Sports television has always chased immersion. Higher frame rates, longer lenses and increasingly complex graphics all served the same goal: putting the viewer closer to the action.

But for all the visual advances, sound remains a powerful shortcut to realism.

At the U.S. Figure Skating National Championships in St. Louis on Jan. 11, a quiet piece of audio innovation brought audiences closer to the ice than ever before by placing microphones directly inside it.

Cutting Into the Ice
Broadcast audio technicians arrived in St. Louis early to help the ice operations team install prototype Audio-Technica contact microphones directly into the skating surface. These contact microphones converted vibrations in the ice into an electrical signal that could be amplified for broadcast.

From there, a narrow trench ran from the mic location back to the dasher boards, allowing the cable to exit cleanly at the rink perimeter. Once the microphones were seated, the cabling was dressed tightly against the wall so it could later be tied into the broadcast infrastructure.

After installation, the ice team packed slush over the microphones and trenches, resurfaced the area, and painted the ice to conceal any visible lines. When finished, there was no visible evidence that 10 microphones were sitting just beneath the surface, positioned evenly around the rink.

Once the physical work was complete, the broadcast audio team tied the microphones into the broadcast truck, where the real test began.

A Different Kind of Microphone
The prototype microphones were contact mics, capturing only vibrations from the ice. Audio-Technica supplied the mics, with Gary Dixon, director of broadcast business development, closely involved in testing and exploring their applications.

“The goal is always the same,” Dixon explained. “How do we make sounds more interesting to people?”

Because the element was embedded directly into the ice, the microphones were inherently isolated from ambient noise. The mics use standard phantom power and were connected to conventional microphone inputs, with an internal amplifier bringing the piezo-element (an electrical charge or voltage generated by mechanical stress) signal up to microphone level.

Crowd reaction, PA spill and arena noise simply did not factor into the signal path. What remained was pure mechanical sound: blades carving ice, shifts in pressure, landings, takeoffs and the rhythm of the skating itself.

The microphones used in St. Louis were available through Audio-Technica’s rental program, with plans for a future commercial release. Dixon sees broad potential well beyond figure skating, such as basketball rims, soccer goalposts, swimming environments and even engines. Anywhere vibration tells a story, contact microphones offer a new way to listen.

Mixing the Ice
For Randy Pekich, senior audio mixer with NBC, the first listen was eye-opening.

“When I heard them, my first reaction was, ‘No way that’s a shotgun mic,’” Pekich said. “I was completely fascinated.”

With more than three decades in television audio and a background spanning music recording, studio television and large-scale remote productions, Pekich had embedded microphones into just about every imaginable place. But contact microphones in ice were new territory.

His initial concern was physics. With roughly an inch of ice covering each microphone, Pekich expected the sound to be thin, fragile or highly localized. Instead, he found that each mic captured a surprisingly wide area, roughly a 6- to 8-foot diameter, with enough detail to hear skaters working at center ice.

“They’re outstanding,” he said. “One of the best inventions to happen to the sport.”

Historically, figure skating audio relied on a combination of shotguns, PCC-style boundary microphones and occasionally lavaliers embedded in the dasher boards. As overall venue levels increased, those microphones inevitably behaved more like crowd mics, capturing PA and audience noise instead of isolating on-ice action. The in-ice contact microphones changed that equation entirely.

Simplifying the Mix
During the event, Pekich continuously monitored ambient sound levels in the arena, including crowd noise, music playback and general environmental spill, to understand what he was up against. With the contact microphones, much of that fight disappeared.

“I worried whether 10 microphones would be enough,” he admitted. “Then I heard everything.”

Because the microphones only responded to vibration in the ice, fader management became significantly easier. Instead of chasing skaters around the rink or riding levels to avoid crowd surges, Pekich could focus on storytelling. Subtle compression and minimal EQ were all that was required.

“Considering the massive frequency restrictor of the surrounding ice, they performed flawlessly,” he said. “They’re very true to sound.”

Importantly, the sound resonated with those who knew it best. Former skaters serving as on-air analysts commented that the audio matched exactly what they remembered hearing while skating. In some cases, they could even identify blade placement, helping them explain technique and judging decisions to viewers.

The Ice Team Perspective
Embedding equipment into the field of play is always a sensitive issue, particularly in a sport where surface quality directly affects athlete safety. John Monteleone, director of education with the U.S. Ice Rink Association, who oversaw the ice operations, acknowledged the initial hesitation.

“Most ice operations staff shy away from placing any foreign matter in the ice,” Monteleone said. “But after refining the process since 2019, we’re confident in the installation.”

The key, he explained, was precision and consistency. Keeping the cable runs straight, thoroughly removing ice shavings and carefully packing slush over the microphones ensured a uniform surface. Throughout the event, there were no impacts to ice quality, no interference from resurfacing equipment and no contact from skaters’ toe picks.

Removal, however, remained the most time-consuming part of the process. Locating and extracting the microphones after the event could take time and required chipping and hot water. Even so, Monteleone said he would be comfortable deploying the system again.

“My preference is always to keep the field of play as clean as possible,” he said. “But with the experience we’ve gained, I have no reservations about continuing to use in-ice microphones for these events.”

A New Layer of Immersion
Figure skating is a deceptively difficult sport to mix. The action is fluid, the pacing varies and the most important moments are often quiet, such as a subtle shift before a jump or the scrape of an edge setting up a landing. These embedded contact microphones added an entirely new layer of that story.

The on-ice sound translated exceptionally well, earning praise from the production team, leadership and viewers alike.

For audio, innovation doesn’t always mean more microphones or more channels. Sometimes it means listening differently. By installing directly to the ice, these contact microphones offered a rare combination of isolation, authenticity and emotional impact, bringing audiences closer to the sport without ever being seen.

Ever feel like simply keeping up with the mixing demands of live production prevents you from doing your best work?

With so many microphones across the field, court, or set and so many channels to monitor and mix, it can be overwhelming. Adding to the challenge are ever-present budget realities that demand A1s do more with fewer people and tighter timelines.

But that equation is changing. The new Shure DCA901 digital broadcast mic array combines 78 individual microphones to create eight distinct software-steerable channels, an audio DSP that powers a built-in automixer, and control software to ease setup and reduce the burden of managing multiple microphones used to create a conventional mix.

With the DCA901 array, A1s can build their mixes as they truly intend them to be rather than out of concern over the precise positioning of mics, microphone failure or unwanted noise from, for instance, fans in the stands who may drown out the sound of a shoe squeak on court or a player calling for the ball on a football (soccer) pitch.

Ultimate Control

Consider a conventional live audio production for a televised basketball game. An A1 working with assistants would attach shotgun microphones to the stanchions supporting the backboard and point each toward the court, providing a wide pickup pattern. A pair of lavalier mics—one at each net—would also be attached to pick up the ball hitting the rim or the swish of a nothing-but-net free throw—and another shotgun mic at midcourt.

Add into the mix an assortment of on-camera mics, other mics positioned around the arena for crowd noise, and a couple of cameras with shotgun mics attached to capture the sound of those in-your-face under-the-basket shots.

Now consider replacing most, if not all, of that with a DCA901 mounted to each stanchion. With the microphones’ easy-to-use control software, individually steerable coverage lobes are positioned to cover each half of the court. Using the array’s Auto Position feature found in its web-based GUI, an A1 selects a channel and instructs an assistant to make a sound at a desired location. Using that sound, the system automatically aims one lobe at the sound to pick up audio from that location.

The DCA901 offers several key benefits in this scenario. First, there are far fewer possible points of failure—fewer mics and backup mics, less cabling, and fewer wireless channels that might fail. Next, setup time drops dramatically—from hours to as little as 30 minutes. Gone is the need for back-and-forth between an A1 and an assistant, tweaking each mic's orientation. Instead, DCA901 lobe steering is done in software away from the array. Fewer mics, backups, and support gear, along with faster setup, translate into lower production costs.

More Intentional Mixes

Perhaps the greatest benefit of using the DCA901 is that it unlocks the full potential of A1s to mix live productions the way they want, not as they must. The array’s powerful, yet easy-to-use functions and software give A1s the freedom to mix with intention.

For instance, replacing so many conventional microphones with a pair of DCA901s in the basketball scenario means A1s can rely upon the array’s automixer to create a submix of the action on court as it moves from coverage lobe to lobe rather than mixing multiple audio channels coming from stanchion shotgun mics, lavaliers, camera mics, and the rest.

