Neumann debuts close miking system
- Details
The new KK 14 capsule system’s modular construction has been designed to ensure stability and long service life for live and stage performances. The system includes nine mounting solutions that make it possible to find the optimum positioning for acoustics while simultaneously protecting the instrument. The Miniature Clip Mic System will be available in spring 2022. The system can already be pre-ordered by dealers and major clients.
Portfolio manager Stephan Mauer says, “We had been dissatisfied with the sound delivered by electret solutions for quite some time. Technicians and artists alike want greater substance, higher precision for low and medium frequencies and more openness. At the same time, we wanted to finally be able to create electret microphones that offered constant performance, so that sound engineers would not have to continuously deal with production tolerances impacting sound level and frequency response.”
Neumann’s developers spent six years researching the capsules and the production processes that would be necessary to make this a reality. Mauer: “All that work paid off. This capsule is unlike anything that came before.” With minimised self-noise and a high maximum sound level of 152 dB, the KK 14 delivers results for both very quiet and very loud instruments.
In addition, the Miniature Clip Mic System is modular and rugged. Neumann assembles the KK 14 capsules by hand and encapsulates them in a titanium housing. The capsule can be easily unscrewed from the gooseneck connector whenever necessary.
The system boasts nine options for attachment to brass, string and stringed instruments, pianos, drums and percussion. “Our field tests quickly revealed that all users share a desire for being able to reliably and securely position the microphone. Another wish that they all had in common was wanting to avoid damaging sensitive surfaces of their instruments. This gave rise to self-adjusting spring-loaded systems and newly developed mounting concepts for specific applications.”
Neumann CEO Ralf Oehl comments, “We are proud that we have succeeded in redefining the potential of electret capsules. For the first time, they are more than just a compromise solution for technically demanding situations. With this product, we have created a new reference for sound that is truly natural, neutral and reliable – even in challenging technical or acoustic situations.”
