oryoki2000 wrote
At the NAB 2008 show, Holophone introduced a second version of its six
mic surround sound system. The new mic system is called the PortaMic
Message: 5.
Subject: 1 and has a suggested price of $600. That's a lot more affordable
than Holophone's $2500 H4 SuperMini.
Both PortaMic and SuperMini systems include a preamp incorporating the
Dolby Pro Logic encoder that allows signals from six mics to be
recorded as two tracks. If you've got a six track recorder, the
PortaMic 5.1 can output a track for each mic.
I didn't see this product during my brief visit Monday. I just
noticed the press release this afternoon. Perhaps someone who is
still at the show can take a look and give us a report.
Must say I find it hard to be enthusiastic about this, a human head sized
sphere/oval shape with a load of high quality (Eg DPA 4060's) PZM style
Omnis on it has some merit IMO. The surround sound created will be diffused=
,
ambiguous or vague but sound nice enough anyway. But a tiny pidgin sized
sphere with possibly ok / or not cheap electrets.........has very little to=
commend it.
Low cost electret mics such as those made by Transound are remarkable good,=
so why not use them using techniques that have more merit? Such as
Ambisonics as I assume the well performing Tetramic or the t2 modification=
by Umashankar Mantravadi do?
And the fact conversion to Dolby pro-logic II is considered a serious optio=
n
makes me think these guys are after some kinda pragmatic/ it will do,
surround effect rather than serious about surround sound.
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