Tech Focus: A1s' Favorite Mics - Why They Like Them, How They Use 'Em In their own words, audio engineers on their tool of choice By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Wednesday, September 15, 2021 - 10:28 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
A boy and his dog. Homer and his doughnuts. An A1 and his or her favorite microphones. All duos made in heaven - or, in the last case, over many years of critical listening and clever problem-solving of the challenges that come with capturing sound for broadcast sports. In the first of a recurring feature, three A1s tell tales of their preferred transducers and why they love them.
The Fox Mod' Phil Adler
Ten-time nominee and winner of four Technical Team Emmy Awards, including for 2020 Golf on CBS and the 1991 X-Games, A1 Phil Adler has mixed for the NFL, NHL, MLB, and the NBA:
When I mixed the NHL for ESPN and Fox Sports, I was part of the team that chose the Crown PCC for ice (effects) mics, some time around 1996-97. Originally developed for the theater, they were new. Most mixers at the time were using some variation of a lavaliere taped to the glass and maybe some shotguns overhead. The Crown PCC got clarity and detail like no other mic - an absolute game-changer, and they've since become the standard. Fox liked the result so much they ordered about 30 of them. It became known as The Fox modification. Should have been The Adler modification. Oh, well
Now I have a few mics I like better than what the trucks carry: Telefunken M80 handheld mics for on camera and some vintage Audio-Technica 825 stereo mics for crowd sound.
PS: When the Colorado Avalanche management tore my mics down off the glass before a Stanley Cup playoff game, I asked Crown to develop a clear base for my mics to make them stealthy : put them on the glass with clear tape, and they practically disappear.
Use What You Have Jeri Palumbo
Broadcast A1 Jeri Palumbo has worked on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cups, and esports in immersive surround and has served on the RF coordination committee for the NBA All-Stars and annually for the Rose Bowl:
While almost everything I do when it comes to domestic broadcast sports is the usual cookie-cutter mics and placements that almost everyone uses, there are times when you need to get creative with what you have, especially if your gear supply or options are extremely limited. At a smaller Duke University football game years ago, I used almost all field effects down the camera CCUs (no submix); it was a very small truck, and we didn't have a lot of mics or options. I used the old workhorse Sennheiser hypercardoid MKH816s on end-zone cameras along with one MKH816 on the near handheld. The tight as well as distance throw of the MKH816's enabled me to capture deep into the end zone and cross-field ambiance from the handheld, and the end-zone mics doubled as my field-goal-kick mics as well. (Yes, it worked!) Since we had only one working lav, I used the common EV635's in the two near parabs so they would match; the remaining three MKH416's that were available went to the booth hard cam and any remaining upper cameras to cross-catch audience/ambient crowd. I filled in the crowd from the booth instead with two SM58's (yes, dynamic vocal mics!). While the norm is to use a 416 or similar for crowd ambience from the booth, the 416's with their ability for capturing distance while having great feedback ambient rejection served me better outside the booth than in. The SM58 omnis mixed in with the other 416's from high cameras gave the illusion of a big, fat, rowdy crowd without singling out that one screaming fan. The show had a solid, robust sound without its being obvious [that] many elements were missing. Sometimes having less pushes one to think more outside of the box for solutions.
Flexibility Is the Plus
Joe Carpenter
Joe Carpenter is the senior audio mixer for Fox Sports and A1 for the MLB Network's Showcase games:
My favorite is the Sennheiser 418 ST. I love the way it responds whether it's in close proximity or from a distance. I use them on handheld cameras and M VI's for Major League Baseball.
Sometimes it sounds so good, it might be the only effects mic I have open! It's set up as a mid-side mic rather than as a stereo X-Y, and the side capsule has two condensers in it. I think it was the first RF condenser where it actually converted it to RF in the capsule.
I love how you can manipulate the image spread afterwards on the console. It's especially great now that we're using Megalodon cameras, where the operators go from extreme close to extreme far away. I love the way that mic reacts and the way it handles sound pressure. I use it now on almost every sport, especially with baseball because they let those cameras go out on the field. When a guy hits a home run, the camera will go out and meet him at third base and take him all the way past the home plate into the dugout. Sometimes, I'll drop everything else out, and it'll be the only mic open on the air and it just carries the shot.
North America Stories
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions for broadcast, post, and professional AV will showcase its latest signal processing solutions at B...
19/05/2026
Media Links, a leading developer and manufacturer of IP media transport solutions, has announced the integration of its Xscend platform with Skyline Communicat...
19/05/2026
Collaboration expands regional partner ecosystem as Media Links showcases IP media transport solutions on stand 4M4-4 and alongside Clearcast Asia on stand
Me...
19/05/2026
Company Highlights Labor-Saving Control and Custom Branding Opportunities Designed to Increase Integrator Profitability
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of ele...
19/05/2026
Mago Studio Moves AI Video Beyond Prompts with New Production-Focused Tools
Brie Clayton May 18, 2026
0 Comments
New Capabilities Bring Controllable, ...
19/05/2026
It May be Time to Stop and Take an AI Breather
Brie Clayton May 19, 2026
0 Comments
If the rock you stay on starts to roll, jump clean. Or you'll...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
Agentic AI inference at one-tenth the cost per token with NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL7...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
15/05/2026
Daniel Roher attends the Tuner Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Bar...
15/05/2026
86% of media planners would move more linear TV budget to CTV if they had show-level targeting and reporting - and 65% would also shift dollars from programmati...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Clear-Com will showcase new communications solutions and major platform updates at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7005), June 17-19, in the North and Central Halls of t...
Tech Focus: A1s' Favorite Mics - Why They Like Them, How They Use 'Em In their own words, audio engineers on their tool of choice By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
