(click thumbnail)Steve SavanyuQ. What kind of products or services does your company offer for professional audio buyers/users – especially those who might be attending the NAB show?
A. Audio-Technica offers a full line of professional microphones, wireless systems, headphones and accessory products for the video production, broadcast, live sound and studio markets. Microphones include side-address studio condensers, shotguns, stereo microphones and specialty microphones for broadcast and fixed installation along with cameramount and performance wireless microphone systems.
Q. What’s new that you will show at NAB2007?
A. We will be introducing the new 1800 Series dual-channel cameramount wireless microphone system with body-pack and plug-on style transmitters. We will be featuring the new ATH-M50 studio headphones, and showcasing a new and improved line of shotgun and other broadcast/production microphones.
Q. How is your new product offering different from what’s available on the market?
A. The new 1800 Series is an affordable, true diversity cameramount wireless system with two independent receivers in a single unit allowing for the use of two separate microphones simultaneously. The system features 996 selectable frequencies in 25 KHz steps. Built-in frequency scanning allows each receiver section to find open channels. Tone Lock squelch helps fight interference and soft touch controls and LCD readouts on the receiver and transmitters allow for setup ease. The 1800 Series system is offered in dual body-pack, dual plug-on and combo configurations. The transmitters operate on two AA batteries and the receiver operates on six AA batteries or external 12 V DC power. If only one receiver channel is desired, the second can be turned off to increase receiver battery life.
Q. Has this been a good year for your company (since last year’s show)?
A. Yes, very good. Along with the launch of many exciting new products, we are continuing to develop additional products and solutions targeted for broadcasters. Several of these will be shown at NAB2007 with more to come. In 2006, we supplied several thousand microphones for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, working closely with NBC. We are increasing our presence at major broadcast events and continue to be a go-to source for microphones and wireless systems for shows such as the Grammys, MTV Music Video Awards, CMA Awards and Rock [and Roll] Hall [of Fame] induction ceremonies.
Q. What is the biggest issue concerning your industry?
A. The current legislation in congress regarding the “white space” issues in our broadcast spectrum. If the “white space” bill is passed, it will allow for unlicensed RF devices to operate in current “unused” or open TV channels. This could prove to be problematic to the wireless microphone industry in general.
Q. Where are you based and how many employees do you have? Anything else we should know about your company?
A. Audio-Technica U.S. has just over 100 employees and is located in Stow, Ohio. We market and distribute A-T products throughout the Western Hemisphere. Audio-Technica is a worldwide group of companies headquartered in Japan. Initially known for state-of-the-art phonograph cartridges, A-T now creates high-performance microphones, headphones, wireless systems, mixers and electronic products for home and professional use.
