A freelance audio engineer (A1) for Dome Productions in Canada, John Hunter first discovered his passion for audio with live music.
Eventually, his path led him to mix live sports and he (in normal times) mixes every Toronto Raptors home game on TSN and Sportsnet and has travelled with the production team to work every playoff game, including the 2019 NBA Finals.
He worked as an A1 for the famous 2018 NBA Raptors/Pelicans game in 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound, which was the first to be produced in those formats and distributed live to North American households
We know you've been mixing audio for the NBA Toronto Raptors for quite some time now, but that music was your first passion. How did you get into professional audio and to where you are now?
My path to professional audio evolved from a passion for performing live music. After completing audio training at O.I.A.R.T. (1999), I furthered my education at the University of Toronto (Hon. B.A. 2006), while playing guitar in a band and signed to a record label in New York City. Recording an album and doing select tours in support of the album opened my eyes to different opportunities available in music and the live production industry.
During this period, I was mixing live music at the Distillery Historic District in Toronto and I believe this really gave me the chops to make amplified signals sound good. I was also working as a freelance audio-visual technician in hotels and conference centres and this taught me a great deal about building temporary AV systems from the ground up.
In fall 2006, I was hired as a freelance audio technician by Courtney Ross, Senior Audio Engineer at Toronto's busiest sports venue (now known as Scotiabank Arena) where the Maple Leafs and Raptors play. From 2010 to 2019 I worked as a full-time A1 for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). I currently work as a freelance A1 for Dome Productions, continuing my work with the Raptors, along with other live sporting events and projects.
My love of performing translates directly to mixing because ultimately, I see my job as one that connects people through technology. If I can translate the excitement of a live sporting event to fans watching the broadcast - if they can feel that excitement through the audio - then I have done my job successfully. I believe that mixing is similar to playing an instrument; there is a rhythm and creativity involved that requires critical listening, intense focus and great attention to detail.
In more detail, what does your current role as the Home Show A1 for the Raptors entail?
In November of 2013, I began mixing the Toronto Raptors broadcasts on TSN and Sportsnet and haven't missed a home game since. I believe mixing is a subjective process that makes every A1's style unique. My aim is to bring continuity and cohesion to the audio brand of the Raptors home broadcasts. With viewership and resources expanded during playoffs, I have been fortunate to mix every Raptors playoff game, home and away, since 2014.
My role is to ensure all external audio sources, commentator mics, field of play (FX) mics, crowd/ambience mics, as well as internal sources (EVS, Spotbox, Chyron, etc.), are tested and working properly prior to the broadcast. Our broadcasts are somewhat unique compared to most regional NBA shows because of the number of commentators; during the playoffs, our shows can have up to 12 different commentators in various positions, inside and outside the venue. (The watch party outside Scotiabank Arena is often referred to as Jurassic Park .)
I am responsible for all communications for talent and crew. We employ a point-to-point RTS intercom system that I have programmed in AZEdit. Over the years I have refined and improved comms files for each mobile facility that we have used. Our broadcast produces news hits as well as a pre-game show for the networks we air on. Once the game begins, I am following the game action visually and listening intently to the director and producer's cues so that I can deliver an audio experience that matches the compelling images on the screen.
Can you describe a typical broadcast audio workflow that you use?
To me, a successful audio workflow starts with great paperwork, which is a road map for the A2s and the A1. I try to include all of the venue patching as well as internal truck patching (i.e. console I/O, IFB and comms ports). It's crucial that the EIC (Engineer-in-Charge) and the A1 are on the same page; I always provide an audio routing list with offline recordings for EVS operators, main transmission paths (M1 & M2) and various clean feeds as required by the NBA.
The vast majority of Raptors home games on TSN and Sportsnet are broadcast in 4K video which requires a secondary pair of main audio paths (M3 & M4) which are delayed (by approx. 50 ms) so that any packaged items recorded by EVS through the switcher have audio and video in sync. Select games require NBA clean feeds where I employ a third transmission path (M5 & M6).
We currently use analog audio (DT12s) to connect to the venue's I/O patch room and I typically feed the visiting broadcast A1 individual FX mics over MADI (using a Calrec JM series device). Again, I make sure to provide paperwork for the visiting A1 so they know exactly what mics I will be sending them.
In terms of microphone placement, I use Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun mics placed strategically around the court, with each mic picking up a different but important area of action on the court. My goal is to highlight the bounce of the ball whenever possible since the eyes naturally follow the ball handler. The squeak of the sneakers on the court is another key sound that gets picked up by the shotgun mics. I use Sennheiser MKE 2 lav microphones taped under the basket rims to pick up the swish sound of a 3-point shot or an
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...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
23/07/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents new software for three-phase power analysis on MXO seri...
23/07/2026
In our latest blog, Laura Rognoni explores how the launch of Play Snooker reflects a wider shift in sports economics - from monetising peak broadcast audiences ...