Rather, taking the submix from the DCA901 automixer and a few mics around the arena for crowd noise, an A1 has enough time to focus on the other sound elements that go into the main mix, such as sound effects associated with animated graphics, which might otherwise have been missed.

Of course, these same benefits can enhance audio production by opening up new possibilities for A1s to mix intentionally and achieve their creative vision for other sports, studio shows, and even reality TV.

Having that extra set of virtual hands makes all the difference not only for A1s but also for producers and directors, who expect their shows to look and sound great.

Click here to learn more about the DCA901 and schedule a demo in your environment.

OTTAWA—Ross Video has acquired LAMA, a Dutch-based developer of advanced audio production software known for its innovative live mixing solutions. The acquisition significantly strengthens Ross Video’s audio solution set and core audio technology, while bringing in a highly experienced team in audio-focused solutions, the company said.

“We are excited to welcome the LAMA team to Ross,” said Jeff Moore, Executive Vice-President & Chief Marketing Officer of Ross Video. “Ross Video has built its legacy on giving our customers everything they need to connect with their audiences. This acquisition extends our audio capabilities, both on-premises and in the cloud.”

LAMA’s software is designed to streamline live audio workflows, whether operated by seasoned audio engineers or streaming content creators. Built for speed, flexibility, and integration, it supports use cases ranging from live broadcasts and esports to corporate events and streaming. Its features address connectivity, mixing, and mix automation with a modern, software-defined approach.

Proven in real-world use, LAMA powered Eurosport’s Olympic Games Paris 2024 and enabled SK Gaming to simplify esports audio with NDI integration.

“LAMA was built to challenge the traditional complexities of live audio,” said Ewan Cameron, Co-founder and CCO of LAMA. “Joining Ross Video allows us to keep innovating while expanding access to our technology through a trusted global brand.”

With LAMA, Ross customers will gain access to fully integrated audio mixing tools that complement their existing video workflows, removing silos and streamlining production, according to the company.

“We’re always listening to our customers, and they kept telling us how impressed they were with LAMA’s intuitive approach to audio mixing,” said Nigel Spratling, Vice President of Production Switchers at Ross Video. “When we took a closer look, it was clear LAMA had built something truly special: technology that’s modern, efficient, and aligned with the needs of today’s operators.”

LAMA’s software will be on display at the Ross Video booth 8.B91 during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam.

Sports fans today don’t just want to watch the game—they want to feel it. From surround sound to live player chats, the push for immersive sports audio is changing how we experience the action.

This is why “all current trends from both the creative and technological side focus on the same objective: Access and bringing fans closer to this great game,” says Jason Hedgcock, Major League Baseball’s senior director of technical production and special projects for Apple TV+.

Hedgcock’s comments are focused on baseball, but his observations apply broadly across sports broadcasting. “The use of alternative audio channels has allowed fans to access games in native languages,” he says. “Placing microphones and IFBs on players has given fans the opportunity to better see the personality of the players in the moment of action. And Dolby Atmos has offered a unique opportunity to sonically place a fan at home in the center of the action in the ballpark.

“As such, I fully expect broadcasts to continue to lean into these workflows and technology to bring fans through their screen and into the park and onto the field.”

Casual sports fans want more access to player/athlete audio, according to Joseph Carpenter, an audio mixer for Fox Sports. “In golf, the player-caddy conversation continues to increase in demand.”

On network telecasts, announcers must be more aware of opportunities to listen in and, in some cases, are even instructed to lay out during these moments, Carpenter adds.

“TGL Golf is a new concept, with all the players wearing microphones and earpieces in order to allow the strategy and interaction to be heard at all times,” he says. “In baseball, it has become commonplace now to interview a player while he is on the field and actively playing.”

During an Apple TV+ “Friday Night Baseball” broadcast, Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa took questions from the booth while playing shortstop, “providing a look into how veteran leaders engage with their teammates on very human things like player health and how to best support a team,” Hedgcock says.

SMPTE ST 2110 Driving the Change
As more operations transition to SMPTE ST 2110—which allows the transport of uncompressed, high-quality media over internet protocol—the remote A1 [primary audio technician] has had to develop more expertise in IT and system networking, according to Florian Brown, ESPN senior audio supervisor.

“The interconnected nature of 2110 allows for granular control over devices and even complex systems like audio consoles from remote locations,” he says. “This gives us the creative freedom to manipulate incoming sources remotely, which opens up exciting possibilities for sweetening audio and isolating specific sounds to enhance the broadcast.”

Brown isn’t alone in viewing 2110 as a game-changer. Carpenter, a 35-year veteran, says he has seen a number of transitions, but “the current wave of audio-over-IP solutions is certainly one of the more impactful shifts I’ve witnessed. High-quality audio being seamlessly transported and decoded across varying platforms and hosts has become commonplace with the latest coalescence of 2110 and real-time protocols.”

Brown concurs. “As we reach the full potential of 2110 connectivity, we continue to push into a more immersive experience for the consumer,” he says. “The demand for richer audio certainly goes hand-in-hand with
higher-quality video.”

Giving broadcasters the ability to support multilingual audio commentary using 2110 helps Apple TV+, ESPN, Fox Sports and other media outlets attract viewers in an increasingly fragmented media market. But these two trends have to be deployed in tandem to deliver the desired result.

“In a diversifying media landscape, simply putting the game on isn’t enough to attract and engage an audience,” Hedgcock says. “You need to be creative in the storytelling. [Now] the human aspect of the game is one of the hardest things to capture, so the intimacy that audio can provide is a powerful tool broadcasters can use to drive humanity home. Rather than a simple natural sound mix to hear the roar of the crowd, a 5.1 or 7.2 mix can be used to place a fan among their peers in the park.”

Even Better Sports Audio Is Coming
As captivating as today’s multichannel immersive sports audio is, more progress may yet be needed to deliver its full impact to viewers.

“Much like the brief attempt to broadcast video in 3D required wearing glasses, I feel as though the current trend to deliver immersive sound to viewers at home will require a quantum leap in affordable home theater equipment,” Carpenter says. “That being said, the quality of audio being delivered to portable devices like smartphones and tablets is hitting its stride.”

As for the future of sports audio? “A fully matured 2110 environment for broadcasters and end users will allow us to isolate even more detail and emotion from a sporting event,” Brown says. “This will give us the ability to define the user experience at the source and deliver that to the customer as intended, without third-party manipulation. That is the ultimate goal, and we are well on our way.”

As fans continue to migrate to mobile devices and use headphones to listen to broadcasts, some of the next generation of innovation will focus on “getting the big sounds out of little speakers,” according to Hedgcock.

“Similar to how musical mixers leaned into mixes for radio for years, I expect sports mixers to listen to their shows on various headphone options, both over-the-ear and in-ear, to fine-tune their mixes,” he says. “I also think we will see even greater use of on-field player microphones, plus the reemergence of the all-audio games that MLB Network tested back in 2012. These games—where the broadcast team largely laid out, letting the sounds of the ballpark and players dominate the audio track—would offer an incredibly unique experience and can be made available as a complement to the traditional broadcast.”

Carpenter is very optimistic about sports audio’s future progress and impact.

“I believe now that video quality has reached such incredible heights, and super slow motion has become ubiquitous in instant replay for referee and umpire calls in all sports, that audio is becoming the next frontier in captivating viewers’ attention and bringing to light the true level of athleticism and passion we have begun to take for granted as technology advances,” he says. “In the meantime, I will continue to try to innovate new ways to push the sonic envelope and ‘bring it to the people’ at home.”

Again, all of these sports audio innovations share a common goal: Shrinking the distance between athlete and audience. In a world of fragmented attention and media overload, sound may be the clearest path to the hearts—and loyalty—of today’s viewers.

OXFORD, UK—Solid State Logic will introduce System T Cloud, a virtualized version of its System T audio mixing solution for live-to-air broadcast at the 2024 NAB Show, April 14-17 in Las Vegas. 

System T Cloud delivers the same premium audio quality, feature set, and interface as the hardware-based version and is “a complete and comprehensive broadcast audio solution,” the company said. 

Cloud-based, or ‘virtualized’ audio processing presents the next significant step forward in production technology, offering substantial benefits to broadcasters and service providers, SSL said. Operational costs are minimized by reducing physical hardware onsite, while idle resource capacity can be utilised more efficiently. The ability to easily manage multiple live events in various geographical locations from a single control room reduces travel and lowers the carbon footprint of production operations. 

