Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Tech Focus: Immersive Sound, Part 3 - Multichannel Mics Find a Place in Sports Broadcasts

05/12/2019

Tech Focus: Immersive Sound, Part 3 - Multichannel Mics Find a Place in Sports Broadcasts Multi-transducer mics grow in importance with evolution of 5.1 surround By Dan Daley, Audio Editor

Thursday, December 5, 2019 - 2:10 pm

Print This Story

Story Highlights

Once near novelties, dedicated surround microphones have become more common in the sports-broadcasting toolkit, as 5.1 becomes the native audio format for television networks. This category of multi-transducer mic has been used particularly for soccer, with its expansive pitch to cover. As the immersive-audio era edges closer, surround microphones will be increasingly important to sports broadcasts.

Here are some of the leading ones.

DPA 5100 mobile surround microphone

DPA Microphones

The 5100 mobile surround microphone is a completely self-contained plug-and-play solution for 5.1 audio capture, bringing surround ambience to sports events, documentaries, and other HDTV productions. This versatile microphone can be deployed in many ways: mounted on a microphone stand, suspended from the ceiling, or via a handgrip. Though lightweight and portable, its robust nature enables it to withstand inclement weather conditions. The 5100 uses five miniature pressure transducers, each of which offers low sensitivity to wind and mechanical noise, low distortion, and low frequency response; they also have a large dynamic range. The three front microphones in this system are time-aligned to eliminate comb filtering, ensuring frequency consistency in downmixing to stereo or mono. In contrast, the rear microphones, with standard omnidirectional patterns, are optimally spaced from both each other and the front array to simulate the most natural time-arrival differences. The end result of DPA's innovative design approach is a surround atmosphere that is rich, smooth, fully enveloping, and great in its coherence, channel separation, and localization accuracy. The 5100 mic requires no external signal processing.

Holophone H2-PRO microphone

Holophone

The H2-PRO microphone is designed specifically for capturing discrete 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 channels of surround sound for all professional-audio applications. It is well-suited for television (standard TV, DTV, and HDTV) and radio broadcasters. All surround-sound recordings from the H2-PRO are discrete and in real time, thereby very easy to bring into any broadcast or studio environment, manipulate, mix, and/or encode into any/all of the standard consumer playback formats: Dolby, DTS, and Circle Surround. The H-2 PRO provides engineers and producers total control over all incoming discrete surround-sound audio signals and delivers those signals in an intuitive way. It is compatible with all standard analog and digital I/O devices that accept up to eight channels and provide phantom power: hard-disc-based recorders, multichannel preamplifiers, standard multichannel I/O, and all mixing consoles. The H2-PRO is capable of recording up to 7.1 channels of discrete surround sound and terminates in eight XLR microphone cable-ends (Left, Right, Center, Low Frequency, Left Surround, Right Surround, Top, and Center Rear). These co-relate to the standard 5.1 channels and add a top channel for such formats as IMAX and a center-rear channel for extended surround formats, such as Dolby EX and DTS ES.

Sennheiser AMBEO VR mic

Sennheiser

Designed for 360 spatial audio recording, AMBEO VR mic is an ambisonic microphone fitted with four matched KE 14 capsules in a tetrahedral arrangement. This special design allows capture of surrounding sound from one single point. As a result, fully spherical ambisonics sound matches VR video/spherical 360 content. The capsules of the AMBEO VR mic deliver A-format, a raw 4-channel output that has to be converted into a new set of four channels, the Ambisonics B-format. This is done by the specifically designed AMBEO A-B converter plugin, which is available as free download for VST, AU, and AAX format for the preferred digital audio workstation, both PC and Mac. B-format is a W, X, Y, Z representation of the sound field around the microphone (W being the sum of all four capsules; X, Y, and Z virtual bidirectional microphone patterns representing front/back, left/right, and up/down). Thus, any direction from the microphone can be auditioned by the listener during playback of Ambisonics B.

Soundfield DSF-B ambisonic system

Soundfield

The DSF-B is a fully digital ambisonic system for broadcast. It consists of a DSF-2 MKII microphone for exceptional sound capture, the DSF-2 MKII microphone controller, and the DSF-3 MKII digital surround processor. The system provides simultaneous mono, stereo, and digital surround soundscapes at large-scale live broadcasts from sports stadiums and concert-hall venues, creating a completely digital surround-sound-production chain. Surround formats supported include conventional 5.1, as well as object-based formats that have additional height channels.

