When the Utah State University (USU) Aggies play at their own Maverik Stadium, a crowd of more than 22,000 fans fill the bleachers to watch.
Down on the field among the players, the Mountain West Conference referees assigned to the USU games rely on DPA Microphones‘ d:screet necklace microphone to stay in communication with each other.
“We have been longtime users of DPA mics and knew the d:screet necklace was a great and natural option to replace the previous shotgun lavs we had been using,” says Chris Dye, live sound engineer at Poll Sound, provider of professional audio and audio-visual equipment sales, service, rental and support. “Every time we come across a difficult microphone situation or challenge, DPA microphones consistently provide the solution.”
In this case, the real challenge for Dye was miking the referees in an open space, while combating feedback, wind and the loud cheering of the crowd. The referees’ mics had to handle every audio challenge without “dropping the ball.” Fortunately, through the use of DPA microphones, previous issues were eliminated and the referees didn’t miss a second of the action.
DPA’s d:screet necklace microphone, which utilizes DPA’s d:screet 4061 miniature capsule, is designed and engineered for non-technicians who need a condenser mic capable of a linear response with low distortion and a large dynamic range. Additionally, the d:screet necklace microphone is a fast and flexible option, with adapters for wireless systems to give users a simple and affordable microphone.
“The d:screet necklace is a different design, and a much more comfortable solution for the referee who is running around throughout the game,” added Kent Nyland, assistant engineer at Poll Sound. “The refs like that they don’t need to clip the mic onto their uniforms or worry about the necklace falling off. Additionally, we are impressed that the mic is consistently able to pick-up the ref’s voice, which helps them to communicate.”