ETC has sold millions of Source Four incandescent fixtures over the past 30 years. In many cases, these fixtures are still running strong and revered as the workhorses of their school auditoriums, houses of worship, and theatres. When it comes to upgrading from incandescent to LED, throwing out fixtures that are still in good working condition can, understandably, be a difficult decision.
Source 4WRD Color II makes this decision easy. Upcycle any existing ETC incandescent Source Four fixture to an RGBA LED fixture in minutes and use only a quarter of the power. This non-destructive retrofit maintains the majority of the Source Four incandescent fixture and reduces overall waste. Bring the flexibility of additive color mixing, saturated washes, and quick color changes to any venue with upgraded technology while staying within budget.
Compared to the previous generation of Source 4WRD Color, the addition of the new snap in reflector and the significantly brighter red emitter provide a notable intensity increase of 36% in warm whites and dramatically improves color rendering performance. Rich, saturated colors, pastel hues, and cool toning blues loved by theatre designers worldwide also see remarkable improvements.
This second generation of Source 4WRD Color is not only an incredible retrofit but also can be a full spot profile, a full PAR, or full PARNel fixture. With 12 built-in color presets and 5 built-in sequences, stand-alone operation is intuitive. Maintain the most-loved features of Source Four, including crisp shutter cuts, beautiful pattern projection, field peak-to-flat adjustment, and a full library of Source Four lens tubes.
Source 4WRD Color II includes ETC’s industry leading 5-year fixture, 10-year array warranty.
The “King of Wheels” BMX contest held on March 11th at the “Stuttpark” skatepark in Stuttgart, Germany, was a huge success. With riders from all over the country competing in three different classes – Kids, Amateurs, and Professionals – the competition was fierce, but in the end, it was all about the skills, the stunts, and the fun! The incredible atmosphere of the event was ensured by Electro-Voice sound systems.
Two EVOLVE 50M column loudspeaker systems served as the main PA, with a further two EVERSE 8 battery-powered loudspeakers deployed for the adjacent areas and as a DJ monitor to blast out the perfect mix of cool beats and tunes, while announcements were made crystal clear via a wireless RE3 microphone system that was connected to the EVOLVE 50Ms.
The DJ also used a Dynacord CMS 600 mixing console for signal processing and to keep the party going, making sure that every rider’s trick was accompanied by the perfect sound.
ApexPro is the premium distributor of Electro-Voice products in sub-Saharan Africa.
With great pleasure, the Genelec Artist Room recently welcomed Seventine – the victors of our 2021 ‘Bändikisa’ band contest – to perform a special live version of their song ‘Feast from Disgrace’.
Run in collaboration with Finnish rock legends Apulanta, Genelec’s ‘Bändikisa’ competition challenged our Finnish-speaking community to submit their songs for a chance of winning a pair of 8320A monitors, a GLM kit, a studio day at Apulanta’s very own headquarters and of course, an Artist Room live session. Having beaten four other finalists with their song ‘Hateseeder’, Seventine went on to receive the bulk of their prizes in late 2021. Due to the pandemic, their Artist Room appearance had to wait a little longer, but it was only a matter of time!
Seventine, made up of childhood friends Paavo Auvinen, Kim Miettinen, Mika Kontinen, and Väinö Kemppinen, have played their own brand of modern metal together for about five years. During that time, they’ve taken inspiration from iconic bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Bullet for My Valentine while making plans to record their debut album.
To watch their Artist Room performance, simply click the play button below.
We wish Seventine the very best of luck with their musical adventures! Make sure to follow them on social media: Facebook: @Seventine Instagram: @seventineband_official
Composer for Windows is an award-winning software that can handle the entire configuration process of Radius NX, Prism, and Edge DSPs. This software can create customized GUIs, manage scheduling, presets, logic, security, and integrate Symetrix and third-party control solutions.
This document is intended for those users upgrading from Composer version 8.3. If you are a new user of Composer or are upgrading from an earlier version, you may also want to review the release notes for previous versions. These can be found on the Symetrix web site.
Changes From Previous Versions
8.4.2 Fixes and Improvements
The following issues have been resolved or improved in Composer 8.4.2: • In rare cases, T-5 and T-5 Glass controllers would not boot completely after a power cycle, showing only a white screen. It is recommended that all users update to 8.4.2 to prevent this issue.
8.4.1 Fixes and Improvements The following issues have been resolved or improved in Composer 8.4.1: • xOut 12 fan speed reported improperly for Brooklyn 3 module. • xIn 12 became unresponsive after deleting Tx bus. • Improved upgrade reliability for T-5 and T-5 Glass. • Other minor fixes and improvements.
8.4 New Features Composer 8.4 is a major release and features the following enhancements: • New Brooklyn 3 support. ○ All current Symetrix DSPs now support the Audinate Brooklyn 3 Dante module. ○ The installed card version is now displayed on the front panel screen. • New SSH Lua API for Intelligent Modules. ○ Allows Intelligent Modules to interface with services requiring authenticated SSH communication. • T-10 Glass fast screen switching. ○ T-10 Glass switches between control screens much faster than in previous versions. • BETA: New USB human interface device (HID) control for Radius NX and USB Card. ○ Allows touchscreens and remotes to control and display the status of the most common universal conferencing (UC) applications. ○ Currently only works with Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. ○ Other UC applications will require additional certification and/or a Composer update for full functionality. The certification process is unique for each UC service; therefore, we cannot commit to a completion timeline, nor can we guarantee completion. ○ See Composer Help File for details.