Click here for Tech Focus: Immersive Sound, Part 1 - The Technology Is Increasingly Integrated Into Broadcast Sports

Click here for Tech Focus: Immersive Sound, Part 2 - Consoles Are Transitioning to Next-Gen Tech.
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2019/12/05/tech-focus-immersive-sound-part...
See more stories from svg

North America Stories

11/02/2026

Scripps Selling Court TV to Jellysmack

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

Schulze-Brakel Introduces Wireless Clip-On Branding For Mics

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

LiveU To Showcase Expanded IP-Video EcoSystem at 2026 NAB Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

Clear-Com Powers TEDNext 2025 with Gen-IC Virtual Interco...

Clear-Com provided an advanced, IP-based communications infrastructure for TEDNext 2025, supporting production, media, and editorial teams with a highly flexib...

11/02/2026

Astera Releases QuikBeam - Versatile 200W Equivalent LED...

Astera introduces QuikBeam, the newest addition to its acclaimed Quik family of focusing LED Fresnels. This ultra-compact spotlight combines the equivalent powe...

11/02/2026

Rai Selects Imagine Selenio Network Processor for IP Migr...

Following a competitive public tender process, Rai (Radiotelevisione Italiana), the national public broadcasting company of Italy, has awarded Imagine Communica...

11/02/2026

DoPchoice to Intro SNAP RABBIT Octa 5 SNAPBAG

With Convertible Mount for NL Bowens & Aputure A Mounts See it at BSC Expo Stand #133 LCA DoPchoice continues to refine light shaping tools for professional LE...

11/02/2026

ZEISS Aatma -Contemporary Full Frame Primes with a Soulfu...

World Premiere at BSC Expo, Booth #319 Oberkochen/Germany, 10 February 2026 ZEISS introduces the new Aatma, set of nine high-end full frame T1.5 cinema primes ...

11/02/2026

NUGEN Audio Plug Ins Help Nick Fry Navigate the Demands o...

As Re-recording Mixer and Head of Sound at The Farm, one of UK's leading post-production facilities, Nick Fry has built his career on making stories sound a...

11/02/2026

iSpot Introduces Agentic AI Platform iSpot SAGE

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

NBC Sports Regional Sports Networks Taps Sportradar for NBA Coverage

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

MLB.TV Launches on ESPN

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

Super Bowl LX Attracts Nearly 125 Million U.S. Viewers

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/02/2026

Graduate Spotlight: Gabrielle Rodriguez

Graduate Spotlight: Gabrielle Rodriguez The educator, who grew up in the Philippines, shares how shes bringing what she learned at Berklee back home. Februar...

10/02/2026

ESPN's Super Bowl Week Studio Footprint Doubles as a Bridge to the Network's First Super Bowl Coming in 2027

From San Fran to Santa Clara down to Los Angeles, ESPN celebrates the Big Game w...

10/02/2026

Canon Novel Lenses Shine Among More Than 115 Canon Lenses at Winter Games

A team of broadcast engineers and experts dispersed across Northern Italy help broadcasters and still photographers keep shooting OBS has put new imaging techn...

10/02/2026

For Karl Malone and the NBC Olympics Audio Team, Dolby Atmos Is Front, Center, and All Around

If you can have the best pictures and the best sound quality for these global ev...

10/02/2026

SVG Sit-Down: Quickplay's Paul Pastor on the Growth of Vertical Video Beyond Social Media

Disney+ will add vertical video within its app this year after ESPN introduced V...

10/02/2026

GameChanger Brings 1080HD Streaming to Youth Sports Production

GameChanger today unveiled the most comprehensive product update in its 15-year history, marking a major step forward in how families, athletes, coaches, fans, ...

10/02/2026

L3Harris Signs Agreement with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Advanced Defense Collaboration

Jennifer Hanley, Vice President, International, L3Harris, signed a Memorandum of...

10/02/2026

Gracenote Renews Partnership with Google for the AI Age

NEW YORK February 10, 2026 Nielsen's Gracenote, the global leader in entertainment metadata, today announced the continuation of its partnership with Go...

10/02/2026

YouTube TV Launches New $64.99 a Month Sports Plan

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

Zeiss Introduces Aatma Prime Lenses

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

From the Research Lab to the Production Studio - NUGEN Di...

Clear dialogue has long been one of the biggest pain points in post-production. From complex mixes to unpredictable playback environments, intelligibility somet...

