhancement that will be most beneficial to broadcast, location, and sound reinforcement professionals—the capability of a “TalkBack� function compatible with the newly introduced HH handheld transmitter. more

Charlotte, NC – April 18, 2012: Recognized by Outreach Magazine as one of the fastest-growing churches in the United States, Elevation Church serves over 10,000 congregants each weekend and maintains six worship campuses — four of which are ‘portable.’ To keep pace with this growth, Elevation has had to establish itself on a solid technology footing and has maintained a strong relationship with Sennheiser since opening its doors in 2005. Recently, Elevation became an official Sennheiser endorsed worship facility and was among the first to put the new Neumann KK 205 capsules — which are designed for the Sennheiser 2000 series wireless transmitters — through their paces.

Brian Poole is technical director at Elevation Church and has worked closely with Sennheiser to ensure that the clarity and sonic integrity of the facility is all that it can be, no matter which campus congregants are attending. Recently, Elevation added five Neumann KK 205 microphone capsules to its arsenal of live performance and recording tools. Poole discusses how he has helped Elevation continue to deliver superior sound with Sennheiser and Neumann.

Can you describe some of the challenges that go along with the growth that Elevation has experienced?
We are six years old and have six campuses in the Charlotte area. All in all, we are running at about 10 or 11 thousand people every weekend. With that growth, there have been a lot of rapid changes we have had to make, especially considering that audio is a very big part of what we do. Sennheiser has been there for us the entire time and has provided the best product and support we could ask for — and even more so now that we are endorsed. A big challenge as a multi-campus church is ensuring that we will have gear that we know will be reliable and sound great. Four of our campuses are portable, so we are lugging gear in and out all weekend; when we plug it all in and turn it on, we know it is going to work. Sennheiser has also helped us through our RF coordination, which can be very complex.

How familiar are you with Neumann microphone capsules?
We have always loved Neumann microphones and already had the KK 105 capsules on our pastor’s [Steven Furtick] speaking mic with a Sennheiser SKM 5200 transmitter. Our pastor does a lot of singing as well, and the performance of the SKM 5200 / KK 105 combination has been fantastic. By making a Neumann capsule that works with an SKM 2000 transmitter is really a game changer for us. Now we can have Neumann sound not only for the pastor, but all our other lead singers and it is a very economical solution.

Tell me about your first impressions with the KK 205s.
We just received them three weeks ago, and they are already on our primary lead vocal microphones [used in combination with the Sennheiser SKM 2000 handheld transmitters] at our two permanent campuses. One of these campuses is a warehouse with low ceilings, and the acoustics aren’t ideal. The KK 205 has a supercardioid pattern so we are able to get plenty of gain before feedback — this is huge for us because we like it loud and we like it to sound good. I was 100 percent comfortable that I could take the KK 205 right to the stage without going through weeks of rehearsals first.

For our Easter service, the new Neumann capsules went into our broadcast facility. We have a big spoken word element in our Easter service, and this is the first thing right out of the gate during our worship experience. All our main worship leaders were on the KK 205s and the feed went out to all six of our campuses. It was also put online for everyone to see and participate in. Everything worked out great and all the voices were very rich.

Do you intend to use the KK 205s in other applications?
We do a lot of recording both for CDs and streaming on our website. In fact, our worship band has just signed a pretty big record deal and we expect the KK 205s and the SKM 2000s will be used on future live recordings. Our first live album and live DVD was a big deal for us and it is very exciting that Sennheiser has released a ‘Neumann for the Masses,’ if you will.

How has your experience been with Sennheiser overall, including with the new Neumann KK 205s?
First of all, Sennheiser has rock solid RF and the sound quality is best of the best. We’ve got 36 channels in our auditorium of Sennheiser wireless and I’ve never had a single issue of anything dropping out. Now, with the KK 205s, we can put Neumann performance in the reach of all our singers, increasing the overall quality of our worship experience. Audio quality has always been an incredibly important component of worship for Elevation Church and the KK 205 capsules truly represent quality for the masses — the cost/performance ratio cannot be beat. All in all, our relationship with Sennheiser has been fantastic and we feel very blessed.

Caption:
Brad Hudson, Worship Leader at Elevation Church, uses a KK 205 on a SKM 2000 during Easter rehearsals at Elevation’s Blakeney campus.

Offers an Unobtrusive and Versatile High-Quality Mic
to Meet Today’s Challenging Broadcasting Needs

LAS VEGAS, APRIL 16, 2012 – DPA Microphones, the manufacturer of high-level reference and headset microphones, will feature its d:fine series of headset microphones at the 2012 NAB Show (Booth C3436). Named to reflect their accurate audio definition and natural sonic characteristics, the d:fine headset mics offer consistent audio performance at all sound pressure levels, from a whisper to a shout, impressive gain-before-feedback and stable construction. The d:fine series is available as omnidirectional and directional and includes a long and a short mic boom mounted on either a single-ear mount or a dual-ear mount.

“The d:fine headset microphones have set a new benchmark for the industry, combining DPA’s accurate, full-range sound quality with a small form factor microphone capsule ideal for the wide variety of traditional and new broadcast applications,� says Jarrod Renaud, sales and marketing for DPA Microphones, Inc.

