without having to worry about noise floor, distortion or other artefacts that may ruin a recording – which makes for an easy, great-sounding end result.” Naturally, a company that’s so experienced in the evolution of sound also knows precisely which trends the industry faces next. “The biggest trends we are seeing in broadcast mics are size and smarter features,” Lewis expands. “Mics are getting smaller, while products in wireless categories have more storage and processing power – and are able to further ensure the audio received is as good as possible even in more challenging situations. “The new generation of Rode products have their own proprietary operating systems, and new features are being added after launch to improve user experience and increase functionality based on user feedback.” KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Having been around for over 75 years, it would be wrong to write a feature exploring microphones that forsakes Sennheiser – now a global leader in professional audio technology. A family business at its core, Daniel Sennheiser and Dr Andreas THE BIGGEST TRENDS IN BROADCAST MICS ARE THEIR SMALLER SIZE AND SMARTER FEATURES
Sennheiser have been managing the independent, family-owned company – now in its third generation – since 2013. Its headquarters are located in Wennebostel near Hanover. Fritz Sennheiser founded the company in 1945, creating a ‘laboratory’ in a farmhouse, a property still owned by the Sennheiser Group today. Starting off with measuring instruments, the company’s first foray into the mic space was when Siemens commissioned it to rebuild a microphone from an Austrian supplier, which launched in 1946 as the MD 1. In the same year, Sennheiser began developing its very own microphone: the MD 2 expanded the company’s portfolio in 1947, and was closely followed by the MD 82, the first shotgun microphone, in 1956. Following that, it commenced what resulted in being instrumental research and development in the field of condenser microphone technology – a technology that only found further applications in recording audio for film sets and TV studios. Sennheiser is also making waves in future sound tech, having acquired a majority stake in Dear Reality, a company specialising in spatial audio algorithms and VR/AR audio software. WORLD-CHANGING TECH What’s evident is that microphones are the unsung heroes of the media and entertainment landscape, performing a lead role in transforming the way we consume and engage with content. These devices are pivotal in enabling productions, platforms and networks to deliver high-quality experiences to their audiences. Whether it’s the warmth of a dynamic microphone, or the precision of a condenser, the right choice can elevate any production, podcast or live stream to new heights.
Tobias von Allwörden Head of audio for video portfolio, Sennheiser Q: What got you into audio? A: Since childhood, I have been making music. Then, at the age of 16, when I was visiting a German music trade show, I came across the booth of a university that offered courses in recording and audio engineering. That was a magic moment – I knew instantly this was what I wanted to study and this was the industry I wanted to work for. Q: Favourite mic and why? A: It has to be the MKH 416 – not only because this microphone is almost my age but also because it is still the industry standard as far as high-end location sound recording is concerned. Q: How have broadcast mics evolved? A: Besides audio quality such as low noise and linear frequency response, robustness against humidity and other environmental impacts are of big importance in location sound. Q: How have mics developed in response to the podcasting boom? A: There is a huge selection of microphones available, from affordable to expensive and in different qualities. What someone uses depends very much on their use case and their production level. Personally, I believe the best choice of mic is where good sound quality meets flawless integration into existing podcasting environments and workflows. Q: What does the future hold for mics? A: With AI being the next big thing, in the future you will probably just need to record some sort of OK-ish audio which will then be sent to the cloud where AI enhancement and noise reduction happen. And the outcome will be perfect audio!
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A FIRM FIXTURE The Sennheiser MKH 416 has become the industry’s go-to microphone for high-end location sound recording
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