Over the past two years, Solid State Logic says it and fellow Audiotonix manufacturer, Calrec have been working closely with leading broadcasters to gain invaluable insights into their production needs, particularly in harnessing cloud-based processing and virtualized control. Through a series of successful Proof-of-Concept (PoC) events, encompassing both shadow and live-to-air productions, SSL and Calrec have co-developed virtualized DSP capabilities.  

System T Cloud offers truly flexible capabilities with virtualized processing, control and audio routing. It provides up to 256 processing paths, supporting stereo, 5.1 and immersive formats, all controlled via hardware or software interfaces from any location. With a fully integrated Dante Connect implementation, the Virtual Tempest Engine offers 256x256 inputs and outputs, with audio routing control managed directly from the UI and stored and recalled with the showfile. Across a distributed production architecture, any combination of hardware and software control interfaces can be utilised, offering a unified operator experience, according to the company.  

System T Cloud features include:

• Cloud instances of the Virtual Tempest DSP Engine.  
• Cloud instances of the Tempest Control App.  
• 256 processing paths.  
• Full immersive formats up to 7.1.4 with 9.1.6 monitoring.  
• Dante Connect cloud audio transport and routing.  
• 256x256 Dante Connect connectivity on Virtual Tempest Engine.  
• NDI conversion options.  
• Hardware and/or software control positions located anywhere.  
• Control positions in multiple locations simultaneously.

SSL will be Booth C6307 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas  Convention Center. 

Audio mixing is and will always be a key component of live broadcast production. How, where and on what kind of equipment it is carried out in the future is not entirely certain but trends are emerging and technology is being established that already give some indication of how the audio console is evolving to meet the changing requirements of broadcasters.

For the time being at least there is still a definite need for big, physical multiple fader sound desks, most especially on large-scale, prestige broadcasts such as premium sports events and entertainment shows. The difference, according to Henry Goodman, director of product management at Calrec Audio, is where the mixing surface is located and where the processing takes place.

‘Distributed Production’
“What we’re seeing is a break in the geographical connection of the control room having to be where the studio is and the operator having to be at the venue,” he says. “If you don’t have to physically tie your operator to the venue or a truck, you can put them in a nicely built studio where they have the space to monitor properly with all the necessary equipment. That changes how you can manage the operator and the equipment, as well as providing greater consistency in the mixing.”

Software and the cloud play major roles in this new arrangement, which Goodman prefers to call distributed production rather than remote production.

“It’s not just remote, it is distributing the different elements of the production in different places,” he explains. “The cloud part is another step along that way. Instead of having your physical DSP processing next to the console or in a central control room, you have it either in a public cloud or on COTS hardware that’s under your control, replacing the traditional DSP engine with a software-based engine. 

“Quite a few of the broadcasters we’re talking to are not necessarily totally sold on public clouds, so building their own private cloud and running software on that in an agile way is quite appealing,” he added.

Calrec’s parent group, Audiotonix, has produced a technology Proof of Concept (PoC) for audio cloud processing that is now providing what is described as the “backbone” of live broadcast consoles being developed by both Calrec and fellow subsidiary Solid State Logic (SSL). 

For Calrec, it involves a RP1 remote production unit at the venue linked to an Argo mixing surface in a control room over Dante Connect, with an Audiotonix New Heights audio DSP mix engine in AWS Cloud. 

“When we started thinking about what we needed for cloud processing we looked across the group for technology we could use, which is why it’s seen as an Audiotonix development,” Goodman says. “Calrec and SSL are working on it at the moment because we’re both operating in the broadcast sector and it’s mainly broadcasters that are driving the need to get audio processing in the cloud.”

Best of Both Worlds
Other leading broadcast audio console manufacturers are also adding their own takes on how to provide more flexibility by splitting up the various aspects of the mix process and putting a substantial part of it in the cloud. Wheatstone’s Layers Software Suite brings mixing, processing and streaming capabilities to any server, either on premises or in an AWS or other cloud data center. 

Senior Sales Engineer Phil Owens comments that in a “typical console system” today, which will be based on audio over IP (AoIP), some of it can be easily virtualized and other parts of it will remain physical.

“But you want the part that’s physical to work in your dream system in the cloud at some point,” he says. “For this we have virtualized the guts of some of our consoles. By that I mean when you sit at a physical console and push a switch or raise a fader, there’s CPU hardware in that console that’s telling the rest of the system what you did. 

“When you virtualize that, you’re still going to push a switch or raise a fader but it’s going to be on a touchscreen and those commands still have to have a CPU that tells the rest of the system you took those action,” Owens continued. “So we have the console virtualized to the extent it will run on a Linux server and you interface to it via a touchscreen, which can communicate with a server in the next room or the next town or in the cloud.”

Lawo has developed the HOME IP management platform as the basis of its audio mixing systems, with various apps for different requirements.

“We have not decided to nudge our customers in any particular direction,” says Christian Struck, senior product manager for audio production. “While these containerized microservices can run in the public cloud if users so wish, they are as effective on standard servers in a data center as on-prem. We like to call data centers that can be accessed from just about anywhere in the world a ‘private cloud,’ which is easier to protect and more affordable with respect to ingress and egress costs.”

Just Getting Started
Even with this activity, it can be said that— as Martin Dyster, vice president of business development for TV at Telos Alliance observes—these are still early days for software and cloud-based mixing. 

Dyster highlights the Audiotonix New Heights project and AWS’s involvement with audio companies, adding Telos is also working with the cloud platform but more for its virtual intercom system. 

“Audio has been left behind when it comes to cloud production and we’re all playing catch up right now,” he says. “I’ve been involved with the cloud for about three years through the comms platform and have become very aware that the landscape around us for cloud-based mixing has been pretty sparse. 

“A lot of broadcasters we talked to early on were using things like REAPER [digital audio workstation] but we weren’t seeing the major console brands you might expect. That’s starting to change now but it’s still not a well populated landscape and it will be interesting to see what develops over the next five years.”

Dyster notes that the concept of a virtualized console is picking up more in radio, with Telos’s Axia Altus virtual cloud mixer now being used for some applications on that side of broadcasting. While TV and radio sound desks are different animals, there is now more crossover between the two areas due to the growth of visualization in radio, with cameras now becoming more common in on-air studios. 

“Features like automix are an absolute standard now,” he says. “Automation control from third party orchestration layers is more requested, particularly with visual radio and algorithms that can automate based on the schedule of the show, so the console cuts itself to some extent, with more audio-follow-video features.”

What About AI?
As with all broadcast production technologies, many are now considering what influence or impact artificial intelligence (AI) might have on audio consoles. Dyster points to specialized mixing systems from Salsa Sound and LAMA Mix, which provide features such as ball tracking for sports coverage, automixing and monitoring for language recognition. 

Lawo’s Christian Struck adds that “there is no doubt AI will find its way into future audio mixing consoles or their DSP engines,” while Wheatstone’s Phil Owens says that although AI is working its way into the broadcast workflow, it hasn’t hit audio yet. 

But it does have potential. 

“What AI can do for sound is provide the basis for plug-ins that perform noise cancellation. When you apply an AI to that job it gets better at doing it, recognizing noise as opposed to signal,” Owens said.

Henry Goodman at Calrec agrees it is an interesting area and one people are looking at to see what benefits it can bring.

“On the console side, the area that interests us is having facilities providing assistive mechanisms for the operators, whether that’s balancing external feeds coming in or standardized EQ for specific microphones,” he said. “It’s something we’re keeping a close eye on but it’s not at the forefront of our development right now.”

All of which makes the audio console the gear to keep watching, if only to see where it ends up in the broadcast center. 

BURLINGTON, Canada—Evertz will feature full integration of its Studer brand Vista digital mixing consoles with its Evertz Software Defined Video Networking (SDVN) platform as well as audio console support for SMPTE ST 2110 during IBC 2023, Sept. 15-18, at RAI Amsterdam.

Evertz, which acquired Studer in 2021, also has brought together Studer Vista and its DreamCatcher BRAVO Studio virtual production control, enabling users to produce high-quality live content quickly and easily at a lower cost, the company said.

The addition of Vista BRAVO provides virtual access to a full mixing console featuring all of Studer’s enhanced audio capabilities. Vista BRAVO gives users the flexibility needed to enhance audio whether they are working on-premise or via the cloud, it said.

