
Tech Focus: Immersive Audio, Part 1 - A Toolkit Focused on Capture Manufacturers are making the mics more accessible and easier-to-use By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Wednesday, December 4, 2024 - 7:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Conversations around immersive audio for broadcast have a tendency to focus on the outputs: mostly, the number and placement of loudspeakers, especially the four overhead. With Dolby Atmos the dominant immersive-audio format in the U.S., it's usually a foregone conclusion. However, getting sound into the immersive machine and processing its audio is a more complicated proposition. Microphones to capture it and consoles to process and mix it offer a small but growing array of increasingly necessary options. This month's Tech Focus looks at both, starting with microphones.
Multichannel Mics The 2024 Paris Olympics were a case study in immersive capture. NBC Sports deployed 3,680 microphones, including multichannel mics, as part of its immersive-sound strategy to, as Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) Senior Manager, Audio, Nuno Duarte described it at SVG Europe's Sports Audio Summit 2024 in November, provide a consistent product across every sport, all in 5.1.4, for two weeks straight.
Interest in the multichannel-microphone category is accelerating, says Joel Guilbert, audio specialist, Dale Pro Audio. Citing several examples, including the Voyage Spatial Mic and Shoeps ORTF-3D array, he points out that network capabilities are making these multi-capsule mics easier to manage.
We're seeing more traction with [Power-over-Ethernet]-equipped multichannel mics, he says. We see this as coming from a number of fronts. One is that, with Dante and PoE connections, it's more plausible to connect four-plus mic capsules without having a massive snake or one with tricky smaller connectors. Also, more and more network infrastructure is available. Camera CCUs and most consoles have some kind of Dante connectivity, or most trucks or facilities have some kind of fiber available to use. The necessary accessory items are becoming available without being super-specialty items. We've put together kits with solid, relatively off-the-shelf PoE injectors with fiber converters for pretty low cost. These tools all make it easy to work with these [kinds of] mics in a real-world environment.
Single-Point and Multichannel Approaches DPA Microphones 5100 mobile surround microphone
An early stalwart of the category, DPA Microphones 5100 mobile surround microphone is a self-contained plug-and-play solution. It was introduced in 2008 for 5.1-audio capture (priced at $3,780) but has been deployed in immersive applications as well. Among its applications for sports are Winter Olympics ice skating and Wimbledon Court 1 in 2023.
However, according to DPA Global Support and Business Development Manager Paul Andrews, use of multiple single-point microphones in arrays, the original technique for capturing surround sound, remains a valid approach to capturing immersive sound as well, offering more-flexible configurations. Some of our users - Sky Sports, for instance-prefer using single-channel microphones in multiple places to get a more immersive field than just [a single multichannel microphone] might provide.
But, even within those arrays, he points out, the multichannel 5100 has been used to provide the four height channels of the Atmos format. There are a number of combinations [of single-point and multichannel mics] you can use to achieve immersiveness, depending on the kind of sound you want.
It's All About Technique That's also how Sennheiser envisions its new MKH 8030 ($1,499) figure-8 polar-pattern microphone. The latest in the 8000 series are being deployed for immersive capture.
Sennheiser MKH 8030
For sports, says Brian Glasscock, project manager, Sennheiser Pro Labs, we've seen a variety of microphone techniques. For crowd noise, we've seen a lot of benefit from using a dual-diaphragm mic, like the MKH 800 Twin, especially in these kinds of non-coincident microphone techniques. With the 8030, you can achieve that effect with a double-midside [configuration] that's easily placed somewhere and is less complicated for cable running. Choosing [specific microphones and techniques] is really about application and the constraints of time and locations or other types of limitations that sports [productions] may face.
Sennheiser also has a single-mic solution for immersive capture: the AMBEO VR ($1,499) with its four matched cardioid capsules in a tetrahedral arrangement. However, Glasscock considers a unit like the 8030 a keystone for the array of microphones already aboard most remote-production trucks.
We see a lot of value in that, he says, because people aren't going to want to buy a different mic array for each application. I think having this toolset of baseline, high-quality microphones and maybe a couple of specialty microphones able to be used in different arrangements makes sense for the immersive application as the way most people will go.
A New Approach Voyage Audio SpatialMic
Voyage Audio is the new kid on a small but growing block, and its SpatialMic has a kind of Millennial-esque flexibility: it's designed to accommodate various output configurations - stereo, 5.1.4, 7.1, etc. - internally and to adjust to future ones, such as 4.0.4 (no LFE channel) via firmware updates.
It's kind of interesting with broadcast right now, says Voyage Audio co-founder Steve Silva. It isn't full Atmos yet, but I think that's the trajectory and the goal for everybody. There's still plenty of 5.1 around sports, like the Olympics, so the goal is to expand on what's being done today. The demand is for a tool to get to those formats quickly, easily, and out of the box, so to
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
09/09/2026
Sony Electronics has announced the SEL814G, the company's first fisheye zoom G Lens for full-frame Alpha E-mount cameras. The lens will be available in Octo...
09/09/2026
Telestream has announced an expansion of its Practical AI capabilities across th...
09/09/2026
Haivision and Chyron have announced a technology partnership integrating Haivisi...
09/09/2026
Omaha Productions has released ManningCast: Heist, a short film featuring Peyton and Eli Manning attempting to break into NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's o...