Today, broadcasters’ audio needs are changing and they rely more than ever on unobtrusive wireless headset mics. With these different options, broadcasters can find the d:fine headset that best fits their needs. The single-ear d:fine is good for more stationary productions such as a news show, commentary at a live sporting event or a talk show. For more active productions such as reality shows, health and fitness programming and live dance performances, the dual-ear d:fine provides broadcasters with the extra assurance that the mic will stay in place. The new short boom d:fine headset allows a user to optimize the placement of the microphone to realize perfect fit and invisibility, plus handling of extremely loud vocal levels, while minimizing distortion of wireless transmitters.

In a broadcast world that is increasingly changing and relying less on studio-bound and traditional filmed programming, the d:fine headset microphones provide worry-free performance in the most exacting situations. Supporting the exceptional d:fine sound quality, with a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz ± 2 dB and a maximum peak handling capacity of 144 dB before clipping, d:fine headset mics offer the unique opportunity to enjoy the quality of a DPA product through a sleek and flexible wireless headset mic.

The DPA single-ear and dual-ear headset mics are available in omnidirectional and directional versions, in black, brown, beige and lime green. The adjustable, single-ear headset features a removable ear hook assembly. All mics feature a

connector wire with multiple connector options to fit any professional wireless system.

“We are dedicated to understanding the needs of our clients and developing both microphones and support systems to meet those needs,� states Renaud. “The d:fine series is the perfect example of microphones that meet the new audio challenges increasingly encountered by the broadcast industry.�

About DPA:
DPA Microphones A/S is a leading Danish Professional Audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional applications in studio, broadcast, theatre, video/film and sound reinforcement environments. All DPA microphones and components are manufactured at the company’s purpose-built factory in Denmark.

For more information on DPA Microphones, please visit www.dpamicrophones.com.

Old Lyme, Conn. – April 17, 2012– With the new firmware version 1.7.0, audio specialist Sennheiser [NAB booth C2632] is now providing a media control protocol for its 2000, evolution wireless ew 500 G3 and evolution wireless ew 300 G3 series. This new open protocol enables rack-mount devices of the series to communicate directly with media control units in an Ethernet network (UDP/IP) and to be integrated into larger audio/video control systems. The units can then be remote-controlled and monitored directly from a central control panel, such as those supplied by Crestron and AMX. Individual solutions from system providers or control via an Apple iPad/iPhone or a mixing console are equally possible.

“The new firmware enables microphone receivers and monitoring transmitters from the 2000, ew 300 G3 and ew 500 G3 series to be remote-controlled and monitored,� explained Robb Blumenreder, channel manager for professional systems at Sennheiser’s U.S. headquarters. The user can display the channel banks of the rack-mount receivers and transmitters, remotely set a suitable frequency and also assign names. The receivers and transmitters can be muted via the control panel and give warning signals if, for example, the signal strength is too low or if the devices are threatening to over-amplify. “Put simply: this interface can be used to give all essential commands and to set up the system,� Blumenreder said.

For the receivers of the ew 300 G3, ew 500 G3 and 2000 series, the squelch, equalizer and audio signal strength can be displayed, as well as the RF field strength for each receiver unit within the device, the active antenna, pilot tone on/off and the battery status for the associated handheld or bodypack transmitters.

For the monitoring transmitters of the ew 300 IEM G3 and 2000 IEM series, the sensitivity, equalizer and mono/stereo setting can be displayed and adjusted. In addition, the transmitter indicates the audio signal level.

“Of course, even when integrated into a media control system, the rack-mount receivers and transmitters can still be operated and programmed directly at the units themselves,� Blumenreder explained. “The devices will then process the current control signal in each case.�

The new firmware version for the receivers and transmitters as well as the complete documentation for the media control protocol can be downloaded free of charge from the Sennheiser website: www.sennheiserusa.com/mediacontrolprotocol.

*iPad and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the USA and other countries

Image Caption:
Screenshot1+2.jpg: Microphone receivers and monitoring transmitters from Sennheiser’s 2000, ew 500 G3 and ew 300 G3 series can now communicate directly with media control units via an open protocol

Devices Supported

EM 300 G3 wireless microphone receiver
EM 500 G3 wireless microphone receiver
SR 300 IEM G3 monitoring transmitter
EM 2000 wireless microphone receiver
EM 2050 twin wireless microphone receiver
SR 2000 IEM monitoring transmitter
SR 2050 IEM twin monitoring transmitter

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Originally launched in 1993, HARMAN’s AKG C3000 condenser microphone brought a remarkable level of quality and performance to musicians and sound engineers with a foundation of audio perfection and reliability. With the C2000, C4000 and C4500 BC debuting in the following years, the Project Studio Line was born. Nearly 20 years later, AKG’s has relauched the Project Studio Line, with a cost-effective, aesthetically beautiful set of mics, channelling the popular characteristics it maintained in the ’90s.

