H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Copyright © 2001, 2004, 2006 Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
“...I think I may have just heard the future...This mic is gonna RULE. It is so utterly simple and so utterly natural, it’s a total no brainer!!! Point ‘n’ shoot.
User list • ABC HDTV • Any Given Sunday (film) • Apple Inc • Asbury College, KY • ATK Audiotek • Bell Expressview-Canada • Bose Corporation • Branford Marsalis live in Amsterdam • BTV Beijing TV - China • Bonnaroo Festival • CBC HDTV • CBS HDTV • Celine Dion • Central Michigan University • City TV-Canada • Cowboy Junkies • Cristiano Pinheiro, Brazil • CTV, Canada • Dave Matthews Band • Dome Productions • Dolby Labs • Drew Carey Show • EA Sports • Eddie Mapp • Elton John • ESPN • Evanescence • Extreme Makeov
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Terms and Conditions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Rising Sun Productions Limited “Rising Sun” warrants its products to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the original date of receipt or retail purchase. During the warranty period, Rising Sun shall, at its sole discretion, either repair or replace free of charge any product that proves to be defective.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Warnings Failure to heed these warnings could result in an electrical shock hazard, reduced service life or damage to your equipment. • The Holophone H3-D is intended for professional use only. • All safety and operating instructions should be read before the unit is operated and retained for future reference. • Refer internal servicing to qualified personnel. Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Table of Contents Terms and Conditions..............................................................................................ii Warnings ................................................................................................................iii Introducing the Holophone H3-D ............................................................................. 1 What is the Holophone? ...........................................................................
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Introducing the Holophone H3-D Congratulations. You have just acquired a remarkable product, uniting simplicity and sophistication in an unmatched combination. The Holophone H3-D Surround Sound microphone has been designed from the ground up to deliver crystal clear 5.1 surround sound capture in an easy-to-use package at a reasonable cost.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide • Can be mounted on any microphone stand or flipped over to be suspended from ceiling, truss, microphone stand, etc. • Attached 15ft (5m) Monster® cable terminates in 6 Neutrik® XLR connector (L, R, C, LFE, LS, RS). • Hand-grip and windscreen are available as options. • Phantom power LED indicator for easy remote set-up. Left: LEDs indicate all microphones on Right: LEDs indicate 2 microphones off Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide What is the Holophone? The Holophone is a specially designed microphone system for capturing sound in three dimensions, while keeping signals discrete for surround sound playback. Designed specifically to create sound tracks for surround sound playback systems, the Holophone’s superb realism and ease of use make it the preferred choice for a wide range of other applications.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Home theatre setup showing binary localization Our real head performs in a similar way, shielding each ear from sound waves that are picked up by the other. Small differences in timing are interpreted as position. This phenomenon is known as binary localization.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide A Brief Overview of Surround Sound In the beginning there was mono. No matter how many speakers there were, the sound coming from each speaker was the same. In monaural recording, the effect was as if all the sound was recorded from the same single location, and for the most part this was how it was recorded.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide This configuration is known as 5.1, with the “.1” referring to the LFE source (also known as a subwoofer). Dolby Surround Digital is the home video version, available on digital video discs (DVDs). A competing system called DTS (Digital Theater Systems), introduced with Jurassic Park, also uses the 5.1 configuration. Circle Surround analog decoding system also supports 5.1. IMAX uses a 6.1 system, adding a top channel to the 5.1 standard.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide The Holophone H3-D LED Indicator Head Adjustment Knob Perimeter Gasket Microphone Elements Yoke Front of Head Monster® Cable Neutrik® Connectors Holophone H3-D Surround Sound Microphone Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide The Holophone Microphone System consists of ellipsoidal Holophone head housing six condenser microphone elements • yoke with 180° rotation • attached 15 ft (5m) Monster® cable terminating in 6 Neutrik® XLR connectors (L, R, C, LFE, SL, RS). Phantom power for the condenser microphone elements can be supplied from a recording console, or a portable audio recorder with built-in phantom power.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Inside the Holophone, there are six microphone capsules: left and right surround low frequencies (inside the head) left and right center The microphone elements installed in the H3-D are Holophone omni-directional condenser microphones. Note: Microphone elements with higher or lower SPL (sound pressure level) and sensitivity are available as custom orders. The cable terminates with six balanced Neutrik® XLR output connectors.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Using the Holophone H3-D The Holophone H3-D is remarkably simple to use, because it accurately reproduces in three dimensions what one would hear at a particular location in space. In most cases, if you have experience recording sound with traditional microphones, you can rely on your ear and your intuition as to exact placement for a particular event or venue. Here are a few additional suggestions (please note that these are only suggestions): 1.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide 4. When mixing Holophone tracks with other audio tracks for broadcast, including voice-over or sportscaster talent, try to mix the dialogue not only into the Center channel, but also slightly into the Left and Right channels, and to some degree the Surround channels, for increased spatial realism. When the overall captured sound is three-dimensional, the Center dialogue channel alone can become very thin in comparison to the rest of the sound picture.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide 8. The Holophone can be mounted “upside down” from the ceiling by turning the adjustment knobs on the sides of the unit, flipping the system over, and then re-tightening the knobs. 9. Audio “zoom” can be achieved by “riding” the faders of a mixer connected to the Holophone. The front (L,C,R) channels can be “pushed” in the mix while the rear (Ls, Rs, CR) channels can be “dimmed” slightly to increase the fore/ aft bias of the recording to the front (or vice versa).
