Live From PyeongChang: OBS's Nuno Duarte Says the Future Is Immersive Audio Capturing the sound at the Games is a balancing act By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Thursday, February 15, 2018 - 9:47 am
Print This Story
Nuno Duarte, senior manager, audio, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), is living the dream during the 2018 Winter Olympics. He loves the concept of immersive audio, and, with things like 22.2 surround sound and the freedom to approach audio in a way that focuses on the sport rather than the talent, he has a larger degree of freedom than almost anyone in the business. He took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to discuss the 2018 Games and the OBS philosophy with SVG.
Senior Manager, Audio, Nuno Duarte says the goal is to create audio that allows the TV viewer to identify a sport without seeing it.
How would you describe your audio philosophy?
My main goal is to have good details of the sport. I need to close my eyes and be able to identify the sport. I want to hear the skis, and I want to hear the crowd because they are the emotion at the venue. But I want to be able to identify the sport with my eyes closed. If I can do that, then job done.
That is not always easy. How many mics do you have on an event to be able to do that?
Around 50. But it's not only about microphone placement. We have to know the venue; we need to know the PA and work with the PA guys so we know where the PA will be and to make sure it will not interfere with our coverage. I think that is fundamental. Figure skating is a good example of that: we could have microphones out that could cover the skates and athletes; if they had a PA system that had audio that spilled out all over the place, whatever microphones you have and however many thousands of them you have, you're done.
But that can be tricky.
Yes, it can be tricky, and it takes a lot of compromise. We work with the host committee. Normally, they are very open to solutions, but it is a hard process during the years ahead of the Games.
And then there are the federations. The athletes are the stars, so we need to make sure that the microphones are placed in positions that don't disturb the competition and the athletes. Of course, some will tell us to put a mic here or there, so we have to work together because it's in the best interest of everybody. If we want to try ice microphones, we have to talk with the guy who constructs the ice. It's a long process, but figure skating is a good example of how it is not just arriving and putting in microphones. It's a long process.
How can you figure out what it will sound like where there is a crowd in the venue?
We have our experience, and we have made progress on the concepts and philosophy of ambience. To me, it is very important to feel as if you are in the crowd, and here we have the outside venues and indoor venues. Indoor venues are a controlled environment where we have catwalks and we use spaced-pair stereo microphones that are aligned with the PA. Outdoor is much more difficult, and we will use a 4.0 microphone, which has two front and two rear mics; we don't put audio in the center channel because that is free for commentators. If I put in mix information, everything there will be lost, so my base is 4.1 not 5.1 surround sound.
But that seems to give you more freedom because mixers always have problems fitting in the talent.
From one side, it is easier because of that, but then, on the other side, we don't have the reference of the commentator as they will each have different dynamics [between commentators from different countries]. Even from the same country and different sports, they have different dynamics: the ones for hockey are more emotive than the ones for curling. We try to accommodate all the sports.
On the sliding track, audio (the mic on the right) is automated to follow the camera (on the left), but the deft touch of an audio mixer is required to get the sound perfect.
You mention not interfering with the competition or athletes in placing mics. How do you do that?
I have 30 different types of microphones, and I know what I want covered in each sport. Then I have conversations with the federations because they approve the microphone plans on the field of play. They will say that a shotgun mic may not be good in a position, so we will find another mic like a boundary or mini mic. Like everything in life, it's a balance.
You mention being able to identify a sport by the sound, but, at the Olympics, some sports share the same venue, like at the sliding center. Does luge sound different from skeleton or bobsled?
Luge sounds completely different from bobsled. It's the same track, but we don't have the opportunity to change the plan from the morning to the afternoon. The teams work very hard to cover all the course and then do layers like more LFE for the bobsled; in luge, we don't have that, so we need more crowd. It's an interesting game.
Are the federations understanding of what you are trying to do?
Yes, because we both have the same goal. Sometimes, I need to explain in detail why they want to put the microphone in the ice, and I will just say, It's going to sound great.
How about something like figure skating and short track, which share the same venue? They are very different.
The microphone plans are the same. But the big difference is that, in figure skating, the athletes don't crash and go against the padding. So the microphones I have to use in the padding for figure skating have to be different from the ones I use in short track. Also, on the curves, where the short-track skaters crash more, I can't put microphones because, with safety, there is no question. I would rather have no audio and have everyone complain but have the athletes be safe.
How do you go about hiring audi
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
At BroadcastAsia 2026, Interra Systems will demonstrate its latest innovations in automated quality control (QC), real-time monitoring, and captioning. The comp...
07/05/2026
At this year's Broadcast Asia, PlayBox Neo is set to unveil recent innovations across its PlayBox Neo Suite and integrated range of broadcast media solution...
Live From PyeongChang: OBS's Nuno Duarte Says the Future Is Immersive Audio Capturing the sound at the Games is a balancing act By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