8.4 Fixes and Improvements The following issues have been resolved or improved in Composer 8.4: • Composer: Control screens could sometimes hang if they contained controls from disabled devices. • Composer: Could not select 6 dB/oct slopes for Loudspeaker Manager HPF or LPF. • Composer: Gain-sharing Echo Reducer module had some minorly mislabeled controls. • Composer: Improved some firmware upgrade error messages to be more specific. • Composer: Matrix Mixer would not allow editing channel names in some situations. • Composer: Preset recalls on Crossover with Linkwitz-Riley changes did not update the low filters graphics while online. • Composer: Removing button from an option list dropdown menu would distort the gradient color. • Composer: Some sites could fail to push utilizing third-party Dante devices with changed Dante channel names. • Control Server: Momentary buttons on Intelligent Modules were sluggish and would not operate properly when run on a Control Server. • Control Server: New events created on Control Server set to non-US times zones would sometimes show up at the wrong time. • Dante Firmware: All DSPs, xIn 12 and xOut 12 have been updated to Dante Firmware 4.2.0.28. • DSP: Improved the Flex EQ response at low frequencies. • Edge: System Mute would not function on an Edge with no cards. • Lua: HTTP API would sometimes fail to pass the User and Password parameters to request. • Lua: The TcpSockets API had a number of minor reliability and inconsistency issues. These have been resolved and the documentation updated where appropriate. • Prism 4×4: Improved PoE+ reliability via LLDP. • Radius NX: Front panel Dante LED did not light if only connected to secondary Dante port. • Radius NX: Status field in the Playback module did not match the file being played when looping. • T-10 Glass: Control Screen Preset buttons would not change T-10 Glass brightness. • T-10 Glass: Increased size of number pad used for unlocking the device. • T-10 Glass: Sleep menu option would not sleep the device if sleep is not enabled in the device properties. • T-Series: Overlapping an image over a fader resulted in the wrong order of images. • USB: Hot swapping USB would intermittently result in audio failing to pass to the computer. • Other minor fixes and improvements. • Help File additions and updates.
Known Issues
Issues Related to VoIP
If a speed-dial number is selected as the transfer target, the transfer will complete immediately as a blind transfer.
Pushing a Composer Site file to the device generates a VoIP card log message saying that the location is USA, even if it is not. This log message is harmless.
When a local conference on a line is active and DTMF digits are pressed locally, the DTMF signals are sent only to the call appearance that most recently joined the conference. When establishing a conference using two call appearances, if it is important for one call appearance to receive DTMF digits (for example, a conference bridge) then add that call appearance last.
There may be log messages in the VoIP card Telnet session that are categorized as ERR (error) but do not indicate real errors.
If a local conference is using the two call appearances on line 2 and the call on the first appearance is ended by pressing that Call/End button, the call on the second appearance is put on hold. Press the appearance 2 Call/End or Hold button to resume this call leg.
If the DTMF Relay type is changed to SIP INFO (default value is ‘Out of Band’), the SIP INFO messages are sent using the configured Transport Type for the line instead of the transport type used for a SIP dialog session for a call, if that is different.
If the default DTMF Relay type of ‘Out of Band’ is used, and the DTMF On Time setting is increased from the default value of 150 ms, then rapid digit presses can result in dropped digits in the transmitted stream.
When the Country parameter is set to Australia, the “ringback” and “busy” call progress tones played in the local room differ from the expected tones for that country. When the Country parameter is set to Germany, the “ringback” and “reorder” call progress tones played in the local room differ from the expected tones. When the Country parameter is set to the UK, the “reorder” call progress tone differs from the expected tone. This does not affect any call signaling, it only affects the locally generated sound effects that are played into the local room.
If the Auto-answer feature is enabled via the Web Admin Page and there is an active call on one call appearance, this call is not placed on Hold when the second call is received on the other call appearance and automatically answered. The original call remains active with two-way audio and the second call has no audio. For conference room applications Symetrix recommends leaving Auto-answer turned off.
If the Auto-answer feature is enabled via the Web Admin Page and a call is manually answered and placed on hold within the Auto-answer time window, for example before the call is auto-answered, then this held call is resumed automatically.
If the Reset Web Admin Password button is pressed to set the Web Admin password back to its default value, the setting is not immediately saved. If the system is rebooted it will boot up with the old password. To work around this, modify a setting in the Web Admin to force files to be saved to flash memory after resetting the password.
A consultative transfer performed by the remote party who called Line 1 of the VoIP card to Line 2 of the same VoIP card will not transfer the call and the initial call will be dropped.
The VoIP card can indicate that it has registered successfully before the Line 1 or Line 2 “Server Address” field is populated. However, this field is required to place and receive calls.
The Blind Transfer function where the user completes the transfer without waiting for ringback or an answer from the transfer target is in fact handled similarly to a semi-attended transfer. If the transfer target does not answer the call, the transferee remains on hold.
A non-standard port number cannot be specified in a direct URI dial string, for example when dialing 1001@10.4.0.156:8325 the destination port of 5060 is used instead of 8325.
In rare cases, the HTML files used by the Web Admin may not load. Should this happen, refresh the browser to view the Web Admin.
If the DTMF Relay type is changed to ‘In Band’ (default value is ‘Out of Band’), the duration of transmitted DTMF tones does not match the configured ‘DTMF On Time’ parameter in the Web Admin when the G.722 codec is used for a call. The actual duration is shorter so the configured duration may need to be increased to work with certain far ends.
If a firmware upgrade is performed and later a VoIP card is added or swapped, the VoIP card may not contain the correct Web Admin files. After adding or swapping the VoIP card, a manual firmware upgrade for that unit should be performed.
