Press release
12.09.2011 - Holte
"It´s like watching the world through a freshly cleaned window"
Jacob Navne is head of production at high-profiled Danish live venue Vega and one of the most experienced sound engineers in the country. In his work, he always uses Neumann microphones, both at Vega and when on tour - but on the other hand, he is always open to new inputs. Hence, Sennheiser's Morten Munch asked him to test the new Neumann digital microphone series - and this provided both him and the band with a whole new experience.
Jacob Navne has a theoretical background as an engineer in sound, and he is also a guitar player. For 10 years now, he has combined the two in his job as head of production at one of Denmark's most prestigious live venues - Vega in Copenhagen - where, as a FOH engineer, he always seeks to deliver the ultimate experiences in sound to the audience. Also, he is sound engineer for successful Danish singer/songwriter Mads Langer, about to go on tour with him yet another time.
"Digital microphones and consoles are here to stay. That's why I am always very keen to check out the latest digital gear", Jacob Navne explains.
Jacob Navne did the first test at Vega during a Mads Langer concert. And immediately, he noticed remarkable results.
"The improvements were across the entire audio spectrum. And I was impressed. For example, the drums sounded like a real acoustic kit rather that sound coming through an electronic channel."
Impressed by the sound
"My best way to describe it is that the sound of Neumann's digital microphones is "like watching the world through a freshly cleaned window" or as if a film was removed between the stage and me at the console", the experienced sound engineer states.
For the concert, Jacob used a package consisting of eight Neumann KM 184D- and KM185D microphones plus his own digital console and the equipment at Vega.
Jacob did not tell the band anything about the new microphones before the rehearsals. Nevertheless, there was a spontaneous and positive reaction from the guitarists, both of whom had the same impression of the microphones as Jacob himself.
"The microphones have two converters on board - put very simply, you could say that there is one for the high- and one for the low sound levels. This gives me an extremely detailed sound and a noise floor that is more or less non-existent. In principle, the Neumann mics provide 140dB of dynamics", he continues. The microphones support the AES 42 standard, initially suggested by Neumann and providing the possibility of remote controlling gain settings, limiting and compression, among other things. At this specific concert, however, Jacob was monitoring the microphones on the console's meters.
This autumn, Jacob plans to take the next step and make the entire signal path digital - right from the instrument to the ears of the audience.
Mads Langer is ready for the big time
Later this year, Jacob Navne goes on tour with Mads Langer, who is in an indeed very positive situation, having been signed to Sony International on a long-term agreement.
"He is definitely ready for the big venues in Europe and before that, I would like to make a fully digital production.
The band plays with In-Ears, so there will be totally silent on stage when Mads is using Neumann's new digital KMS 104D or KMS 105D. I really look forward to that.
When you have my job, it's like an exam every time - that's why I love it", he concludes.
New series of Neumann digital microphones
The microphones recently tested by Jacob Navne at Vega are part of Neumann's new series of professional digital microphones.
"These microphones are from the KM D series, a further development of the popular KM 100 series which so many musicians and engineers know and love. The new capsules from the KM series fit both the analog KM A and the digital KM D output stage, thus making the system very flexible", explains Morten Munch, Project Manager Nordic – Recording at Sennheiser Nordic.
The models Neumann KM 133D, 183D, 184D and 185D; the vocal mics KMS 104D,105D and TLM 103D and the flagship D-01 are described in detail at: http://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=kmd_description
The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, recorded sales of around €468 million in 2010. Sennheiser employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, and has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. The company is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones and monitor loudspeakers), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).
You can find all the latest information on Sennheiser by visiting our website at www.sennheisernordic.com.
Sennheiser Nordic A/S
Susanne Meiniche
Marketing Communications Nordic
Phone: +45 45470918
ssm@sennheisernordic.com