Another innovation to the Studer Vista range is expanded Vista control using the Evertz VUE Intelligent User Interface. Now offering more than 2,000 bidirectional controls, the combination of Vista and VUE has created a tool well-suited for multiple small production suites and remote productions, it said.

“The amalgamation of VUE and Vista is remarkable,” says Paul Shorter, Studer-Evertz Audio Solutions product manager. “Its ease of use has been a paramount focus for the VUE interface, whilst retaining the power and flexibility of the Vista’s controls.”

New to the Studer Vista console range is the Video PFL (Pre-Fade-Listen) feature that maximizes the capabilities of Evertz MAGNUM OS orchestration, monitoring and analysis software. With Video PFL, audio operators can select an input to pre-fade while listening to the audio and seeing the accompanying video for that channel on the multiviewer in the audio control room. By allowing the video to follow the audio, Evertz gives engineers a visual representation of the audio on the PFL, thereby ensuring that the right source is always selected, the company said. 

Evertz will also show other developments for BRAVO Studio, including the new Highlight Factory, where clips and stories are automatically created using AI technology and published to Ease Live where users can pick their own highlights, it said.

See Evertz at IBC 2023 Stand 1.B79.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Who would have thought that we would end 2020 with accelerated entertainment and sports schedules, athletes, judges, contestants and TV crews wearing masks—along with virtually no audiences or spectators in venues? Here’s my assessment of what the past year has meant to our industry: 

THE GOOD

I really don’t mind empty seats with close shots of the athletes to disguise the fact there are few fans, but I do mind goofy cutouts that cover empty seats. My favorite shot of the baseball season was from the 2020 MLB World Series that Joe Carpenter mixed for Fox Sports. Not only did Carpenter have the biggest parabolic microphone I have ever seen behind home plate, but he had a total of three parabolic microphones: not just directly from behind home plate, but also one on the left and one on the right of home plate. Carpenter not only obstructed the prime viewing area of fans that were not there, but he delivered an engaging sound for the TV audience.

This was the season when audio proved to the many video skeptics the true importance of sound. It’s not that audio is 10% of the show and 90% of the problems; and it is certainly not that audio just follows video. When the sound of the fans and spectators are gone it seems the show really suffers.

As a retired road mixer, I fully understand that home time for many weary broadcast engineers, technicians, camera operators and the audio crew is often not enough. As my wife told me over 30 years ago, “You have it made. You don’t cook, clean or participate in the family.”

What an eye opener—I am still married to a very patient woman.

THE REALLY GOOD

It also seems that many audio professionals have spent some time expanding their audio chops. I have heard from and read about many “audio-ettes” who are spending some education time getting Audinate/Dante Certification and expanding their intercom and mixing desk skills.

More home and education time is a huge benefit to the crews, but for the last four to ve months, I have listened to baseball, basketball, hockey and football and truly believe that it sounds better with fewer people in the venues and sampled sounds.

One of the first times I tried synchronous playback was of pad crunches when I mixed a University of Georgia football game. How can you compete against close to 100,000 exuberant (mostly drunk) fans? The games I have listened to this season with perhaps up to 10,000 fans are dynamic, detailed and interesting for the home listener because you can hear the field along with a nice balance of the fans.

Clearly, the MLB World Series and most basketball coverage took the sound to a different level with alternative microphone placement and practices. For example, using the contact microphone under the floor could certainly lead to interesting Audio Tech Emmy nominations for the 2020 season.

THE BAD

It is hard to understand the lifestyle of the thousands of broadcast technicians in our industry. For the lucky number who can work out of a major sports city, a sport like baseball means 82 home games, which means employment for a large hometown crew (30 to 40 people) for 82 days.

With COVID-19, much of that income was gone for a shortened season. A regular home season for baseball and basketball is a luxury, but there are thousands more who travel to cover sports on a contract for weeks and months at a time, committed to cover college and professional football, basketball, golf, tennis, NASCAR and much more.

I heard from some of my freelance friends who experienced COVID-19 cancellations after being booked before the season had even started or was subsequently postponed, and I was told that many of the major sports networks paid freelancers for missed work—for awhile. The broadcast crew needs to have live sports competitions in order to earn a living. 

With COVID-19, much of that income was gone, but hopefully, only for a period of time.

THE NEW REALITY

What do drones, cameras and microphones have in common? They can all be controlled remotely. Is that bad or another significant paradigm shift? The pandemic accelerated a process that had already begun—remote production. I honestly am surprised that it had not happened sooner. For example, the latency gap is something that Dave Maza of NBC Sports has worked at since before the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Clearly, this season of sports broadcast has proven that remote operation works.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, executive management has seen fewer people in the control rooms and on-site in general, providing ample proof and months of experience that crewing and staffing can be changed. Workow and operator interfaces have been tested and proven and there has been improvement and refinement in all areas of remote operation.

Additionally, there is a broad interpretation of what the term “broadcast quality” has come to be defined along with an abundance of less expensive digital equipment that helps achieve amazing quality for marginal costs. I am astonished at what I have seen on the major networks and often surprised at the quality of many streaming productions. Quality production is only getting better and cheaper.

There is obviously a symbiotic relationship between all the skills that contribute to an Emmy Award-winning production, but job skills and content production have shifted as capture and production have become simplified and decentralized. From the directors, producers, commentators, camera operators, sound mixer, audio assist, stats, spotters and on and on, I advise you to keep one simple thing in mind as you look ahead to 2021... it’s all about entertainment.

Dennis Baxter has spent over 35 years in live broadcasting contributing to hundreds of live events including sound design for nine Olympic Games. He has earned multiple Emmy Awards and is the author of “A Practical Guide to Television Sound Engineering,” published in both English and Chinese. He is currently working on a book about immersive sound practices and production.

He can be reached at dbaxter@dennisbaxtersound.com or at www.dennisbaxtersound.com.

LONDON—The BBC is testing new technology that allows hearing impaired viewers to change the levels of the audio on a program.

The technology is available via the BBC’s Taster website where drama "Casualty" is available for viewers to set their own levels in the audio mix.

Viewers can use a slider button in addition to the volume control, which can be moved to reduce background noise, including music, making the dialogue crisper.

According to Lauren Ward, project lead on the A&E Audio Project Team, work on the special episode of "Casualty" began in post production, during the audio mix, when each sound, or group of sounds, was given an importance level (stored in metadata) by the dubbing mixer or producer.

The slider, or Narrative Balancer as the BBC is calling it, is then added to the online media player. “At one end of the slider all the objects are the same level as the original broadcast mix. At the other end is a simplified mix with louder speech and only the most important sounds to the narrative. The viewer is then able to adjust between these two mixes to find the balance of dialogue and other sounds that they prefer,” Ward told the BBC Taster website.

Behind the scenes, the player is looking at where the viewer sets the slider and for every group of sounds, either turns their volume up or down based on its importance.

Location Sound Mixer Henri Rapp Provides Unique Sound Solutions

Having more than a decade of audio experience, Henri Rapp Recording provides high quality audio solutions on location for productions with unique audio requirements. Having recorded hundreds of music performance videos & two comedy specials, projects with unique requirements can be both challenging but also extremely rewarding. Henri Rapp has more than a decade of experience producing music in a professional recording studio, orchestral recording, doing audio post-production, as well as several years of production sound experience.

Location Sound For Performance Videos

Musical performance videos have become an incredibly popular way for brands to market themselves, but getting a studio quality sound on location can be extremely difficult. When working with celebrity talent that will get millions of views, it’s imperative things go right the first time; There is no time for trouble shooting or to make mistakes costing the client money and burning through a limited time slot available with the artist. This is the reason Henri Rapp Recording often gets brought in for specialty projects like this. One such shoot in 2018, we travelled to Nashville, TN to do 140+ performance videos at the George Jones Museum with several Grammy Winning Artists and several up and coming country artists. From solo musicians to full bands, a ton of content recorded in an incredibly short 3 shooting days.

For years Henri Rapp also produced many of the videos in the “Live From Bad Racket Recording Studios” series. While a bit different then a performance on location, every video brought album quality audio to live performances in the studio.

Getting Studio Quality Sound on Location

Not only does it take a lot of gear to deliver studio quality recordings on location, but a depth of knowledge & prep to execute it properly. With a full sound team, acoustic treatment and large scale multitrack field recording packages can be deployed to capture anything the studio can offer. From recording voice overs on location to the unique audio challenges your production, we can come up with a solution.