Other issues
T-5 and T-5 Glass cannot be downgraded from 8.2 or later to 8.1 or 8.0. Attempting to do so may result in a screen showing only the Symetrix logo on the device. Simply upgrade to 8.2 to restore full operation of the device. If you need to downgrade a T-5 or T-5 Glass from 8.2 or later, contact Tech Support for special instructions.
Units may fail to pass Dante audio when switched versus redundancy mode is changed. See instructions on how to change this below.
Composer may fail to locate any devices. In some cases, this may require adjustments to the Windows firewall. Open Windows Firewall > Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules > New Rule. Specify path to Composer84.exe and save rule. Repeat for an Outbound rule. Restart PC.
Using multiple features that access the external USB drive on Radius NX may compromise performance. Examples include recording, playback, and accessing files via FTP or the Media Manager. Ideally limit the use of these features to one type at a time, or two at most.
Radius NX USB recordings are limited to 4 GB per file. Longer continuous recordings will be split up.
Using a low-quality external USB drive for Radius NX recording or playback, may result in poor performance, dropouts, or even a device reset. Only use high quality drives.
Playlists with non-US characters cannot be edited using the Media Manager. A work-around is to edit them manually using FTP. Similarly, audio files with non-US characters cannot be previewed using the Media Manager.
When using a preset to mute all devices, Attero Tech and other third party devices may not be muted. Dante transmitters will be muted, so in most cases, they will effectively be muted because they are receiving no audio from Symetrix units.
When an xIn, xOut, xIO, or third party Dante unit is first attached to the network, it may take up to two minutes to be located by Composer. When it is unplugged, it may still be visible in Composer for up to a minute.
Some controls in Composer cannot be added to SymVue panels. For a complete list, see the SymVue topic in the Help file.
Large button matrices in SymVue panels may adversely affect performance.
Storing the settings of large matrix modules in more than 100 presets may adversely affect performance.
Multiple instances of SymVue panels containing Shure microphone diagnostics may adversely affect performance. Minimizing the total number of Shure diagnostic controls opened in SymVue is recommended.
There may be slight discrepancies in displayed frequencies between SymVue panels and their corresponding control screens. For example, in a British EQ frequency display, if the control screen shows 200.000 Hz, the panel shows 200.002 Hz. These rounding discrepancies are visible due to the very high precision shown in EQ frequencies and should be insignificant since they are generally less than 0.002%.
For EQ modules that are switchable between Octaves and Q, the SymVue panel will always display the Q value, even though the label may say “Octaves.” The label is created at the time of export and is not updated if the mode is changed. For best results, leave any filters in Q mode if they need to be exported to SymVue.
In control screens with background images, it is difficult to wireframe select controls on top of the image since the wireframe dragging may select and move the image. To work around this, first lock the image via the right-click menu. Then hold down the Alt key when wireframe selecting controls.
In DTMF Decoder modules, the DTMF Sequences cannot be stored in presets. However, they can be stored in settings files, allowing them to be moved from one module to another.
If a numeric value box is placed in a control screen without its corresponding fader, it may not update properly. The work-around is to include the fader as well.
If Dante routing or settings are changed via Audinate’s Dante Controller software, loss of functionality may result. Changes made from Dante Controller may be in conflict with those made through Composer. For best results, do not reboot the Dante hardware or change settings using Dante Controller. Use it only as a monitoring and troubleshooting tool.
A maximum of 80 Dante units are allowed in any system. This includes Symetrix and third-party devices. If more than 80 are present, you may not be able to locate certain units.
In the ARC-WEB dialer, if many speed-dials are populated with extremely long strings (thousands of characters total), the dialer may not function. This is unlikely to be an issue with “normal” usage.
When upgrading the Dante Kernel Firmware for xIO devices, the upgrade may report failure when there are large numbers of units on the Dante network. However, the upgrade will actually succeed as verified by the new version number being displayed. To avoid the erroneous message, upgrade each xIO unit with only it and a single locating DSP unit on the Dante network.
Web monitoring may not work properly if certain ad blocker browser extensions are installed. If you are having trouble accessing a unit’s web GUI, disable all ad blockers and/or add the unit’s IP address to the whitelist.
Installation Notes
If you are upgrading an existing installation that loads a configuration automatically on start-up, the following procedure is recommended:
Make sure you have a copy of the original Site file (.symx file). If it exists on your local drive, skip to step 2. Otherwise, use your previously installed version of Composer and choose Hardware > System Manager. Select the hardware that contains an archived Site file and press “Go On-line (Pull from Unit). Follow the prompts to save the archived file to your local drive. Make a note of its location.
Turn off the automatic configuration load by going to ‘Upgrade Firmware’, clicking on ‘Erase Memory’, selecting only ‘Stored Site File’ and pressing Erase. Repeat for all connected units.
Upgrade the firmware as described below.
Re-push your entire Site file to the hardware. Open the Site file in Composer 8.4 and choose Hardware > Go On-line (Push Design to Hardware) (or press F4). Following the re-download procedure listed above guarantees that the DSP code running in your hardware is the correct version to work with the new firmware and Composer application code. Version 8.4 installs to a separate location than from previous versions on your hard drive. Version 8.4 can cohabitate with previous versions of Composer on your PC and will not interfere with their settings. It is important to note, however, that the firmware on the hardware must match the version of Composer that communicates with it. Version 8.4 will only communicate with hardware that is running the firmware released with Version 8.4, etc. If you intend to switch between versions of Composer while using the same hardware, you must remember to change the firmware each time. Composer checks this on download and warns you if a mismatch is detected.