The revamped Project Studio Line’s C4500 BC is specially designed for on-air broadcast purposes. The mic is designed with cardioid pickup and offers legendary AKG sound quality thanks to its edge-terminated large diaphragm condenser capsule. The low proximity effect and the integrated multilayer pop-filter ensure best results even with lively speakers. Its low noise and 165dB maximum SPL capability make it an ideal tool for close micing of low instruments, such as bass drums, low brass and guitar amps as well.

“AKG’s new Project Studio Line takes a fresh look at a technology that has stayed true to the audio industry for 20 years, which is testament to the quality and reliability of our world-leading microphones,” stated Thomas Stubics, product marketing manager, recording and broadcast, AKG. “The C4500 BC’s relaunch will offer a comfortable and reliable solution for any on-air micing or voice over application with amazingly clear and high-quality results.”

The entire Project Studio Line’s revamped mics apply to multiple facets of the live sound and recording industry, in addition to C4500 BC’s broadcast capabilities. The C3000 is best used for miking lead vocals, electric and acoustics guitars and for drum overhead applications. Its switchable attenuation pad and low-cut filter enable high SPL up to 150dB and eliminates proximity effects.

The C2000 small-diaphragm condenser sounds like a real large-diaphragm microphone but at a more affordable price. It is ideal for vocals, brass and percussions thanks to its great transient response and remarkable low end. Its low-noise electronics ensure low distortion and a high dynamic range.

The C4000′s high-performance, multi-pattern, large-diaphragm design provides exceptionally high headroom and low self-noise. With one of the widest dynamic ranges for condenser mics, the microphone provides users with excellent results in the studio or on stage. Its warm, dark-sounding character is perfect for thin vocals, bright brass and acoustic guitars.

For more information about AKG, please visit http://www.akg.com and http://www.youtube.com/AKGacoustics.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

Old Lyme, Conn. – April 16, 2012: Premium audio brand Neumann announced that it will be showcasing its new KK 204 and KK 205 microphone capsules at the Sennheiser booth [C2632] during NAB 2012. The new capsules, which are available in cardioid (KK 204) and supercardioid (KK 205) patterns, are compatible with Sennheiser’s 2000 series of wireless handheld transmitters.

The acoustic features of the KK 204 and KK 205 capsule heads are derived from the multiple award-winning wired Neumann stage microphones, the KMS 104 and KMS 105. The KK 204, with its cardioid pattern, ensures the best possible suppression of sound originating from 180 degrees to the rear, while the supercardioid KK 205 has greater directivity, and maximizes incident sound from the front as compared to sound from the rear. Due to the “single polar pattern design,� the polar patterns are very uniform over the entire frequency range and provide excellent resistance to feedback.

Wolfgang Fraissinet, President of Neumann, commented: “Neumann capsules have already been used in combination with the Sennheiser SKM 5200 handheld transmitter for the past 10 years on some of the largest stages of the world, where the highest demands are placed on a high-resolution sound and transmission reliability. With the development of the KK 204 and KK 205 capsule heads, the Neumann sound is now also available for the Sennheiser 2000 Series. The synergies between the key areas of expertise of Sennheiser handheld transmitters and Neumann capsule sound permit us to offer our customers a wireless system of absolutely uncompromisingly quality, even for the most demanding live applications.�

In developing the new capsules, particular importance was placed on the effective damping of pop sounds and handling noise, as well as on the extremely low level of self-noise. The KK 204 and KK 205 capsule heads also have an extremely wide dynamic range and were designed to be very easy to service.

The aesthetic design complements the construction of the SKM 2000 handheld transmitter, and each capsule — like the SKM 2000 transmitter — is available in both nickel and black finishes. Each capsule includes a large nylon bag designed to hold the capsules, the handheld transmitter, battery packs and additional accessories.

Both the KK 204 and KK 205 feature:

– Reduced handling noise: Very low sensitivity to handling noise with a steep roll-off from approximately 78 Hz
– Reduced plosives and sibilance: Both capsules feature a foam-lined grille to ensure smooth sound
– Wide dynamic range with high SPL capability: 126 dB-A of dynamic range with 150 dB MAX SPL
– Low feedback: Incredibly smooth and flat frequency response provided high gain before feedback
– Easy to service components: Neumann understands the rigors of the road and has made the KK 204 and KK 205 exceptionally robust but easy to service if necessary

Specifications:

Directional pattern: Cardioid (KK 204) / Super-cardioid (KK 205)
Frequency range: 40 Hz – 20 kHz
Sensitivity (at 1 kHz into 1 k?): 2.8 mV/Pa ± 1 dB
Equivalent noise level, CCIR1): 35 dB
Equivalent noise level, A-weighted1): 24 dB-A Max. SPL for 0.5% THD2) 150 dB
Dynamic range (A-weighted): >126 dB-A
Weight (including transmitter and power supply unit): Approx. 17.6 oz.
Dimensions (including SKM 2000)/length: 10.7 in., ø 2.2 in.

1) according to IEC 60268-1; CCIR-weighting according to CCIR 468-3, quasi peak; A-weighting according to IEC 61672-1, RMS
2) measured as equivalent el. input signal