Blackmagic Design has launched a new 7th order ambisonic microphone, designed to capture true spatial audio for immersive production.
Featuring an array of 108 digital MEMS microphones mounted in a solid, faceted metal body, The Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone captures the entire sound field while small enough to be held in the palm or mounted on top of a camera.
An internal processor runs Apple’s encoding filters, converting mic audio to 7th order ambisonics in real time, minimising the need for encoding software or a breakout box.
Connected via a USB-C cable, the mic requires no drivers or plugins and can be mounted on top of a Blackmagic URSA Cine immersive for immediate use. The spatial audio records directly into the camera’s immersive files, remaining in sync, said the company.
The Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone can be connected to a computer, aiming to enable real-time recording and mixing with Fairlight Live, or direct recording to iPhone via the Blackmagic Camera app. A USB to SMPTE ST2110 converter is planned.
Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO, said, “This microphone started when we were collaborating with Apple on the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera. I heard a high resolution spatial audio capture for the first time and it was like hearing an acoustic reality, I was totally blown away. Apple licensed their array geometry and the ambisonic encoding filters, we did the engineering and design, and the result is an ambisonic microphone where you just plug in one cable and capture true spatial audio.”