Upgrading Firmware
IMPORTANT: In order to run Composer version 8.4, the firmware in your hardware devices must be upgraded to the latest version. If you are receiving this software with a new device from the factory, then the firmware versions should already be correct. However, if you are using it with an existing device, then the firmware must be upgraded. Information about the latest release versions is always available on the Symextrix web site. When you try to push a design to hardware, the firmware versions will be automatically checked and you will be told if an upgrade is required. The latest firmware is always provided in the Composer installer.
Upgrading Firmware Using Auto Upgrade
Follow the steps under Installation Notes above.
Install Composer 8.4 using the provided Setup utility. This will copy the necessary firmware files to your hard drive.
Launch the version of Composer that was just installed.
Connect your hardware devices as they would be for normal operation. Disconnect or power down all thirdparty audio devices, especially power amps and speakers, connected to your device(s) during the upgrade.
If you already have a Site file created with all units to be upgraded in it, open that and skip to step 7. Otherwise create a new Site file containing all units to be upgraded.
For each one, locate them on the network using Hardware > Locate Hardware.
Choose Hardware > Upgrade Firmware. Press the Auto Upgrade button. This will upgrade all units contained in the site.
If you encounter problems with this procedure or want more control over the upgrade process, try the manual operation procedure below.
Upgrading Firmware—Manual Operation
Install Composer 8.4 using the provided Setup utility. This will copy the necessary firmware files to your hard drive.
Launch the version of Composer that was just installed.
Connect your hardware devices as they would be for normal operation. Disconnect or power down all third-party audio devices, especially power amps and speakers, connected to your device(s) during the upgrade.
Choose Hardware > System Manager. Select the Hardware tab. If necessary, change the Network Search Parameters to discover your unit(s).
Click the unit to be upgraded and press the Upgrade Firmware button.
Click the Upgrade button under Composer Firmware File. An open file dialog will appear allowing you to
browse for firmware files. By default it should take you into the C:\Program Files (x86)\Symetrix\Composer
8.4\Upgrade folder. Select the appropriate file and click ‘Upgrade’. Close the dialog box.
If you have more than one device, repeat steps 5-6
Upgrading firmware for xIn 12, xOut 12, xIn 4, xOut 4, or xIO 4×4 devices
When you try to push a design to hardware, the firmware versions will be automatically checked and you will be told if an upgrade is required. To upgrade xIn/xOut/xIO device firmware, follow these steps.
Install Composer 8.4 using the provided Setup utility. This will copy the necessary firmware files to your hard drive.
Launch the version of Composer that was just installed.
Connect your xIn/xOut/xIO devices as they would be for normal operation. Each device must be connected to a Dante network that contains at least one Edge, Radius, or Prism unit. This unit will act as the locating unit for the device to be upgraded.
If you have a Site file that contains the locating unit and the xIn/xOut unit(s), open it and skip to 7.
Create a new Site file and add a locating DSP unit and all units to be upgraded.
For each device to be upgraded, right click on the unit and select Locate Hardware. Find the device in the table, click on it, press Select Hardware Unit then Close.
Right click on the xIn/xOut/xIO unit and select Unit Properties.
Press the Upgrade Firmware… button. Composer will automatically determine if an upgrade is required for the User or Kernel firmware and choose the appropriate version for that version of Composer. To select a custom version, click the Change Version button and select the kernel or user file to be used for the upgrade. This should only be done under supervision by tech support. The filename of the upgrade files will indicate their version. Press the Upgrade Firmware button.
Repeat steps 7-8 for each device to be upgraded.
Upgrading RS-485 Device Firmware New releases may include new firmware versions for Symetrix RS-485 devices such as the Modular ARC family and ARC-IIe. To upgrade RS-485 device firmware, follow these steps.
Method 1 – Using a Site File
Install Composer 8.4 using the provided Setup utility. This will copy the necessary firmware files to your hard drive.
Launch the version of Composer that was just installed.
Connect your RS-485 devices as they would be for normal operation. RS-485 devices must have unique addresses (set by rotary or DIP switches on the units—see the appropriate hardware Quick Start Guide for more information).
If you already have a Site file created with all units that have RS-485 devices attached, open that and skip to step 6. Otherwise create a new Site file containing all units that have RS-485 devices to be upgraded.
Choose Hardware Hardware > Upgrade Firmware.
Choose the unit that has the RS-485 devices attached and select Upgrade ARCs.
Select the RS-485 device and press the Upgrade Firmware button.
Choose the appropriate firmware file and press ‘Open’.
Repeat steps 7 and 8 for each RS-485 device connected to that unit. If there are RS-485 devices connected to other units, repeat steps 6-9.
Method 2 – Using the System Manager
Install Composer 8.4 using the provided Setup utility. This will copy the necessary firmware files to your hard drive.
Launch the version of Composer that was just installed.
Connect your RS-485 devices as they would be for normal operation. RS-485 devices must have unique addresses (set by rotary or DIP switches on the units—see the appropriate hardware Quick Start Guide for more information).
Choose Hardware Hardware > System Manager. Select the Hardware tab. If necessary, change the Network Search Parameters to discover your unit(s).
Click the unit that has the RS-485 devices attached and select Properties.
Select the RS-485 Remote Control tab. Select the RS-485 device and press the Upgrade Firmware button.
Choose the appropriate firmware file and press ‘Open’.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each RS-485 device connected to that unit. If there are RS-485 devices connected to other units, repeat steps 5-7.
Issues With Site Files From Previous Versions of Composer
In version 8.4, the Site file (.symx file) format has changed from previous versions. You will be able to open all previous version Site files in version 8.4 or later. However, files saved with version 8.4 may not be readable by previous versions and/or some features may not work properly. If you intend to maintain both 8.4 and previous versions on your computer, we recommend the following guidelines to minimize difficulties with file formats:
A. Backup all previous design files. It is recommended that you backup your version 8.0 or earlier design files to a secure location before using or installing Version 8.4. Even if all else goes completely wrong, as long as you have those files, there is a way to recreate your old setup. Note that once you save a file with Composer 8.4 and overwrite a file from a previous version, it may no longer be readable in the previous version of Composer.