09/09/2026
Imagine Communications will demonstrate the next evolution of XVR at IBC2026 (Stand 1.B73, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14).
XVR is Imagine's channel-in-a-b...
09/09/2026
swXtch.io has announced abbe, an AI-based orchestration layer for live media workflows, making its world premiere at IBC2026 (Meeting Room 5.MR13, Hall 5, Septe...
09/09/2026
NFL Films has announced the second season of Inside the NFL on X as an X Original, premiering Wednesday, September 9. The series marks Inside the NFL's 50th...
09/09/2026
LiveU has announced an expanded partnership with The Associated Press, deploying the largest fleet of LU900Q intelligent production units in the industry as par...
09/09/2026
Diversified has announced plans to consolidate its four existing New Jersey locations into a new facility in Newark, expected to be fully operational by the end...
09/09/2026
Wisycom will exhibit new RF products at IBC2026 (Stand 8.D60, September 11-14), including the MATF Wideband Antenna Matrix, PFL Portable RF over Fiber Box, and ...
09/09/2026
Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) and VuWall, both Panoptec companies, will introduce vsNEO at IBC2026 (Stand 8.B63, September 11, RAI Amsterdam). Pre-orders open in ea...
09/09/2026
Mo-Sys has completed a business restructuring and relocated to a new facility in Canada Water, London. As part of the reorganization, Selin Kemal has been promo...
09/09/2026
Aicox has integrated TAG Video Systems' Core monitoring platform into Telef nica's TSAmediaHUB audiovisual contribution and distribution infrastructure....
09/09/2026
Blackmagic Design has released DaVinci Resolve 21.1, a free update available now through the Blackmagic Design website. The release adds new AI tools, workflow ...
09/09/2026
ESPN and Apple Music have announced a collaboration on music curation for Monday...
09/09/2026
Sacramento Production Services has completed a wireless audio overhaul at Sutter Health Park, home of the Athletics during their three-year residency in Sacrame...
09/09/2026
NDI and NVIDIA have announced a collaboration to develop AI-powered workflows enabling broadcasters to create and distribute multilingual content from a single ...
09/09/2026
Christopher Chip Adams, Troy Aikman, Jim Dove, Jim Eady, Bucky Gunts, Robert A. Iger, Charlie Jablonski, Robert Kraft, Tom Rinaldi, and Dick Stockton to be ho...
09/09/2026
ND2 returns as the primary unit, While FNIA gets SSQC and new flexible Rover...
09/09/2026
New parts aimed at hip-hop and pop productions
The latest update to Celemony's innovative virtual session musician expands the collection of built-in in...
09/09/2026
Save up to 40% until 21 September 2026
Sonarworks are currently running their Autumn Sale, with discounts of up to 40% currently available across their rang...
09/09/2026
Upcoming title officially launches in September 2026
Bjooks' celebrations for this year's 909 Day will be welcome news amongst drum machine lovers, ...
09/09/2026
NITV to bring First Nations netball to audiences nationwide
9 September, 2026
Media releases
Every match of the 2026 First Nations Tournament will be live ...
09/09/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
09/09/2026
Italy launch follows UK and Germany as Nielsen expands product across EMEA
Milan, Italy, September 9, 2026 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, ...
09/09/2026
Planned solutions tackle accuracy, cost and latency barriers to deploying AI at ...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, introduces its new Model 791 Control Console at IBC 2026 (N...
09/09/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects and visualization, is headin...
09/09/2026
NUGEN Audio unveils DialogCheck v1.2, the latest evolution of its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at IBC 2026 (Pod P27). With a sharpene...
09/09/2026
Trusted Partner Network Launches Fix It or Risk It to Help the Entertainment Industry Tackle Everyday Security Risks
Industry-Wide Campaign Launches at IBC2...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
AI has moved firmly beyond experimentation in UK advertising, with more than eight in ten marketers (83%) now actively using or piloting AI in production, accor...
09/09/2026
IBC2026 - Stand 7.D22
At IBC2026, Pixitmedia by DataCore will showcase its latest capabilities designed to simplify distributed production, accelerate workflow...
09/09/2026
Stockholm, Sweden September 9th, 2026 At IBC2026, on booth 1.B47, Net Insight will showcase Open Live Media, its architecture for delivering resilient live ...
09/09/2026
Net Insight today announced that DMC Production Norway is continuing the use of its Open Live Media technology for premium European football, deploying Nimbra 5...
09/09/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud platform for unified broadcast, streaming, and monetization, will showcase four new AI-native capabilities at IBC2026, Hall 5, S...
09/09/2026
Limecraft today announces version 2026.6 of its AI-powered production platform, extending capabilities for connected media operations. An AI-assisted approach t...
09/09/2026
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, today announced the next evolution of its Practical AI strategy, evolving its comprehensive portfoli...
09/09/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the appointment of Brian Doheny as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
09/09/2026
LiveU is now a Clarus Integrated Reseller, bringing Starlink's fast, reliable broadband directly into LiveU's cellular bonding EcoSystem through a singl...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Wisycom is showcasing the latest additions to its ecosystem of professional RF technologies at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.D60). This includes its new MATF Wideband Anten...
09/09/2026
AMSTERDAM, IBC2026 VisualOn, Inc. and Cires21 today released an updated joint whitepaper at IBC 2026 demonstrating measurable, high-impact improvements in visu...