The New York Times featured the TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play on the front page of the business section today! David Pogue, the Times’ premier tech editor wrote a glowing review for the product, saying the Play “can give your voice and incredibly cutting-edge, professional sound, either live or when you’re sitting at your computer. The audio quality is sensational, and the presets are extremely convincing.”
Click here to go to The NY Times’ website to read the article in full.
Shure announced new products at this year’s NAB show – FP Wireless, Broadcast Headsets, and the UA874 Active Directional Antenna.
FP Wireless – Portable Wireless Excellence |
| FP Wireless is a cost-effective, portable wireless system targeted for videography applications, which offers easy setup and best‐in‐class audio right out of the box. The FP Wireless series offers a full suite of system components, including a diversity portable receiver and plug-on, bodypack, and handheld transmitter options. |
Shure Broadcast Headsets |
| The dual-sided BRH440M features circumaural ear cups that provide solid sound isolation. The single-sided BRH441M enables the user to hear external audio cues. The single-sided BRH31M is an ultra-lightweight headset providing exceptional comfort and durability. |
UA874 Active Directional Antenna |
| The Shure UA874 is a UHF active directional antenna that delivers improved wireless reception. It uses a log periodic dipole array to produce a cardioid pattern towards the desired coverage area with greater rejection of RF signals outside the coverage area when compared to standard 1⁄2 wave omnidirectional antennas. An integrated amplifier with four gain settings compensate for varying degrees of coaxial cable signal loss. The UA874 can be stand-mounted, suspended from the ceiling, or wall-mounted using the included swivel adapter bracket. |
Additional information can be found on PCM Marketing’s Dealer FTP Server.
Shure has released several product videos, and has made it easy to implement them on your website by supplying HTML code that can be copied and pasted into existing code. Above is an example of the new video player and a new ULX-D product video.
Shure has released a PDF with HTML code for all of their product videos, and it is now available on PCM Marketing’s Dealer FTP Server under Product Information.
Readers of this missive have likely never heard the name Ernie Seeler, even though a fair share of their livelihood exists because of this microphone engineer. Born in Cuba of German parents, Ernie joined Shure in 1953 and retired in 1997. During the late 1950s, Ernie developed a new microphone element that would revolutionize the pro audio world, and find its way to every major city, country, and continent…and even to outer space. That mic element is the Unidyne III – the engine of the SM58, SM57, 545, and 565.
Before the Unidyne III, all Shure unidirectional microphones were utilized by speaking into the side. The 545 Unidyne III was the first Shure unidirectional model where the user spoke into the end of the microphone. An important benefit of an end-fire, cylindrical mic is the uniformity of the polar pattern. This uniformity provides better gain-before-feedback in sound reinforcement systems. Because sound systems could be louder using the Unidyne III, concert venues could be larger. This led to concerts in stadiums, as well as large outdoor events like Woodstock in 1969 – where nearly all the microphones were Shure Unidyne III models. Ironically, Ernie Seeler disliked rock music.
From the Shure 1960 catalog: New! Model 545 “Unidyne III”
The smallest unidirectional dynamic microphone. Features truly uniform cardioid pickup pattern. List Price: $85.00 Cable connector: Equivalent to Amphenol MC4M plug Impedance: Dual. Choice of 50 ohms, 250 ohms, or high.
The Shure Model 545 “Unidyne III” is a new addition to the famed family of Unidyne microphones. This striking-looking, compact, slender , uni-directional, moving-coil microphones features wide-range reproduction of voice and music and flexibility of uses as hand or stand microphone. Recommended for dependable use in fine quality P.A. systems, tape recording, fixed-station communications, etc. Provides highly satisfactory operation under adverse acoustic conditions – reduces or eliminates problems due to feedback and background noise pickup. Permits placement at a distance from the performer 75% greater than possible with omni-directional microphones. The 545 is ideal for installations where it is desired to the keep the microphone size and weight to a minimum and still retain maximum operating efficiency. The 545 “Unidyne III” is rugged – will operate for years without deviation from its original standards. * The previous sentence has certainly proved to be an understatement!
Regarding the outer space reference in the opening paragraph…the SM58 is aboard the International Space Station.
Related link on this topic: http://shure.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4129/
Arcana – mysterious or specialized knowledge. Shure Applications Engineering is full of it.
Ernie Seeler wanted the frequency response of the Unidyne III to be flat and was disappointed with the rising “presence peak”; he felt it was a flaw. Yet, the “presence peak” that bothered Ernie became the signature sound of the Unidyne III family of microphones; without it, who knows if the SM58 and SM57 would have become the best-selling mics in the history of pro audio and touring sound.
By Matthew Shechmeister September 22, 2011
If you’ve ever played in a band or done some home recording, chances are good you’ve come across a Shure mic. Their products range from entry-level throw-aways to wallet-goring audiophile tools.
And while the company’s products are sometimes short on sex-appeal, their ubiquity is testament to their consistent level of quality: Shure knows how to build sturdy microphones. Ironically, this is due in no small part to the company’s equally impressive ability to destroy their mics as well.
“You test until something breaks, then you fix it,” says Boris Libo, Shure’s Manager of Corporate Quality Engineering. “And you keep going until you can’t fix it anymore.”
The SM58, a standard for live vocals known for its rugged design, is one of many products that Shure employees decimate on a regular basis. A few mics from every batch are brutalized in Shure’s destructive….
Headphone Sessions 1/30/2012: Shure Open-Back Headphones
Posted on 30. Jan, 2012 by Josh in Headphone Sessions
In case you’ve been under a rock, CES just happened.. And to personal audio fanatics like us, it’s the ‘Better-Than-Christmas Holiday-after-Christmas!’ It’s the grand time of year when all new must-have gadgets are revealed to the world and here in the land of Headphonia — the “everything headphone place” where HeadRoom is located somewhere in the deepest valleys of Montana — this time of year means NEW HEADPHONES!
2012’s first new releases include Shure’s initial step into the world of full-size open-back cans with the SRH1440 ($399) and SRH1840 ($699). HeadRoom is incredibly excited to be the first company in the USA selected to have a set of both headphones to listen to and evaluate from the comfort of our own listening stations and we don’t want to waste any time letting you know what we think. And just as expected, the long-time pro audio manufacturer par excellence does not disappoint. Right out of the box, it’s clear that some serious audio engineering has taken place inside and outside these headphones, but we only gave them about 100 hrs of burn-in before making our assessments.