B. Don’t use the same file names for Version 8.4 design files. If you are going to maintain both versions of the software on your PC, it is highly recommended that you include something in the file name of all previous version files you save to indicate their version. This way you will be able to tell the files apart if they become co-mingled. Even if you are not going to maintain both versions, it is a good idea to use this practice at least until all your design files have been converted and you have fully embraced Version 8.4.
C. Choose the default locations when installing software. When you install any version of Composer software, allow the installation to go to the default folder. This ensures that multiple versions will not interfere with each other.
D. Do not use version 8.4 software with previous versions of firmware or previous versions of software with version 8.4 firmware. The versions of software and firmware must match! The only operation you should do that accesses hardware with mismatched software and firmware is to upgrade to the correct firmware. Upgrading is generally possible regardless of the firmware mismatch. If this is not the case, the release notes will make a point of mentioning this
Changing Between Dante Switched and Redundant Mode
If Dante units are cabled for redundant mode while the units are still set to switched mode, problems such as failure to change modes and loss of audio may occur. Use the procedure below any time a device is switched from redundant to switched mode or vice versa. Two different procedures are required depending on if you are using a switched or daisy-chained Dante network.
Procedure 1 – Switched Network or Direct Connection Between Only Two Units
Cable the Dante network as if it were in switched mode, not redundant mode. In other words, make connections only to the primary jack. Alternately, if your do not have redundant-capable units that must be located through a DSP, you may simply disconnect the Dante network entirely. If more than two devices are used without an external switch, you will need to use Procedure 2 below.
In Composer, go to Tools > Dante Flow Manager > Configure Dante. Select “Redundant Network” or “Switched Port” as appropriate.
Push online with the units. This will take slightly longer than usual as the Dante units change their mode.
Power down the units.
Cable the Dante network as appropriate for the new mode. If switching to redundant mode, you may now connect the primary and secondary between two units or to separate switches.
Power on the units.
Again push online.
Procedure 2 – Daisy-chained Connections
Connect the first two units’ primary jacks only, primary to primary.
In Composer, go to Tools > Dante Flow Manager > Configure Dante. Note that in a daisy-chained connection, only switched mode is supported. Select “Switched Port.”
In your Site file, disable everything except the first two units.
Push on-line with the units. This will take slightly longer than usual as the Dante units change their mode.
Disconnect the second unit and connect the third unit’s primary to the first unit’s primary.
In your Site file, enable only the two connected unit.
Push online. Repeat steps 5-7 for all units.
Power down the units.
Connect all units.
Power on the units.
Enable all units in your Site file. Again push online.
ApexPro is a distributor of Symetrix products in Southern Africa. Contact us for more information about Symetrix.
Many situations require solutions to protect microphones from the elemental issues. Wind and rain generate noise in microphones.
In addition, viruses, like Covid, can be transferred to the surface of a mic. Efficient protection in these cases is necessary, but how these solutions affect audio performance must be understood.
Wind: Wind creates unwanted noise in microphones requiring windscreens/shields to mitigate the issues. These practical accessories can control the noise generated under windy conditions (reduction up to 20-30 dB). In general, for these solutions, the bigger, the better. If wind is heavy, a low-frequency cut-off in the recording channel (or the mic) is good protection against driving the input too hard in the LF range.
Rain: Most windscreens can mitigate the issue of rain, at least for some amount of time. However, if the screen gets soaked, it will heavily detriment the sound. For that reason, it is a good idea to bring additional (dry) screens, since thoroughly drying a wet one can take hours. An alternative for rainy weather is using a plastic bag if the job doesn’t entail recording. Be warned though, if the windshield is wet when the plastic bag is placed over it, the humidity around the mic may exceed the limit for proper performance.
Vocal wind: To reduce pops and blows in nearfield voice recording, a pop filter is an effective tool in the studio as it leaves the performance of the mic almost completely unaffected. Usually, the filter can stop the flow at a larger distance compared to a normal wind screen.
Virus protection: Covering a mic with a plastic bag to protect from viral transference is a practical idea. However, it is essential to use a very soft and thin (<10 µm) plastic. In addition, the bag must only be loosely placed around the mic (not packed), or it may change the directivity.
High wind and rain generally cause problems during outdoor recording by creating unwanted noise that the mic picks up. In addition, mouth breathing, blows and pops may also create unwanted sounds when close miking vocal performances. Handheld vocal mics can also spread bacteria and viruses.
To prevent unwanted noise generation, it is common to protect the microphones from the weather using windjammers, windshields, windscreens and other specialized solutions. However, not only does the effectiveness of these solutions vary greatly, specific and complete specifications characterizing noise reduction, spectral damping, influence from rain, and so on are seldom given. The missing information is probably in part because of the lack of complete standards in this area.
During the Covid pandemic, using replaceable covers (like plastic bags) to prevent the virus transferring to mic surface, was common practice. While a fantastic solution to keep mics clean, it does affect the sound.
Introduction
Measuring wind noise
Usually, wind-generated noise is measured in a lab to ensure controlled conditions for the measurements [28]. The standard “IEC 60268-4 Microphones” describes possible “devices” that generate controlled wind (usually a big fan). In addition, the fan must be installed so that only wind noise (not fan/motor noise) is measured. In most cases, this wind machine can produce wind speeds ranging from 0 m/s to >10 m/s.