Sound for Comedy Specials

Comedy specials aren’t just about recording the performer, but the audience in the room with them. Using zoned micing techniques to capture a large audience is essential. With discrete multitrack recordings of every microphone there is a ton of flexibility in post to bring a polished sound to any comedy special.

Henri Rapp Recording on Location

For projects with unusual technical needs such as music performance videos or comedy special, Henri Rapp Recording works out on location throughout the country. Based in Cleveland, we regularly travel to Pittsburgh, Columbus, Detroit, New York City, and beyond. If your project has specialized audio needs, let's talk about your project!

Petaluma, Calif. — Point Source Audio (PSA) announced that it has appointed China’s EAD and South Korea’s Capstone Pro to be distribution partners for its SERIES8 and EMBRACE™ microphones as well as its CM-i series of patented in-ear headsets. The appointments come on the back of an expansion effort in response to increased sales and product awareness outside of the USA for Point Source Audio. These partnerships further expand the company’s worldwide reach, which now includes international partners in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan Italy, Norway, Finland and France, among others.

“We’re excited to be working with both Capstone Pro and EAD,” said James Lamb, President of Point Source Audio. “The creative community in these regions is massive and our products fit their needs. Our goal is to continuously improve our customers’ experience around the world in every aspect and we are confident that our new partners will help achieve that.”

Integral to achieving this growth trajectory in the Asia Pacific region is also the appointment of AS Audio APAC Pte. Ltd. as the manufacturer’s representative in the territory. Based in Singapore, the company, led by Alex Schloesser, will support the Asia Pacific business and develop its distribution network. AS Audio will also handle all technical and sales support for Point Source Audio throughout the APAC region.

Schloesser comments, “Developing and growing the PSA business is a rewarding and enjoyable task. Wherever we take the products, they shine and stand their ground with the competition. I very much look forward to be taking PSA into APAC.”

Point Source Audio is a manufacturer of specialty sub-miniature body-worn style microphones and patented lavalier mounting systems specifically designed for theatre applications. The company creates value-added solutions through intelligent designs, driven by market demand — examples include their IP 57 rated waterproof models and unique headsets which retain the position of the microphone capsule regardless of performer activity.

About EAD
Established in 1997, Guangzhou Donghui Digital Technology Development Co, Ltd is a professional audio and video integrator and distribution company. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong with branches in Guangzhou and Beijing. For more information, visit their website at www.ead.cn.

About Capstone Pro
CAPSTONE PRO, led by founders Kevin Kim and Jesse Park, both veterans of the professional audio industry, was established in 2018. The company distributes pro audio brands including Point Source Audio throughout Korea. For more information visit their website at www.capstonepro.co.kr.

About Point Source Audio
Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones—a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

Charlotte, N.C. — Charlotte-based Elevation Church now has 19 campuses around North Carolina, all with very high production values. Each of the locations has its own worship band, and services are streamed from Elevation’s broadcast location to its satellite locations and the internet during worship experiences each weekend.

About four years ago, one of the technical volunteers at the main broadcast campus where sermons originate, got tired of wearing the large bulky double muff can-style headsets for tech team communication. So he bought a Point Source Audio CM-i3 in-ear headset with his own money. Its innovative lightweight design goes behind the head, as opposed to over the top of the head. A lightweight frame goes over his ears and it has small earbuds, a head strap around the back, and a mic that’s a little larger than a lavalier-style mic.

Other techs took notice and now 15 volunteers at Elevation have all purchased their own set.

Jared Olson is production director at Elevation’s Ballantyne Campus. Olson says, “I wear mine for 8-10 hours a day every Saturday and Sunday. I’ve had the same headset for four years with no problems. Any production I do, I do with this headset. I wear glasses and any muff-style headset gives me a headache.” Olson continues, “Most of the techs have custom in-ear molds and you can easily replace the stock or standard earbuds with your in-ear molds. It’s even more comfortable, and also provides an added measure of isolation.”

During those 8-10 hours a day, Olson says he wears the headset listening to rehearsals, front-of-house mixes or the streaming mix, as well as for conducting party line communication with camera operators, graphics, the stage, the band—the full production team. As production manager, he says the team has to know he is always available, so that’s why he wears the headsets the entire day. “Even between services we often take cameras outside to shoot interviews and video,” he says. Through it all, Olson is wearing his CM-i3 headset.

Elevation volunteer Mike Mitchell was the first member of the team to buy the CM-i3 back in 2016. “When I first used the CM-i3 headset, it was transformational,” says Mitchell. “The ability to hear better and protect my hearing at the same time has improved the way I approach my role in the production process.”

The headsets feature the company’s EM-3 in-earphones which can be switched with earphones of the user’s choice. The flexibility also extends the serviceability and lifetime of the product. The headset has a boom moving coil dynamic element with a cardioid pattern and a frequency response of 300 to 10,000 Hz. The earphones feature a single-driver ported design and come with three sizes of ear tips, a windscreen with an o-ring, and a custom storage case.

The newer CM-i5 in-ear headset is a back-electret condenser design offering a noise-canceling cardioid pattern and expanded frequency response of 100 to 10,000 Hz. The earphones feature an improved single-driver ported custom-molded style, universal design that can also be easily switched with the user’s personal earbuds.

Volunteers and staff now using the CM-i3 and CM-i5 in-ear headsets at Elevation Church say using them has made a huge difference in the ease and comfort of the production process and has been well worth the personal investment.

Point Source Audio will be showcasing the CM-i3 and CMi-5 in-ear headsets at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas, April 6-11, booth C2357. To learn more about Point Source Audio products, please visit www.point-sourceaudio.com.

###

About Elevation Church
Elevation Church is a multi-site church pastored by Steven Furtick, based in Matthews, North Carolina.Elevation has 19 locations, with 9 in the Charlotte area, as well as locations in Raleigh; Greensboro; Winston-Salem; Roanoke Virginia; Melbourne Florida; and the Greater Toronto Area. From 2007 through 2010, Elevation was cited by Outreach Magazine as one of the Top 100 fastest growing churches in the United States. www.elevationchurch.org

About Point Source Audio
Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones — a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, California. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

NEW YORK—While there continues to be some debate about the health of the NFL’s television ratings in the post-Colin Kaepernick era, it is generally agreed that both the video and audio elements are continuing to evolve. That is particularly true when it comes to mixing audio for the gridiron.

Fred Aldous and Gary Trenda work on opposite ends of the audio thread. Aldous serves as senior mixer and audio consultant for Fox, for whom he mixes the “A” NFL game of the week. He has snagged a mere 23 Emmy awards and is a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Educating the next generation of audio specialists is critical to Aldous, who helped build the audio curriculum taught at CRAS, an audio recording school in Arizona.

Trenda is an audio and RF technician who provides technical services to a variety of industries. He works on a wide range of wireless audio system projects, including the Latin Grammy Awards and Super Bowl Halftime Show. Trenda is also a member of the audio staff at Lam-beau Field where he supervises a team of specialists who provide audio for the Green Bay Packers games.

IMMERSIVE, THE NEXT STEP?

The audio portion of the Green Bay Packers game day presentation breaks down into several components, according to Trenda. “One engineer has the job of mixing sound for the main bowl of the stadium, another mixes for the rest of the facility,” he said. “The difference between the two is pretty easy to understand. If a fan leaves their seat to go into the concourse to get a hot dog, we provide audio that includes the local radio broadcast so they can stay in touch with the play by play action. We call that our ‘back of house’ mix. Obviously, play by play audio is not required for fans who are inside the bowl watching the action.”

Where does Aldous think we are in the evolution of sports broadcasting to the home market? “The next step will involve more immersive audio, specifically Atmos [adding height to the viewer experience].” he said. “This will give the viewer a better ‘in stadium’ experience.’

Aldous has mastered 5.1 over the years, which brought a whole new dimension of the in stadium experience from stereo and Aldous expects the move to Atmos will do the same.

“In my opinion specialty events will incorporate this before regular sports season events,” he said. “Over the years we have relied on Sennheiser products to help us do the job that requires a high level of confidence. They are very good at creating innovative products that satisfy the needs of our industry.”

Are audio mixers waiting for video technology to get to the point where the viewer can choose from a number of visual perspectives (the 50 yard line on a football field, say) to develop techniques that will match sound to picture in a number of different streams simultaneously? “With VR on the horizon I believe that we will be able to send more specific audio along with picture,” says Aldous. “It doesn’t make any sense to do so now, as the perspective of the field of play remains in front of the viewer at all times-for now!”

