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Marco LaNave calling an Akron RubberDucks game with an Audio-Technica BPHS1 headset. (Photo courtesy of Akron RubberDucks photographer Lexi Echelberry)

Sportscaster Marco LaNave Goes To Audio-Technica For Miking & Monitoring

Minor league baseball voice of the Akron RubberDucks takes advantage of BPHS1 broadcast stereo headset's cardioid pattern, flexible boom positioning, closed-back ear cups for isolation from noise, and more.

Minor league baseball broadcaster Marco LaNave, who currently handles the play-by-play duties for the Akron (Ohio) RubberDucks, the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, utilizes an Audio-Technica BPHS1 broadcast stereo headset for miking his voice and headphone monitoring.

LaNave and his partner Jim Clark share the goal of making the players and coaches “come to life a little bit for those listening to a game or watching online,” he says. “To get ready for each game, obviously, there’s the equipment and technical setup. But there’s also a good degree, especially in baseball, of preparing and knowing the teams and players you’re describing.

“We’re always concerned about the sound,” he continues, adding that the BPHS1 headset provides “a good, clear, professional sound to the broadcast. We’ve all experienced a lot of different microphones over the last year-plus with people calling in on Zoom and that sort of thing, but the BPHS1 really does give you the sound that, when people tune in, they know they’re listening to a pro sports broadcast. That’s number one: ‘What is the audience experiencing from this?’”

The BPHS1 has a cardioid mic pickup pattern that helps reject off-axis sounds, and the boom-mounted mic can be positioned on the left or right side. The headset’s user-replaceable, closed-back circumaural ear cups help seal out crowd noise and other background distractions, and there’s also an adjustable cushioned headband and a lightweight design. The unit includes a detachable cable that terminates in a 3-pin XLR plug for the mic and a three-conductor, quarter-inch headphone plug.

“From a personal perspective,” LaNave adds, “the headset is very comfortable, and the flexibility of the microphone is nice. It packs well and, because I travel a lot, that makes a big difference. Jim Clark and I both use the headset, as does any on-air guest. The headsets have been great.”

Read the full interview/Q&A with LaNave here.

Audio-Technica

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