23/07/2026
Download Now!
To receive a short case study showcasing Vivid Broadcast's audio setup, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name ...
23/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/07/2026
Witbe brings its AI-native testing and monitoring infrastructure to Amsterdam: demonstrations on real devices, a peer-reviewed technical paper in the conference...
23/07/2026
Quickplay, Caretta Research, Evergent, and Yospace have announced that the renowned IBC Pride Happy Hour will once again bring the vibe and fun back to IBC on F...
23/07/2026
At IBC2026, Interra Systems will present this year's focus: operational AI at scale for QC, monitoring, and captioning workflows. The industry has moved pas...
23/07/2026
Illusionfx is finally coming!
Alex Perea July 23, 2026
0 Comments
The new website is now live to mark the occasion.
Since the last update, feedback h...
23/07/2026
Evergent (5.A86) will showcase its Agentic Revenue Orchestration Platform for streaming services, sports leagues, pay-TV operators at IBC2026 (RAI Amsterdam, 11...
23/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/07/2026
David Dvir, 2D founder (left), Sundeep Reddy (center), and Jean-Marc Bouchut (right), both of Zeiss...
23/07/2026
Screen Australia announces new national documentary accelerator program 23 July 2026
Screen Australia has today announced the Above the Line Documentary Accel...
23/07/2026
Wuppertal July 23, 2026
Riedel Implements RefCam and Easy5G for the First Time...
23/07/2026
RT Commercial has today announced Centra as the official food partner once again of The Traitors Ireland, coming to RT One and RT Player later this year.
Ce...
23/07/2026
RT Commercial today announced Honda as sponsor of Today with David McCullagh RT Radio 1, weekdays 9am 11am.
Broadcasting directly after Morning Ireland in ...
23/07/2026
RT News is pleased to announce Barry Gallagher has been assigned as the new journalist covering news from Cork, Kerry and the wider Southern region
Working al...
23/07/2026
Lock in and load up the cloud. GFN Thursday brings fresh updates and new adventu...
22/07/2026
Among other tweaks to coverage, the broadcaster added announce positions in the ...
22/07/2026
The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has reported a sharp acceleration in Australia's sportstech sector, with revenue growth rising from 10% in...
22/07/2026
From a retrofitted broadcast bus to packed Match Day Live! events, Bennett detai...
22/07/2026
TMRW Sports has named Brendan Donohue as President, Flag Football, where he will lead the company's professional flag football business in partnership with ...
22/07/2026
Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) designed and produced soundtracks for nine projection...
22/07/2026
Harmonic has announced a $25,000 donation to Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) fo...
22/07/2026
Telemundo has announced it has acquired from UC3 exclusive U.S. Spanish-language...
22/07/2026
The Rest Is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, ...
22/07/2026
Sports Studio has announced a partnership with TheSoul Group to distribute Free ...
22/07/2026
Daktronics has concluded its 2026 High School Video Summit, a two-day hybrid event combining virtual sessions with hands-on host school visits across the countr...
22/07/2026
FOR-A America will exhibit at the MMCA Show in Pensacola, Florida (July 21-24), marking the company's first appearance at the house of worship AV event. FOR...
22/07/2026
The New York Yankees have selected Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to connect Ya...
22/07/2026
Calrec will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.C47) with demonstrations of its IP-native audio ecosystem built around the Argo console range, and will announce two ne...
22/07/2026
Solid State Logic has announced the appointment of Algam EKO as its distributor for SSL large format consoles in Italy, covering the Live, Broadcast, and Studio...
22/07/2026
FloSports has announced the launch of the FloSports Channel, a free ad-supported streaming channel premiering on Prime Video in the U.S. on July 21. The channel...
22/07/2026
Banana Ball TV (BTV), the broadcast operation of the Savannah Bananas, has insta...
22/07/2026
SiriusXM and Audacy have announced an agreement bringing 42 Audacy sports, news, and talk stations from 29 U.S. markets to SiriusXM. Twenty-three Audacy sports ...
22/07/2026
The collaboration produced more than 500 short-form videos across four cities th...
22/07/2026
At 2,600 sq. ft., the new home of digital content houses a main studio, podcast space, and an auxiliary control room
NFL franchises are accelerating their prod...
22/07/2026
Library now available in Engine Player
Another of Eduardo Tarilonte's popular sample libraries has just been moved over to Engine Audio's Engine Pla...
22/07/2026
All-in-one mic & DSP interface overhauled
Cloudvocal have just refreshed the design of their all-in-one mic, audio interface and DSP processor, introducing ...
22/07/2026
The final boss of the lost dual-op-amp circuit
Electro-Harmonix have just introduced the Deluxe Big Muff Pi 2, which they say offers their latest take on t...
22/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
A freelance audio engineer (A1) for Dome Productions in Canada, John Hunter first discovered his passion for audio with live music.