GAME COORDINATION

Trenda’s team coordinates with the broadcast crews that the networks send in. Each home game is different. The crews who handle audio for NBC’s Sunday Night Football or Monday Night for ESPN tend to remain the same year after year. The personnel who cover the other games can change based on which TV truck is sent.

“We send these crews our stadium audio elements—the referee microphone, for example. Depending on their needs, we can also send them the material that goes into the bowl-player introductions, the stadium announcer giving down and distance, that sort of thing. Each crew decides what they want to use from the stadium elements.”

If LeBron James is dribbling up court, or a half back breaks through the line and sprints 40 yards to the goal line, will mixers demand that microphone and console manufacturers provide gear that will allow him/her to match picture exactly? That day is upon us, says Aldous. “We already have that technology. What restricts us now is access to players with mics that we can broadcast in real time. We are very mindful of language and the possibility of something going indiscreet being sent over the air. We do record a lot of mics, and edit content for playback once it is sanitized.”

Will we get to the point where automation syncs audio to the moving image in real time? “Unfortunately I think we will get there at some point—what will be lost is the finesse of the mix. Automation cannot recreate the detail that a human can provide. We add a lot of different elements to a mix that are not camera specific to make the mix realistic.”

An intercom connection ties together Gary Trenda’s team and the broadcast truck. If, for example, a television producer wants to broadcast the player introductions, the TV crew can take audio from the Packers’ feed and can cue the start of the introductions via the intercom.

Audio delay is also something that needs to be accounted for. “There can be a significant delay between the live action on the field and a TV or radio broadcast,” Trenda said. “Rather than taking the broadcast audio feed from a radio or TV tuner, we’re able to get feeds directly from the TV truck and home radio booth. These direct feeds allow us to sync the audio with the action on the field.”

RF CONCERNS

Repercussions from the FCC sale of chunks of the radio frequency spectrum continue to impact sports broadcasts.

“The most recent FCC TV Band auction included the sale of much of the 600 MHz range, and we’re in the midst of another TV station repack," said Trenda. “Any TV stations currently broadcasting on channels 38-52 will be repacked to a lower channel number, which will increase crowding in TV channels 2-36 and make it more difficult to find space for reliable operation of wireless systems. This includes important game elements like the referee mic. As the RF spectrum gets more crowded, people will consider using wired microphones where they can.

“We currently use Shure Axient analog wireless microphones for the referee. One way manufacturers are responding to the loss of RF spectrum is with microphone systems that can be more spectrally efficient. Shure Axient Digital, for example, has a high-density mode that allows the user to fit more transmitters into less space. When the time comes to replace our current system, we’ll definitely consider new technology like this to address the challenges of a crowded RF environment.”

The reduction in frequency range has left production crews to make some tough choices. It can be difficult to know what area of the RF spectrum will be available in different cities. Some equipment will continue to be legal to operate, but others will need to be replaced entirely.

“In some cases, there’s no good upgrade path,” Trenda said. "We have a few systems that will simply need to be replaced to comply with the new FCC rules. It’s important to understand the changing RF environment and have a comprehensive band plan for your entire suite of wireless equipment.”

Top photo: Master control at Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers

NEW YORK—How difficult is it to mix audio for a major network sports event?

“Sit in front of your television,” said Phil Adler, a longtime broadcast mixer whose credits include five Olympics and a pair of Super Bowls. “Turn on your favorite show, then turn on a couple of radios and dial in two different talk radio stations; make sure to put them off to the left and right, or behind you, then bring both up in volume close to the TV show you’re watching. Oh, and turn on your laptop and start working on it at the same time! Now listen to what the director, standing on your right, has to say while the producer talking in your ear is making comments. Easy!”

TV Technology recently spoke with a panel of highly experienced sports audio broadcast engineers about the challenges they face and the developing trends in the industry. Joining Adler were Fred Aldous, senior mixer and audio consultant for Fox Sports, the recipient of 23 Emmy Awards and a recent inductee into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame; four-time Emmy-winner Dana Kirkpatrick; and Paul Zerang, audio engineer for the Chicago Blackhawks NHL team.

TV Technology:What kind of sports events are you working on these days?

Aldous: I currently mix the “A” NFL game for Fox Sports with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. As of late I have gotten involved with education. I consult with CRAS, an audio recording school in Arizona; I helped build the audio curriculum that is being taught today. Up until this past spring I mixed NASCAR on Fox for the past 15 years.

Phil AdlerAdler: I’ve been mixing live television sports events since 1988, for CBS, Fox and other networks. This will be my 21st year working with the NFL. I mix boxing for Showtime, have done five Olympics, and two Super Bowls. I work for CBS on one of their Sunday afternoon NFL games; they take about six months of my time. I also handle college basketball. I was a rock ’n roll mixer for 10 years before I got into sports audio.

Kirkpatrick: I freelance and work a variety of sports events, golf, mostly at ABC, and college football, plus figure skating, two Super Bowls, and the “Wide World of Sports.” I worked on golf for Fox this summer, and for the last four or five years had done a lot of work in London mixing gymnastics and ski events for the Olympics. This July I mixed the tennis Hall of Fame event in Newport, R.I.

TVT:What are the main issues confronting audio engineers who have to present both surround and stereo mixes in real time?

Kirkpatrick: The problem currently is that nobody has come up with the definitive way to do Surround Sound. All we’re told is that they want to broadcast in Surround Sound; we end up figuring out for ourselves how to get it done! Television trucks have to have a stereo program throughout. Monitoring in the truck is in stereo, since that’s still what the majority of people are listening to. Some audio mixers create a downmix by taking a 5.1 mix and running it through a Dolby DP563, and route that all around. I just create a stereo mix using a Calrec console by taking the output of the six groups and sending them to a stereo buss to create a pure stereo mix. Do these two approaches yield a different sound? That’s the rub, nobody really knows.

ESPN demands an upmix in circle sound. This fall in my studio I can—at the punch of a button—compare true stereo from stems with a Prologic-encoded stereo downmix; I’ll let you know what I find. Some mixers simply turn off the rears and that’s their “stereo” mix—the left and right speakers mix with the center. NBC is big on 3.0 upmixing. We use the left and right sides and keep the center channel discrete. No final standard is in place at this time.

Adler: Regarding mono to stereo, stereo to 5.1, and analog to digital, there are a number of painful transitions for live sports going on. Some things that work great in fi lm translate to television, but other things don’t. 3D, for example, can be very effective in fi lm, but it doesn’t work for sports. It’s been tried in football, without much success. Same thing applies to audio. In fi lm, a director is thinking about multichannel sound from the beginning, and has time in the post process to get things right. In the fast-paced world of live sports we don’t have that luxury. If you want surround audio, all you can do is slap on an algorithm.

Here’s what we face in live sports: Going from mono all the way up to 5.1, the challenge is to get as immersive as possible for the viewer while keeping the announcers and commentators clear and dominant. It’s a bigger challenge than ever now because of 5.1. With mono there’s not much the end user can do to muck up the sound. Some of these $300 receivers can do an automatic level adjust, but if you’ve got a small center speaker and larger left and right speakers, and an overcranked sub-woofer, the sound can be hideous! Viewers then call up the network and start bitching that they can’t hear the announcer; we have conference calls every week about this. There’s a 6 dB of separation between center channel [announcers] and everything else, but the way things are set up in a home the distinction can be lost.

How do I make the audio sound good? I do my homework, listen to a downmix, with commercials, listen at home, on a small desktop system in my office; it’s like listening to a record mix on a cassette and taking it into your car.

Fred AldousAldous: I do one mix; it is a 5.1 mix. The left/right downmix is created from the 5.1 stems. I have learned over the years by primarily listening to the downmix [of which most of the viewing audience does] what my 5.1 mix is doing. By having to listen to a director, producer, associate director, my comms panel and the mix, it becomes quite overwhelming to add a 5.1 mix to that; by listening to the left/right mix it helps eliminate some hearing fatigue.

TVT:Do different sports require different mixing techniques?

Aldous: Yes. I do two different types of mixes depending on the sport. For NFL I mix from a fan’s perspective sitting in the stadium, what I call the “observers mix;” I build a 360-degree sound bed of crowd (all Fox shows are in 5.1), in an effort to create the image of the fan sitting in the stadium. I do, though, take them to the field for the quarterback cadence, line hits and sideline camera angles. The field of play never leaves looking forward so all of my field effects are from that perspective.

