Santa Rosa, CA – December 2008… Armed with a commitment to provide its customers and others with informative interviews, tutorials, and related content about its products and the artists who use them, EMG Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of guitar and bass pickups, determined that video was to play a prominent role in the company’s marketing initiatives. Being in the music and sound business, company management knew full well that a high level of production quality was essential if its efforts were to be taken seriously. For this reason, they equipped their new production studio with wireless microphone technology from Lectrosonics.
According to Scott Wunschel, EMG’s National Sales Manager, the desire for better and more varied product related information is essential to today’s customers. “These days, customers research the products they’re interested in more thoroughly than ever,� states Wunschel. “In the music and sound business, the ability to produce better marketing and instructional materials is critical. Prospective customers are accustomed to streaming content from the websites they routinely visit and they’ve come to expect this sort of thing as a means of helping them make informed purchase decisions. Regardless of whether the material is streamed over the web or is distributed on discs, production quality needs to be top notch.�
EMG’s video production revolves around an Avid Media Composer Nitris DS film and video editing system. “We were determined that our production audio be every bit on par with our video production,� said Wunschel. “We knew that Lectrosonics was a leading name in audio for TV and film production, so we decided to start there. We contacted the company and Matt Robertson, who handles Lectrosonics’ sales and market development in northern California, responded very quickly. We scheduled a demonstration and, ultimately, were very impressed with what we heard.�
As a result of the demo, EMG purchased a Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless system consisting of two SMDa Super Miniature UHF beltpack transmitters outfitted with the company’s M152 lavaliere microphones. Additionally, they bought a Lectrosonics UT-VMC handheld transmitter as well as a UH400a plug-on transmitter that can readily accommodate, for example, a shotgun microphone mounted onto a video camera. On the receiving end, EMG purchased a Lectrosonics Venue Series VRMWB Wideband receiver system stocked with two VRT receiver modules. The 1RU rackspace Venue Series receiver is modular in design and can be expanded to upwards of six channels/modules.
“Our goal is to produce a variety of broadcast quality materials for streaming applications via the company website,� notes Wunschel. “In addition to pre-recorded materials such as artist interviews and instructional items, we envision being able to stream live, in-studio performances by various artists. The sound quality of the Lectrosonics gear is perfect for this. The audio quality is so clear, it’s incredible. Of equal importance, the SMDa transmitters are very compact, so they’re really easy to place on the talent in such a way so as to remain unseen.�
Wunschel was equally enthusiastic about Lectrosonics’ ease of use, build quality, and design. “We’ve done a number of projects on location in San Francisco,� says Wunschel, “and the gear is really easy to work with. The SmartTune™ auto frequency selection feature identifies the best available frequencies with a single button press, so setup couldn’t be faster. I’ve also been very impressed with the equipment’s ruggedness. The SMDa transmitters are assembled in metal casings, so they’re far less susceptible to damage if dropped, and the Venue receiver is not only expandable, it only takes a single space in the equipment rack. Our studio space is limited, so this feature is really appreciated.�
Reflecting on the roughly three months they’ve had their new Lectrosonics equipment, Wunschel offered this closing thought. “We’ve been extremely pleased,� states Wunschel. “When we first started using the equipment for our first interview with Kerry King, guitarist and one of the founding members of the thrash metal band Slayer, we had some channel setting questions. We contacted Matt, and within 5 minutes the issue was resolved. Now that’s customer service! Since that time, we’ve been using the system 2-3 times a week for interviews, and are looking to expand our setup in near future. Sound quality is first rate, the system can be easily expanded as our requirements evolve, and it’s easy to use. In a nutshell—it rocks.�
For additional information about EMG Inc., visit the company online at www.emgpickups.com.
About Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless Technology
Lectrosonics’ Digital Hybrid Wireless technology uses a proprietary algorithm to encode 24-bit digital audio information with no compression and low distortion into an analog format that can be transmitted in a robust manner over an analog FM wireless link. The result is much higher dynamic range—free from sonic artifacts— than wireless systems using a compandor are able to offer. Digital Hybrid Wireless technology delivers long operating range, graceful signal decay, and a small spectral footprint, facilitating more channels to be operated simultaneously.
About Lectrosonics
Well respected within the film, broadcast, and theater technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company’s dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
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EMG’s Scott Wunschel with his Lectrosonics gear.
