At the Interbee show in Japan, SHURE showed a product which I hadn’t seen before – even though it was released earlier in the year – probably because it normally resides up in a ceiling.
The MICROFLEX ADVANCE MXA910 is a clever solution for video conferencing, live TV and small studios. Designed to fit into existing ceiling panels it blends in with your environment without giving any indication of what is inside. The MXA910 is designed to be integrated into existing practical spaces, just as a lot of lighting now is in movie sets, but is for audio capture.
The system connects up via an ethernet cable and is controlled via a software interface. It features steerable coverage of up to eight separate lobes to capture sound sources from above with a lot of accuracy. An automatic positioning tool in the control software adjusts lobes toward each speaker’s voice. The interface also allows for the configuration of presets, templates and polar patterns.
Even though the system is primarily designed for video conferencing, SHURE told me that they have been having a lot of success with it in broadcast environments as well. Even though it can’t quite replicate the quality of wearable microphone systems or booms, it is an interesting alternative.
The panels are available in different colours and you can even paint the exterior grill to blend into whatever environment you may be using it in. Even though it is probably not a product a lot of shooters would think of using, it certainly does give a glimpse of how audio capture in the future could be used and integrated into everyday items.
The MICROFLEX ADVANCE MXA910 retails for around $4500US.