Typical measurement results include noise spectrum vs. wind speed, equivalent noise level vs. wind speed or equivalent noise level vs. direction. (Equivalent level compares the noise to that generated by an acoustic noise source – how an acoustic source would measure if it generated the same noise as the wind).
If a wind machine is not at hand, natural wind can be used if it can be measured. One low-tech solution (yet possibly less accurate) is to hold the mic out of a car window while driving. The car’s speedometer provides the actual windspeed (10 m/s = 36 km/hour or 22.34 miles/hour).
Wind noise in unprotected microphones
A microphone without extra wind protection accessories is subject to low-frequency fluctuations of the wind. The mic may create, due to its configuration, fluctuations in wind pressure, due to turbulence around itself, even in a steady wind otherwise free from pressure fluctuations. The result may be unwanted audible sound.
Stronger wind creates more noise. Generally, omnidirectional microphones (pressure microphones) are less sensitive to wind than directional microphones (pressure gradient types). However, the noise level varies with the wind’s incidence, even if the mic is omnidirectional to sound. One reason is that the housing and mic shape may influence the level of noise generated.
Below, two diagrams show generated noise vs. direction for a 16 mm omni and a 19 mm cardioid condenser microphone. The noise level difference is around 20-30 dB at low frequencies.
The curves show wind noise vs. direction (30° increment). On both mic types, the noise is highest at 0° incidence (on-axis) and 90 degrees (off-axis) and lowest at 180°.
Fig. 1. The upper diagram shows the wind noise generated in a 4006 Omnidirectional Microphone with 10 m/s wind speed from various directions. The lower diagram shows the noise generated in a 4011 Cardioid Microphone under the same conditions. No matter the wind’s angle of incidence, the noise generated is much higher in the cardioid mic compared to the omnidirectional mic (1/3-octave banding).
Another way to document the mic’s reaction to wind is by creating a polar plot. It is similar to the diagram that shows directivity pattern, sensitivity to sound vs. direction. Below are two charts based on the mic data above, but now measured as an A-weighted and a C-weighted level, respectively vs. the wind’s angle of incidence. Both plots are normalized at 0°, meaning absolute noise level is not shown but levelled relative to 0°.
Fig. 2. Now the data is presented as a polar plot. The left diagram shows wind noise generated in an unprotected 4006 Omnidirectional Microphone with 10 m/s wind speed from various directions. The red curve is the A-weighted level vs. direction normalized to 0 dB at 0°. The blue dotted curve is the C-weighted level vs. direction. The right diagram shows the same data in an unprotected 4011 Cardioid Microphone.
The purpose of various wind protection solutions
Wind protection should leave the audio free of noise and free of coloration/spectral damping. Unfortunately, it is difficult to optimize for both simultaneously.
The best protection against wind is a closed rigid box [29]. However, sound will not be able to pass through. On the opposite end, an acoustically transparent device does not stop the wind. The best compromise of these two extremes must be found.
Foam windscreens/shields/jammers
Most windscreens/shields (used interchangeably in the article) are made of an open-cell type of foam that allows for acoustic transparency. The foam can either consist of Polyurethane (PUR) or similar material. Metal foam, with equivalent flow resistance, can also obtain the same result [9]. These windscreens are often circular/ball-shaped, providing the best wind damping from all directions. In general, the larger the diameter of the windshield, the more it reduces wind noise [5, 9, 16, 17, 19]. Omnidirectional mics are not very sensitive to the windshield design as long as the capsule is positioned in the middle. However, cardioid mic performance can suffer if foam covers the front and rear inlet to the diaphragm, which can change the actual directivity of the mic. Some popular windscreens leave airspace close to these inlets to retain the directionality [29].
Shell/basket windscreens/shields/jammers
Shell-type windscreens (often called basket-types) aim to stop wind as far from the diaphragm as possible. They often don’t add any absorption or damping material between the shell and the microphone. The shell/basket consists of a rigid grid covered with one or more layers of fine mesh. Also here, the ball shape is the most efficient, however it is possible to change the form factor (for long microphones) by expanding the ball, or rather, by inserting a cylinder [29].
Fig. 3. Principle of expanding the ball shape.
This kind of windshield is also known by the nickname “Zeppelin” due to its shape, which resembles an airship. They are also known as a blimp in the film industry.
The wind damping of the shell can be improved by adding a foam shield inside before mounting or by adding a fur-like coat on the outside (nicknames: “dead cat” or “dead wombat”). However, adding the external fur can also reduce acoustic transparency.
It is important that the shell surface does not vibrate in the wind, otherwise it is like adding an acoustic source/vibrating membrane close to the microphone. On the other hand, the inside of a cylinder acts as a tube, and standing waves in the enclosure may affect the system’s frequency response, according to unpublished findings by DPA.
Fig. 4 below, shows the wind damping of a conventional shell/basket-type screen from Rycote (manufacturers data). Here, natural wind was used for the measurements, averaging 20 individual measurements. The microphone is a shotgun type.
Fig. 4. Damping curves for Rycote standard basket + fur-type windjammer. Means of 20 readings (manufacturers data).
For larger microphone arrays (an arrangement of several microphones for a specific setup), creating one basket to cover all microphones can be advantageous, though bulky, construction.
Most vocal microphones integrate a (smaller) basket-shaped grid. It consists of a rigid grid on the outside, which also provides mechanical protection. On the inside, it may have a thin layer of foam as well as an additional mesh. Fig. 5 shows how the DPA 2028 Vocal Microphone implements these components.
Fig. 5. Grid, foam and mesh, protection of the DPA 2028 handheld vocal microphone.
