West End sound designer Rick Clarke has chosen Point Source Audio‘s SERIES8 microphones as his new standard after they outperformed the mics that were being used in “Chicago” during the musical production’s Germany tour this fall.
The 35-year veteran sound designer announced, “I will be specifying these [SERIES8] mics on my next shows.”
As Stage Entertainment’s production of “Chicago” was preparing to move from Stuttgart to Berlin last October, Clarke saw an opportunity to improve on their current mic situation.
“When it comes to close-micing my actors, boosting intelligibility is paramount and I’m always looking for a better solution,” says Clarke.
A quick demo of the SERIES8 earworn, lavalier and headset style microphones was enough to convince the sound designer, who elaborated that “Our production team, despite already having plenty of other mics, decided to add the CO-8WL lavalier and CO-8WS earworn microphones to the show.”
“Point Source Audio’s mics provided greater sound clarity and were more robust compared with the industry standard mic I was already using,” Clarke declares. Having opened 17 international productions of “Chicago” since 2002, he is intimately familiar with the iconic musical’s sound requirements and performers’ mic needs.
Clarke and his team specifically chose the CO-8WL lavalier and the CO-8WS earworn models to tackle the intelligibility issue. Both mics are omnidirectional and IP57 waterproof rated against water, sweat and makeup—conditions that are ever-present on set and commonly harmful to microphones.
James Lamb, president of Point Source Audio expresses the company’s commitment to the performing arts industry and the technology: “Our design approach is always that we start with the technical accuracy of the sound, then we build on features we know our customers need, like durability to meet the rigorous challenges of live productions.”
Another key advantage according to Clarke is that “Chicago is a musical renowned for its astonishing dancing and the [CO-8WS] earworn mic remained in place despite its wearer doing some very vigorous dancing.” Point Source Audio touts the CO-8WS boom as the most durable in the industry, bendable beyond 360◦ so form-fitting the mics to the actors’ faces can be accomplished repeatedly without breakage.
Point Source Audio Distributors Community UK in Great Britain and Trius in Germany coordinated and supported the evaluation and ultimate acquisition of the microphones in the middle of a demanding show schedule.
Point Source Audio’s SERIES8 headset, earworn and lavalier microphones are constructed to suit the most physically demanding professional applications for live sound and measure a mere 4mm or less in diameter.
