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The Sennheiser AMBEO VR Mic is a condenser microphone for recording in 3D sound. The core of this system are four KE-14 microphone capsules, all of which are matched with each other. They feature a cardioid polar pattern and record sound from all sides thanks to their special alignment. This technology allows users to make spatial recordings with four channels for virtual reality productions – like movies or video games – with a frequency range from 20Hz to 20kHz. All recordings can subsequently be converted from the AMBEO-A to the AMBEO-B format in a DAW via plugin. Creating audio content for virtual reality applications has never been so easy.
The four KE-14 microphone capsules are aligned to a triangular pyramid, meaning that they record sound from all sides. All four channels are output through the mic's DIN12M adapter cable to four XLR connections, and can thus be send to a portable multitrack recorder or a simple field recorder. As the AMBEO VR Mic is a condenser microphone, it needs to be supplied with 48V phantom power, which can be activated for all four channels on the external hardware being used for recording. When playing the recordings made with the Sennheiser AMBEO VR Mic through headphones or speakers, they need to be decoded and rendered into the Ambisonics B-format in advance.
The Sennheiser AMBEO VR Mic is aimed at content creators who are looking to record audio content in Ambisonics for their virtual reality productions. This multichannel technique captures the sound heard at one position in 360°, for a truly spatial experience. When the recordings are played back, the perspective can be altered horizontally or vertically, thanks to a programme which renders the signals binaurally. The maximum sound pressure level of 130dB(A) at 1kHz enables recordings with a high dynamic range, which makes quiet and loud sounds in one recording possible. The set as sold includes a suspension mount, which can be used to reduce unwanted noise interference, making the AMBEO also suitable for professional applications.
In June 1945, Prof. Fritz Sennheiser founded the Wennebostel Laboratory, which initially produced measuring equipment. Commissioned by Siemens in 1945, the young company developed the MD-1 microphone, which was launched in 1946. After the development of further microphones, the company was renamed Sennheiser Electronic in 1958. Two years later, Sennheiser introduced the MD 421 dynamic microphone, which is still in production today and still held in high esteem by many sound engineers. Further groundbreaking developments, such as the HD 414 headphones and the MD 441 microphone classic, hugely enhanced the company’s international reputation, eventually making Sennheiser one of the leading manufacturers of microphone and headphone systems in the world.
For succesful recordings, the microphone cage of the Sennheiser AMBEO VR mic should point straight up, thus minimising reflections from the ground as well as from the microphone itself. When also recording video at the same time, the distance between mic and camera should be least 50cm, again to reduce reflections. As moisture and humidity can damage the microphone capsules of the Sennheiser AMBEO VR Mic, users should always make sure to use it in a dry environment. The recordings can be edited with the AMBEO A-B Format Converter software on any DAW – e.g. to optimise the 360° sound image by applying a filter. Another filter can remove unwanted low frequencies, for example footfall sounds. The programme is also used to modify the position and the alignment of the microphone.