The effect of a foam windscreen, wind noise
The purpose of a windscreen is to reduce the noise created in the microphone, not the sound of the wind itself.
The wind noise predominantly appears in the low-frequency range as long as the microphone (or preamplifier) does not distort. The shape of the windscreen also affects the damping. As mentioned, noise reduction depends on the shield’s diameter. So, in this case, bigger is better.
The curves below show the noise spectrum of an unprotected 19 mm pencil cardioid (gradient) mic in a natural wind field and an identical microphone equipped with a 60 mm windscreen. The two microphones are measured simultaneously. The wind speed is in the range of 4-7 m/s. The average time for the analysis is 1 minute. The screen reduces the wind by approximately 15-25 dB in the low-frequency range.
Fig. 6. Noise generated in a 4011 Cardioid Microphone in the natural (4-7 m/s, various directions, 1-minute average). The upper curve: unprotected microphone. Lower curve: microphone fitted with a UA0896 Foam Windscreen for Pencil Microphone, Ø19. The noise damping is in the range of 15-25 dB at low frequencies. (1/3-octave banding).
The effect of a windscreen, spectral damping
As mentioned earlier, it is challenging to add wind protection without also introducing some spectral damping. The diagrams below show the windscreen’s effect on frequency response. The first chart is an omnidirectional microphone, and the second is a cardioid microphone. The windscreen is the same as demonstrated above: UA0896 Foam Windscreen for Pencil Microphone, Ø19.
Fig. 7. The deviation from a flat frequency response applying a 60 mm foam windscreen. Two mics equipped with a foam shield, measured on-axis (blue curves) and at 90° (red curves). There is a roll-off above 6-8 kHz, with the maximum attenuation being less than 2.5 dB @ 20 kHz. A small gain around 2-4 kHz is negligible. (1/3-octave banding).
The effect of logos on foam windshields
In broadcast, it is common to add logos to windshields. Below is a typical shield with signs glued to the surface. In this case, there are signs on opposite sides.
Fig. 8. Windshield with logos glued on opposite sides.
Below is the windshield’s resulting attenuation effect depending on the sound’s incidence. When addressed from the top (microphone on-axis), it is an attenuation as expected from the foam. When addressed from the sides, the attenuation is affected by the logos. Unfortunately, the attenuation is increased in the most critical frequency range regarding speech intelligibility.
Pro tip! Don’t address the handheld interview microphone from the side if it is equipped with protection with logos.
Fig. 9. The windshield’s attenuating effect is dependent on the sound incident angle. Addressing the microphone from the sides may affect the speech intelligibility due to the additional attenuation in the 2-4 kHz frequency range.
Windshields and rain
Sometimes, windscreens also must protect against rain. Usually, a few raindrops do not make a difference. Some windscreens have a somewhat water-repellent surface due to a nano coating on the foam. This allows that most of the water runs on the exterior of the screen instead of penetrating inside. This, however, doesn’t work if the foam windscreen is soaked. Microphones are typically not guaranteed to work in humidity above 90%. However, the main problem in this situation is probably not the humidity, but rather the clogging of the open-cell foam.
Fig. 10 below, shows the attenuation of an omnidirectional mic equipped with a foam windshield.
The blue curve (top) shows the attenuation of the windshield when it is unaffected by water. A little attenuation (<1 dB) at 20 kHz is inaudible.
The red curve shows the attenuation when the windshield is soaked. The clogged shield now forms a cavity that exhibits a resonance around 3-4 kHz (almost like “cupping” a vocal microphone).
The green curve shows when the windshield is squeezed out by hand and put back on the microphone. The result is less resonance but more attenuation at higher frequencies >5 kHz,
The purple curve (bottom) shows that after being soaked, squeezed out and dried for an additional half an hour, the screen does still not behave like a completely dry foam screen.
Pro tip! Make sure to bring additional dry foam screens when working in heavy rain.
Fig. 10. The spectral damping of a windscreen 1: Dry. 2: Soaked. 3: Soaked then squeezed out. 4: Soaked, squeezed out and dried for 0.5 hours. (1/3-octave banding).
Special outdoor covers exist, which have a unique ability to let the rain run on the surface and drip off on the bottom, beneath the microphone elements.
Fig. 11. OC5100 Outdoor cover (left) and WJ5100 Fur Windscreen (right) for 5100 Mobile 5.1 Surround Mic (Immersive microphone).
To cover outdoor sporting events, shotgun microphones are often placed around a football or baseball pitch, close to run-lanes, etc. Unfortunately, these events happen in rain and there is nothing to do to protect the microphones as the event continues.
Fig. 12 below, shows sound attenuation by attaching conventional means like foam-, shell-, and fur windscreens for the wind damping. The damping is, of course, audible if all shielding is applied, but it can, by and large, be compensated for. Many shotgun microphones are equipped with a built-in compensation filter. However, if a fur windscreen gets soaked, the attenuation is significant (and is impossible to compensate for).
Fig. 12. The attenuation (on-axis) of sound depends on windshield conditions: 1 (blue): 4017 Shotgun Microphone with foam. 2 (red): 4017 + Rycote basket. 3 (dashed red): 4017 + foam + basket. 4 (green): 4017 + foam + basket + fur. 5 (purple): 4017 + foam + basket + SOAKED fur. Notice the heavy attenuation of the sound. 6 (black): Shows the build-in compensation for the high-frequency loss. However, it is impossible to compensate for the extreme high-frequency damping of a wet fur-coating. (1/3-octave banding).
