At the recent European AES Convention in Paris, Neumann demonstrated a firm commitment to the digital side of their product offering, presenting a new series of Solution-D digital microphone products. The KM 183 D (omni), KM 184 D (cardioid) and KM 185 D (supercardioid) are miniature condenser microphones.
At the same time, the Berlin-based firm announced some Connection Kit options, designed to permit easy connection of these new microphones directly to the widely used S/PDIF and AES/EBU interfaces. In addition, the firm’s DMI digital microphone interface has been upgraded with new features and software.
The new digital mics are all based on the performance of Neumann’s popular 180 series of KM analog microphones. To ensure optimal performance, the analog-to-digital converter is located immediately next to the microphone element, minimizing the analog signal path.
Because its dynamic range far exceeds that of the capsule, the A-D converter allows optimal utilization of the capsule qualities. This ensures that the signal is made available to the recording system with no coloration and excellent transparency. All standard sampling frequencies, from 44.1kHz to 192kHz, are supported. The new digital microphone models are available in either a black or classic nickel finish.
DSP functions integrated into the Solution-D series of microphones can be configured and controlled remotely via the newly upgraded Neumann DMI-2 digital microphone interface and the RCS remote control software. These functions include gain setting, a compressor/limiter with de-esser function and a peak limiter, which can be advantageous. Having the peak limiter situated in close proximity to the capsule allows safe exploitation of the entire available dynamic range.
Functional new upgrades to the DMI-2 include support for 192 kHz sampling rate, AES 11 synchronization capability, and improved jitter performance.
For more information, visit www.neumann.com/?id=news_current&lang=en.