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Cabling Scenarios Direct to console Plug the XLR mic-level outputs of the Holophone into the inputs of a console with gain control and phantom power available. Treat the outputs as you would six individual microphones with all channels panned to center. For most recording situations set the gain the same across all channels.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Using a digital audio workstation Plug the XLR mic-level outputs of the Holophone into the inputs of the digital audio workstation. Using a multichannel microphone preamplifier Plug the XLR mic-level outputs of the Holophone into the inputs of a preamp. Connect the outputs of the preamp to the inputs of the console or recording device. Turn phantom power on, and set gain the same for all channels (relative to each other). Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Optional Equipment The lightweight and ergonomically designed hand grip for the H3-D eliminates the need for a cumbersome stand in the field Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Hand Grip The custom-designed travel case protects the H3-D from shock and water. Custom Watertight Travel Case A windscreen that encapsulates the H3-D head is available for outdoor use. It significantly reduces wind noise while also slightly increasing directivity. Windscreen Rising Sun Productions Ltd.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide The Holophone in Action International House of Music in Moscow One of the largest concert halls in Europe, the International House of Music in Moscow uses the Holophone, under licence, as a permanent installation. Most of the recordings are made with the Holophone placed 1m (3 feet) behind, and 2 meters (6 feet) above the conductor’s head. The illustration shows Vladimir Spivako conducting the National Philharmonic of Russia.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Branford Marsalis Quartet, Amsterdam A DVD recording project at the Small Jazz Club, Buimhuis, a very intimate 400 seat jazz club (plus a lot standing!), with seats surrounding the stage. The film crew used 6 HD cameras to capture two performances on two separate nights. To achieve the desired 3-D sound effect for the DVD, this had to be an "audio first" project. The Holophone was given top priority in it's placement.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide 47th Annual Grammy Awards For the CBS HDTV Broadcast, the Holophone H2-PRO was placed approximately 30 rows back from the front of the stage, in an on-center position, about 15 feet high with the head pointing towards the stage. The Holophone-derived multi-channel ambience was used to feed the main surround ambience mix for the entire 5.1 production broadcast, providing HDTV viewers who were monitoring with surround sound an added sense of "being there”.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Frank Serafine Frank Serafine continues to break new ground in his ability to find unique locations to utilize the Holophone H2PRO to capture discreet surround sound for the sound effects for major film releases from Hollywood, CA. Here he is using two new Sony two-track portable digital recorders in Nevada's Grand Canyon. Beijing TV, China The H2-PRO was used by Beijing TV to capture the natural surround sound ambience of the program Community Music Tonight.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Rose Bowl Andrew Waterman of ATK Audiotek, Burbank California used the H2-PRO for the Rose Bowl game. The Holophone was clearly visible during the U.S. Military Choir's rendition of "America the Beautiful”. Waterman wrapped the choir around the microphone for maximum audio depth and 3-D believability.
H3-D Surround Sound Microphone User Guide Dave Matthews Band The Holophone H2-PRO was used by Third Wave Productions, Hank Neuberger and Terry Fryer to capture material for the PBS HDTV 5.1 Channel Broadcast of the Dave Matthews Band as part of the "Sound Stage" series on PBS. The Holophone was set at the Front of House Mix position and was used to capture the very convincing 3-Dimensional 5.1 surround ambience of the concert from the crowd’s perspective.
Notes:
Notes:
Notes:
Rising Sun Productions Limited ( Telephone: (416) 362-7790 Fax: (416) 504-6500 www.holophone.com ( Print by AliveProStudios.com info@holophone.