In rainy weather, a plastic bag can be placed over the top of the foam windscreen. This should only be done before the rain begins to fall, not if the foam is already wet. If the foam is wet, the heat inside the bag may cause the water to evaporate, which then condenses inside the mic. Some mics tend to generate “click” sounds due to this “injected” humidity (unwanted discharging). A better solution is to leave the windscreen and replace it with a dry one when the rain stops.
Pop filter
A pop filter is usually a ring (Ø = 150-200 mm) with one or two layers of cloth (like nylon stockings) or a thin foam disc. It is primarily used for single-person vocal recordings. The pop filter usually has a mounting clamp for the microphone stand. The filter should be placed as close as possible to the speaker’s or singer’s lips and as far as practically possible from the microphone. Thus, it reduces the airflow as soon as possible before reaching the microphone. As the device only covers one side of the microphone, it does not cause any change of directivity, and the HF-loss is at an absolute minimum.
Fig. 13. Correct placement of pop filter.
Nose cone
A nose cone replaces the standard grid on a pencil mic and give it a perfect omnidirectional response across the audio frequency range. It counteracts the directional characteristics that omnidirectional microphones exhibit at higher frequencies. It also guarantees an even tonal balance of sound arriving at all angles of incidence but with a high-frequency boost on axis.
Nose cones are efficient for wind noise reduction but only apply on-axis to omnidirectional microphones in strong uni-directional airstreams [9].
Virus protection
During the Covid pandemic, using replaceable covers (like plastic bags) to prevent the virus transferring to mic surface, was common practice. While a fantastic solution to keep mics clean, it does affect the sound. The sound field moves the membrane and sound radiates from the membrane’s other side. However, low loss heavily depends on the plastic’s thickness.
Fig. 14 below, shows the results of a test where three different mics were covered with a plastic bag (one at a time) of various thicknesses: 6 µm, 15 µm, 20 µm, and 120 µm, respectively. The plastic bags were not packed around the mics, but only hung loosely. The bags were also left open. Schoeps experiments [24] indicate that directionality is affected if the plastic layer is packed around the microphone. The figure shows the resulting attenuation and influence on the directional mics. All three mics were equipped with a foam windshield to keep the plastic away from the capsule.
Fig. 14a. The graph presents the results of the measurements of a 4060 Miniature Omnidirectional Mic with a DUA0560 Foam Windscreen and various plastic bags for protection. The results show that the attenuation increases with the thickness of the plastic bag. Even the thinnest bag has an audible, negative influence even though it is acceptable for most purposes. (1/3-octave banding).
Fig. 14b 1&2. Deviation from the microphones’ standard performance: Here are measurements of a 4017 Shotgun Microphone, on-axis and at 90°. The thicker the plastic cover is, the more it affects the frequency response. On-axis high-frequency attenuation occurs. Also, in this case, it reduces the directivity of the microphone (levels are raised in the 1-3 kHz range at 90°). (1/3-octave banding).
Fig. 14c. Deviation from the microphones’ standard performance: The d:facto™ Vocal Microphone is measured on-axis and at 90°. Like in 14b, there is a high-frequency loss on-axis and a raise of frequencies in the mid-range, reducing the directivity. However, the effect of the thinnest plastic is still acceptable for most purposes. (1/3-octave banding).
Pro tip! Thin, soft plastic bags (on top of a foam wind shield) can be handy for mic protection. If the plastic is too hard or thick, it may generate noise under windy conditions. Also, if the plastic is too thick, an unacceptable reduction of higher frequencies occurs.
ApexPro is the recognized distributor of DPA Microphones in Africa. Reach out to us to find out if DPA is the right solution for your installation or touring needs.
Specialized, professional condenser microphones can take complex sound from the live stage to the next level. The trick is choosing mics that seamlessly combine to capture the true sound of the stage. That’s where the 2012 Compact Cardioidand the2015 Wide Cardioid Microphones come into play. Use them together, blending natural-sounding instrument close miking with amazing overhead ambient pick up to broaden and enrich the full sound picture.
The 2012 and 2015 are designed specifically for live stage applications. They are designed to help the sound engineer work efficiently with strict deadlines, physical limitations and challenging environments, while at the same time embracing the passion and spontaneity of the artists.
Both mics combine durable, reinforced construction with natural and precise sound reproduction – important characteristics for the live stage. In addition, DPA offers a wide range of mics optimized for live stage use, all of which capture natural sound that can be blended together easily.
2012 Compact Cardioid Microphone
The 2012 Compact Cardioid Microphone is an all-around generalist pencil mic that guarantees excellent results on any instrument on a live stage.
Durable, reinforced construction
Excellent transient response
Uniform cardioid directionality
Outstanding SPL handling
Natural and precise sound reproduction
The 2012 Compact Cardioid Mic is the best all-around, generalist mic that you can find to cover a wide range of close-miking needs on the live stage. It is a robust and reliable condenser mic, best for single instrument pickup. Its specifically powerful characteristics make it an extremely flexible mic that will shine on many instruments, particularly those in the high-frequency range.
2015 Wide Cardioid Microphone
The 2015 Compact Wide Cardioid Microphone is for ambient pick up of a drum kit or other instrument groups.
Durable, reinforced construction
Uniform wide cardioid directionality
Spacious sound due to a wide cardioid pick-up pattern
Natural and precise sound reproduction
Compact design for unobtrusive placement on stage
In a live situation when a conventional cardioid pattern isn’t quite open enough, choose a pair of 2015 Compact Wide Cardioids. They work ideally as overheads to capture a balanced sound of the entire group of instruments, like a drum kit. Also, when recording instrument groups with complex radiation patterns, the wide cardioid (also known as hemispheric, subcardioid or hypocardioid) design covers a greater sound angle and is an excellent choice.
