From the the first waterproof microphone for the GoPro HERO4 to the AMBEO VR Mic for 3D audio, there is a Sennheiser solution for everyone, when it comes to audio.

Audio, many times forgotten, is the essential glue to keep any production together. No matter how good the image is, when the audio doesn’t work,  your eyes – and ears – go elsewhere… rapidly! Sennheiser is aware of the fact since 1945, when an electrical engineer, Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser, founded the company. They shape today the audio world of the future, and at IBC in Amsterdam (15 – 19 September), Sennheiser and Neumann will be presenting audio solutions for all levels of media production.

“Good audio technology is the basis for a successful production. This is true whether it’s being created on a computer in a home studio or at a mixing console in a professional sound studio, and equally true whether a smartphone or a broadcast camera is being used,” explains Achim Gleissner, Commercial Manager Broadcast & Media at Sennheiser. For that reason, Sennheiser has chosen the motto “We serve any camera” for its presence at IBC in Hall 8, Stand D50 .

A solution for every camera

“The media base has significantly broadened, and streaming services and YouTube are now on an equal footing with conventional television,” Gleissner observes. “For manufacturers that are close to their customers, it is absolutely essential to serve all platforms with the best possible solutions and to support innovative formats with equally creative products.”

Differently themed areas of the stand reflect the bandwidth of today’s media production. Alongside the MKE 2 elements – the first waterproof microphone for the GoPro HERO4 which paired with the action cam creates spectacular YouTube videos – the highlights on show range from interview microphones for mobile journalism, such as the HANDMIC DIGITAL and the wireless AVX, to the fully professional EK 6042 two-channel receiver for broadcast cameras.

The MK 4 digital is the microphone of choice for dubbing and podcast applications, while the ClipMic digital and MKE 2 digital clip-on microphones for iPhones und iPads ensure great sound for self-produced videos. The portfolio of products on display is rounded off by shotgun microphones from the MKH series for film production, as well as wireless microphones from the Digital 9000, Digital 6000, 2000 and evolution wireless series, which are used for ENG and broadcasting.

A particularly eye-catching highlight at the booth is, according to Sennheiser, the MKE 2 elements for the GoPro HERO4, the performance of which will be impressively illustrated by footage from the Mercedes-Benz Kitesurf World Cup. One of the biggest lifestyle watersports events in the world, the tournament takes place prior to IBC in August. “Kite surfing is the ideal sport for demonstrating how you can produce great footage even when you’re exposed to wind and water. We are expecting videos with a sound quality that has never been possible before,” says Gleissner.

3D audio and studio highlights

The field of 3D audio is an innovative media format that is growing in importance. It is the key to immersing listeners into new audio worlds and to completing the perfect illusion in virtual reality applications. When it comes to 3D productions, the talents of the AMBEO VR Mic from Sennheiser and the binaural KU 100 dummy head from Neumann truly shine. Visitors to the IBC Future Zone have an additional opportunity to try out the AMBEO VR Mic, which will feature in workshops on the subject of virtual reality recordings and post-production.

The studio area of the stand also reflects the huge diversity of today’s production possibilities. Products such as the Sennheiser MK 4 digital and the Neumann TLM 102 for professionally equipped home studios are on display, as is the extremely versatile Neumann TLM 107 for project studio applications. On show for professional studios are Neumann legends including the U 87, as well as two much-loved workhorses for radio studios, the BCM 104 and BCM 705.

The Neumann range of studio monitors was recently expanded with the launch of the KH 80 DSP. It’s the ideal product for smaller studios that do not want to miss out on great Neumann sound and visitors will be able to experience the impressive sound of this new model as well as a wide range of other Neumann monitors.