For NASCAR I did what I called the “POV” or point of view perspective, taking the viewer to the cameras around the track. We [the audio team of submitters and A2’s] took the viewer trackside to the camera position and let the sound come through the room [front left to rear right]. Since most tracks are round or oval and the cars go counter-clockwise, the cars usually enter the frame from the left and leave the frame camera right. This creates a great effect.

Adler: Golf (which I don’t do much of) is very different from other sports. There will be a mixer who handles the microphones out on the golf course. He or she premixes and feeds them into the main mixer. The audio mix goes back and forth between what’s live and what’s been prerecorded. For example, the announcer will say, “Let’s go back to the 16th hole.” A submixer is sending the prerecorded audio back to the truck. The same thing goes for auto racing— sometimes there’s even a third guy who mixes in-car audio only.

Dana KirkpatrickKirkpatrick: I’ve experimented in gymnastics and figure skating; rather than using one or two upmixers, I’ve used four or five, so that I can mix crowd microphones, for example, and keep them separate from music. I create effects for each phantom center independently. What typically happens is that a gymnast will finish a routine and head off an apparatus, at which point the image collapses, because you’re crossfading from the microphones covering the station to the microphone on the handheld camera that’s following the athlete. The Audio-Technica BP4029 is able to maintain a 5.1 image while cross-fading from five or six crowd microphones to one handheld camera. Not many mixers are using this technique, but I find it to be very helpful in maintaining the surround image.

Gymnastics is one of my favorite sports to work on. Mixing audio for gymnastics is a game of managing the ambience levels so they’ll match when you go from a huge arena with a screaming crowd to a closeup of the gymnast walking off a piece of equipment. In football, the crowd noise is a constant, more or less, but to get the fine detail of a gymnast walking off an apparatus you have to close everything and only open the audio on the handheld camera, and that camera microphone has to have the same basic characteristics as the crowd mix or else the image will collapse. I handle that by using the stereo microphone on the Audio-Technica handheld and upmixing it and the crowd microphones separately. That way, I have control, and when I crossfade to the handheld camera microphone it’s matched in its characteristics with the crowd mics.

The same principle applies to figure skating. You’ll have a loud arena and the next moment you want to go to a coach and figure skater on the boards before the routine. To hear them you have to open up the handheld microphone and close down everything else, but you still need to maintain the wide image. I’ll EQ the handheld microphone so that I can crossfade and have the EQ and width sound very similar to my crowd microphone. This is what I’ve been doing for the past five years.

TVT:What tools do you rely on?

Paul ZerangZerang: I used Shure’s Axient Wireless System during the [NHL] Winter Classic and Stanley Cup Final for the Chicago Blackhawks, with the NHL’s great frequency coordination and Axient support. With these systems, we experienced full stadium coverage with no RF dropouts, even with all of the world’s media wireless crowding.

With Axient, the interference detection and avoidance is flawless, and its show link is also a very valuable tool. With its real-time remote control of the transmitter, the audio engineer can change frequencies from up in the booth instantly and monitor the battery level, gain control and RF muting.

The battery system is an advanced lithium-ion rechargeable battery that lasts much longer than anything I have ever used. Getting four hours in dual mode is pretty solid, as well as the charging stations if you want flawless wireless.

Kirkpatrick: I rely a lot on the A-T BP4029; I use it in the start house for ski racing, figure skating, gymnastics, and football. All of the Audio-Technica stereo microphones have the same characteristics, so it’s easy to blend between large diaphragm microphones and those on their handheld cameras.

I’m also a big fan of Calrec consoles. We use the extra headroom these boards have. I don’t even compress any more. With golf for example, there are certain things, like a driver hitting a ball, where you want every bit of level. I love everything about Calrec; the sound of their boards is excellent, they’ve got routing all figured out; the manufacturer is very easy to work with; and their software is constantly getting updated. The Artemis and Apollo are the two boards I work mostly with.

Adler: I use a lot of Audio-Technics stuff, depending on the sport. In football we use four to six parabolic wireless microphones that roam the sidelines, and microphones to pick up the crowd. Football is a bit more limited; I have used A-T stereo microphones for crowds. I have a variety of their stereo microphones. I use them for ring overheads in boxing, for example. Most of the time I’m mixing on a Calrec console.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS— The importance of bass managing control room speakers was made crystal clear to me in May 2004, during the first game of the NBA Western Conference Finals. The audio control room for the event was the first 5.1 room my team had ever built and, in addition to mixing the studio show and wraparound elements in surround, we were receiving a full 5.1 mix from the mobile unit parked at the arena.

Audio Design Labs’ Audio Management Controller
Everything was going well right up to the moment we mixed in audio from the site, which was when we discovered that effects microphones inside the venue were picking up low-frequency energy that was not there before the game started. Unfortunately, this low-frequency content was overwhelming the mix and driving our dynamics processing nuts.

The mix engineer in the truck could not hear the problem and it took us a little while to figure out that the main speakers in the truck were not reproducing those low frequencies because they were each fed directly from a console monitor output. This meant that none of the low-frequency content from the main channels was being sent to the subwoofer where it could have been reproduced.

In a large audio mix room with good acoustics, thick walls and full-range speakers, this would be no problem, but mixing audio in a remote truck is essentially mixing in the polar opposite of that environment. Had the truck speakers been bass-managed, the mix engineer in the truck would have corrected the problem immediately without getting a call from the studio control room.

REPRODUCING ALL FREQUENCIES
Bass management ensures the speaker system can reproduce all frequencies of content in the mix so the engineer can actually hear what is going on. Oddly, making this happen seems to have become more difficult as the need for it has increased. Audio control rooms used to have large speakers that could reproduce frequencies below 80 Hz, even though NTSC television had a limited frequency response of around 50 Hz–15 kHz and all of about 40 dB of dynamic range on a good day.

Nuendo Bass Manager plug-in
Mixing for analog television meant rolling off and filtering high and low frequencies, carefully controlling levels with limiters and compressors, and trying not to trigger any processing downstream that would destroy the mix. NTSC became ATSC and we suddenly had five audio channels with 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency response, 100+ dB of dynamic range and a band-limited low frequency effects (LFE) channel that requires its own speaker.

Unfortunately, the installation of subwoofers did not make up for the fact that mix rooms and their main speakers were shrinking. It seems that as soon as we started creating content with significant low-frequency energy, many facilities stopped installing control room speakers capable of letting us hear it, or building rooms with enough space in them to handle that energy.

The smaller near-field speakers found in control rooms now are much less likely to be able to adequately reproduce low frequencies below 80 Hz properly, if at all, and it is difficult for their frequency response to remain linear at lower frequencies. This creates a real problem for the mix engineer since audio that cannot be heard in the control room will still make it to the home. Worse still is the fact that practically all home surround systems bass-manage automatically, sometimes to make up for the fact that their main speakers are small.

At the creation end of the chain, bass managing means redirecting frequencies that cannot be reproduced by the five main speakers into the subwoofer. Subs get a bad rap as just being there to make things shake, but a properly placed and set-up subwoofer can actually smooth out low-frequency problems in small rooms and, when used for bass management, allows smaller speakers to operate more efficiently because they aren’t wasting power trying to reproduce frequencies they weren’t designed for.

Subwoofer speakers are also necessary for proper reproduction of the point one (.1) LFE channel, which was designed specifically to make sure the low-frequency portions of audio effects are adequately represented. Bass management never adds content to the LFE channel, but it does redirect low-frequency content from the main channels into the subwoofer along with it.

Genelec PD7070A15 subwoofer connectors
IMPLEMENTING BASS MANAGEMENT
Actually implementing bass management is generally not difficult, but can be expensive. The speaker system we used for Western Conference Finals had bass-management features built into the subwoofer, so changing our control room and mobile unit setups meant running the monitor channels to the subwoofer first, then to their respective speakers.

Speaker systems without this feature require a monitor controller or audio console monitoring section with built-in bass management that then feeds the speakers. There are also a number of software options available, either included in digital audio workstation monitoring sections or as plug-ins.

No matter the method, the principle is the same. A low-frequency crossover point is selected—usually 80 Hz—and audio below that frequency is redirected from the main monitor channels to the subwoofer. This ensures that low-frequency content makes its way to a speaker that is capable of reproducing it. Since sound becomes omnidirectional as we reduce frequency it is more difficult (but not necessarily impossible) to pinpoint the source, so using one speaker for low-frequency content works fairly well.

