Mark Humphrey/AP Images
For the 13th consecutive year, Audio-Technica has supported the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards by providing an extensive selection of vocal and instrument microphones for its annual awards show. The 40th Annual CMA Awards aired live for the first time in 5.1-channel surround on November 6, 2006, on the ABC Television Network from Nashville’s Gaylord Entertainment Center and featured more than 200 hard-wired and wireless Audio-Technica microphones.
The team responsible for the audio at this year’s show included audio supervisor Elliot Scheiner; audio coordinator Michael Abbott; front-of-house engineers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer (with sound system provided by ATK/Audiotek); New York-based Wireless First providing wireless microphones under the direction of Kevin Sanford; David Hewitt’s Remote Recording provided the 5.1 production mix; and MTVN’s R8 mobile recording truck supplied the 5.1 music mix.
Audio-Technica endorser Kenny Chesney (pictured) repeated his 2004 win as CMA’s Entertainer of the Year. Chesney performed using Audio-Technica’s Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System, with the AEW-T3300 microphone/transmitter and AEW-R5200 true-diversity frequency-agile dual receiver. 5000 Series wireless systems were also used by Miranda Lambert and Audio-Technica endorser Jason Aldean.
“I’ve been working on the CMA Awards show for the past five years, and we’ve been using Audio-Technica for as long as I can remember,” remembers Scheiner. “The reason we use A-T is because of durability, reliability and, of course, the high-quality audio they deliver, especially the wireless systems. In all my years at the CMAs, we have never had a problem with an A-T mic. Most of the guys that are working the show this year—Mark Repp, Doc Damon, Stan Dacus, Chad Hailey, Greg Lankford and Brando Marius—have all worked the past five years with me, and everyone agrees, this year’s show sounds better than any one we’ve ever done. And it’s not only because we are now doing it in surround sound, but the overall audio quality seems to be better, and what are you going to attribute that to? Microphones are the first link in the signal chain—that’s a good place to start!”
In addition, a wide array of Audio-Technica hard-wired mics was also employed for the broadcast, including the new Artist Series ATM250DE on kick; Artist Series ATM350 on strings, rack and floor toms; Artist Series ATM650 for snare; AT4033 on bass guitar; AT4040 and AT4050 guitar cabinets and overheads; AT4041 for hi-hat; AT4051 on ride cymbals; and AE5400 on vocals.
For more information on the mics, visit www.audio-technica.com.
