Cables fail when in motion. That is to say cables that are pulled, yanked, moved, and twisted are bound to fail. Some of the reasons for failure include: - Stepping on it. - Dropping something heavy on it. - Roll something over it. - Corrosion. Wire ... Read More
Catalog Your Equipment With This List
I spent time helping a family who were flood victims. Part of my work involved cataloging their belonging, for insurance purposes, before we threw them out. That got me thinking about all the A/V equipment at my church. If the church was flooded out, I would be the person responsible for ... Read More
Passive and Active Direct Boxes : How They Should Be Used
A DI unit, DI box, Direct Box or simply DI is an electronic device that connects a high impedance line level signal that has an unbalanced output (a.ka. a piece of equipment) to a low impedance mic level balanced input, usually via XLR connector. DIs are frequently used to connect an electric ... Read More
New Microphone Database and Review Site
Matt McGlynn sent me this email today: I'm writing to tell you about my mic database. I see you link to the Rycote site, so I figure I have decent odds you'll appreciate what I've built -- a searchable database of over 650 mics, with specs, reviews, photos, and whenever possible, ... Read More
Wired vs. Wireless Microphones
In the last newsletter, I discussed the quality of sound produced by wired and wireless microphones. I quoted Shure regarding how technology makes the two very similiar in quality, especially in the live environment. Harry F. (a newsletter subscriber) email me with this: "One thought on ... Read More
A Myth of the Microphone
A question commonly asked when picking microphones is "Which microphone has the best reach?" The problem is that a microphone doesn't reach for anything. A microphone responds to sound waves that travel to its location. The microphone measures variations in air pressure and ... Read More
Recording On A Shoestring Budget
Recording a church sermon (or the entire service) is part of our job. Recording hardware is no longer limited to cassette tapes...and isn't always cheap. Check out how recording can be done with a budget in mind. a. Reel-to-Reel. This is a technology we don't see ... Read More
The Right Fire Extinguisher For Your Sound Booth
The first time I ever experienced a fire was in my mother's car. There was an aftermarket tape deck that shorted out as we left a parking lot. I was in elementary school at the time. Over the last 30-something years, I've watched a few local buildings burn down and even had ... Read More