Anyone mixing on speakers that are not gigantic, full-range monsters should give serious consideration to bass managing their speaker system if they really want to hear everything in the mix, especially if a subwoofer is already a part of that system. Those mixing in small rooms would also do well to assess whether bass managing their system along with proper subwoofer placement would help sort out some of the acoustic problems inherent in those spaces.

Jay Yeary is a broadcast engineer and consultant specializing in audio. He is an AES Fellow as well as a member of SBE and SMPTE. He can be contacted through TV Technology or attransientaudiolabs.com.

LOS ANGELES—As a production sound mixer and audio supervisor, I’m involved in the production process from the early planning stages through delivery to post. Since I—along with my company Audio Justice—specialize in house-reality builds, hidden camera, and competition shows, I’m often faced with a huge number of microphones and sound sources to record. Managing these shows requires reliable equipment, efficient workflows, and utilizing the best technology offered on the market. Sound Devices’ 970 audio recorder checks every box and is a staple on every set I work on.

Nathaniel ‘Doc Justice’ Barrow using Sound Devices’ 970 audio recorder

DANTE COMPATIBLE
“Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge,” a weekly reality show that airs on the CMT network, consists of eight contestants and Austin, a former pro wrestler, all of whom are typically outfitted with Lectrosonics transmitters and Sanken or Countryman lav microphones. In addition to these nine audio sources, plant microphones and wireless booms are positioned around the set to capture all critical audio. This includes dialogue, footsteps, splashes, bangs, crashes, and any sound that a particular challenge may create. It all adds up to a lot of tracks and a lot of metadata. Using Sound Devices 970’s built-in Dante network capabilities, I’m can easily route and label all of my tracks.

The majority of the shows I work on have a centralized control room, plus ENG mixers who are mixing specific scenes or to assigned cameras; such is the case on “Broken Skull Challenge.” I employ the 970 as the main multitrack recorder, while the ENG mixers use Sound Devices 664 mixer/recorders to record camera-focused audio. The 970 works in conjunction with the Yamaha QL1 digital mixing console, which allows for 32 tracks of Dante directly from the console. Using the 970 with the QL1 means a single CAT5 cable sends and receives all of my audio back and forth with no issues, making it easier to directly handle all of my audio sources and mix buses.

Since the 970 has its own delay and gain compensation for each channel, I can utilize either the Dante publishing or the analog audio outputs to route audio to other sources. With these features, I’ve been able to match the delay of the video microwave transmitters from the 970 back to the Yamaha QL1.

FLEXIBLE DELIVERY
The 970 also offers a lot more flexibility with my deliverables. It allows me to record directly to a CF card, and back up that audio to an SSD. This way I can deliver the CF card right to post and keep the SSD backup for myself. Recording to all solid-state media means I no longer have to deal with the inconsistencies and unreliability of spinning hard drives, and I feel much more comfortable delivering to post. Metadata management is paramount, and having structured and specific sound reports included directly on the media means post has a clear roadmap of the day’s audio.

The combination of the 970 and QL1 has transformed my job. Dante networking has become a big part of life on set, and 970 as a dedicated audio recorder does a great job of handling it. I put a lot of trust in my equipment, and I know the 970 does its job and does it well every time.

Doc Justice owns Audio Justice, Inc., a sound services company in Los Angeles. He can be reached atdocjustice@me.com.

For more information, visitwww.sounddevices.comor call 608-524-0625.

In this column, we’ll examine a topic I’ve been contemplating for awhile: large-format digital audio console surface design; the problems with it and why it may be time for a change. Most console surfaces remain similar to the classic design introduced in the 1970s, yet the backend technology supporting them has changed dramatically.

The standard surface is still made up of a meter bridge, a section for controls and a fader area. Modern surfaces are really more like remote controls, with no actual audio inside them, while their fully digital cores do the real processing. Recently, several manufacturers have deviated from traditional surface design and given us a glimpse into the future of console surfaces.

LOOKING AT COST, EXPECTATIONS
Two primary reasons a redesign may be in order are the cost of the surfaces and changing user expectations. Large-format digital audio consoles with many channels, powerful DSP features and internal routers are expensive investments for any broadcaster. Live production consoles are now typically outfitted with between 300 to more than 1,000 inputs, with similar output counts. With new technology introductions like 4K and budgets tightening for all but the highest-profile shows, obtaining the capital to buy large consoles seems to be increasingly difficult.

Raven MTX from Slate Pro Audio Manufacturers tell us the surface of large digital audio consoles is the most expensive part of the system, so it just makes sense to find ways to bring that cost down. Users are changing as well, with many younger mix engineers just as comfortable using mice, trackpads, touch screens and other types of controllers as they are using faders and knobs.

I know some sound designers who have never mixed using real faders, but simply make adjustments in their workstation and use onscreen faders. Those same mixers have never had to mix a live sporting event, however, and the engineers currently mixing those shows still want faders.

There are other reasons to rethink surface design. Placing a large reflective surface between speakers and your ears creates a comb filter right at the mix position. Mount those speakers on the meter bridge and they couple to the console frame coloring the low mid-range of the mix. These problems are not new, but perhaps it’s time to think about changing surface design to eliminate them as factors in control rooms. Then again, most audio mix rooms now have so many device screens obstructing the soundfield that perhaps reflections from the surface are actually a minor issue in comparison.

Manufacturers have been releasing a few surfaces that differ from the status quo by using touchscreens, more screens and fewer physical controls. The surface with the most gratuitous use of glass (so far) is the Raven MTX from Slate Pro Audio. Designed for recording rather than broadcast, this surface is made up of a 27-inch industrial- grade touchscreen, running custom software that allows it to work with digital audio workstations. There is a small meter bridge on top and an armrest-style area under the screen with a keyboard, trackball, transport and monitor controls, but otherwise this thing is one great big screen.

After seeing this surface I wondered what kind of reflections would be caused by such a large piece of glass at the mix position, but Slate Pro Audio claims the 40-degree angle design minimizes comb filtering. The really intriguing thing about this surface is that it seems to handle multitouch extremely well, and all onscreen controls appear to respond as if they were physical ones. Making the touchscreen function as if the onscreen controls are real is essential for physical control replacement.

To my knowledge, no manufacturer in the broadcast world has introduced a large touchscreen surface to rival the Raven, but the Lawo mc²56, Wheatstone D-8EX, Calrec Callisto and SSL Live are all examples of broadcast and live production audio consoles where the surface is more compact; there are fewer physical controls; and screens dominate the surface.

While their surfaces still mostly conform to traditional layouts, all of these consoles have a considerable amount of space consumed by screens. The mc²56 and D8-EX utilize touchscreen controls for key functions, while the Callisto and Live are heavily touchscreen-dependent for operation. Since adding controls and customizing features for screens is just a matter of writing new code and doesn’t require new hardware, we’re likely to see much more screen real estate on console surfaces in the coming years.

INCREASED PRODUCTION DEMANDS
While tight budgets are one reason for reducing the cost of the surface, production demands are actually increasing, with directors and producers aiming to do whatever it takes to give their show an edge. This means more shoot locations, new playback devices and new graphics elements, all with accompanying sound. Since sources for surround broadcasts are six channels wide, the introduction of each new source can increase channel count needs quickly.

There is also the need for delivering content in multiple languages and the desire to provide surround mix minuses for archiving and rebroadcast, all produced live from the event site. Immersive audio and audio objects technologies for 4K production will bring even more sources, destinations and complications to the mix engineer’s job. Even if surface designs change, control, monitoring, routing and console connection needs are likely to increase and become more complex.

The design changes we’re seeing on some of the new console surfaces may indicate that manufacturers already realize the need to make them less costly, while retaining flexibility. With an up-and-coming generation of mix engineers who grew up playing video games, and the proliferation of touchscreens in the marketplace, the possibility to change how engineers use and interface with audio consoles may be here, but it’s critical that new surfaces not lose functionality in the process.

Mixing live television is an increasingly complex job and doing it successfully means having a console with the right degree of connectivity, functionality and control. As always, it’s important to have the right tool for the job, whether the controls are physical or virtual.

Jay Yeary has worked as a live mix engineer and sound designer and now spends his days working in the engineering department of a large media corporation. He can be reached via TV Technology.