10/02/2026

Trump Backs Nexstar-Tegna Deal

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

FCC Managing Director Mark Stephens to Retire

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

FCC's Gomez: Fewer Owners Means Fewer Voices

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

Study: OTA Broadcasts Offered Lowest Latency of Super Bowl LX Feeds

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/02/2026

SMT Brings New AR Weather Visualization, Refreshed Telestration to NBC Sports' Super Bowl Game Coverage

A look inside the tech, tools, and team that make the Super Bowl into true eye c...

09/02/2026

NEP's TFC Infrastructure, Supershooter 71 Power NBC Sports' IBC-Style' Super Bowl LX Infrastructure

Software-defined IP backbone and centralized signal-control hub redefine champio...

09/02/2026

From Alcatraz to an Olympics Handoff at Midfield, NBC Sports Expands Super Bowl Pregame Into Bay Area-Wide Celebration

Broadcasters continue to raise the bar when it comes to producing an eye-catchin...

09/02/2026

NBC Sports Builds Its Super Bowl LX Game Broadcast on Sunday Night Football' Engine - and Pushes It Further

Game coverage will feature nearly 100 cameras, a deep well of replay channels, a...

09/02/2026

Sony at Super Bowl LX: Audio, Imaging, and Tracking Tech Power NBC's Broadcast, Officiating Ops, Sideline Comms, and More

Sony's imaging tech is the literal lens through which the spectacle and exc...

09/02/2026

How OBS Uses FPV Drones, 360-Degree Replay To Enhance Storytelling

The technologies, including AI, allow fans at home to see the athletes, feel' the speed, and sense the skill With four years from one Winter Games to the ...

09/02/2026

Sportradar To Power NBA Fan Experiences Across NBC Sports RSNs through Advanced Data and Enhanced Visual Storytelling

Sportradar AG announces a multi-year agreement with NBC Sports Regional Sports N...

09/02/2026

New York Festivals Advertising Awards Embraces Sports for 2026 Competition

New York Festivals Advertising Awards proudly unveils a dynamic new Sports Category Group, expanding its 2026 competition to recognize the powerful role sports ...

09/02/2026

FanDuel TV Calls Super Bowl LX Media Row Home for Up & Adams', Social Media Content

Devlin Design Group, Filmwerks, LTN pitched in on the four-day effort The site ...

09/02/2026

Super Bowl LX In Review: All of SVG's Onsite Coverage From The Bay Area

Despite the game taking place right in the middle of NBC Sports' busiest month ever, its production and operations teams pulled off a massive Super Bowl LX ...

09/02/2026

L3Harris Red Wolf + Sky Warden: Unmatched Flexibility for Kinetic Strike, EW, ISR and Support Missions

Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and Sk...

09/02/2026

Opening Doors for National High-Assurance Communications

The L3Harris Key Management System is the first solution on the open market - and available to NATO customers today - that allows countries to create their own ...

09/02/2026

Nielsen reveals Australia's top ad spenders and categories for 2025

Harvey Norman tops Australia's biggest ad spenders as finance and travel surge Sydney February 9, 2026 - Nielsen's Biggest Ad Spenders of 2025 Report...

09/02/2026

Tegna's KPNX Renews Deal to Broadcast Diamondbacks' Games

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/02/2026

HBO Max To Launch In The UK & Ireland On March 26

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/02/2026

Berklee Presents Great American Songbook: What About Us-A P!NK Celebration

Berklee Presents Great American Songbook: What About Us-A P!NK Celebration Featuring a global cast of over 100 Berklee students, the two-night production will...

09/02/2026

A Home for World-Class Filipino Entertainment: The Journey and What's Next on Netflix Philippines in 2026

Back to All News A Home for World-Class Filipino Entertainment: The Journey and...

08/02/2026

SMT Brings New AR Weather Visualization and a Refreshed Telestration Look to NBC Sports' Super Bowl Game Coverage

A look inside the tech, tools, and the team that make the Super Bowl into true e...

08/02/2026

Telemundo Deportes Expands Comprehensive Super Bowl LX Coverage to Its Biggest in History

Studio programming is deploying multiple sets at Levi's Stadium in Santa Cla...

08/02/2026

Van Wagner Strengthens Levi's Stadium's Revamped Control Room To Match Production Needs of Super Bowl LX

The annual in-venue show is a partnership between the NFL and the host venue NF...

08/02/2026

NEP's TFC Infrastructure and SS71 IBC-Style' Core Power a Progressive Super Bowl LX Infrastructure for NBC Sports

A software-defined IP backbone and centralized signal control hub redefine champ...