Audio-Technica is supporting the host broadcaster of China’s winter sports event with a huge number of microphones, headphones and associated accessories. The company has in fact been providing audio solutions to global broadcasts of such events for some 26 years.

Microphone innovation can be found in the locations where events take place on ice such as speed skating, ice hockey and figure skating. There, approximately 60 pieces of AT880b contact microphone are sunk into the ice fields before being frozen, to pick up the often subtle sound of competitors’ skates.

In order to bring the action of the curling events to viewers at home, there are over 50 channels of ATW-5000 Series wireless belt-pack microphone systems, often working continuously for up to 13 hours per day in challenging environments in terms of temperatures.

A long-running signature of the sports broadcasts is the detail of a venue’s ‘ambient’ sound, delivered in 5.1 surround. This relies on a combination of AT4050 mono and AT4050ST stereo large diaphragm microphones, often hung from high in venues. In total there are over 200 of these ambient microphones throughout the various competition sites.

U851R boundary microphones, in special ‘winter white’ colours, BP899 & BP898 lapel microphones, in-ear E-Series monitors and Mx-Series headphones help complete the extensive inventory delivered by Audio-Technica into the host city of Beijing.

Finally, making a second appearance after their inaugural success in Tokyo last summer, are 14 of Audio-Technica’s prototype 8.0 Microphones. which also form part of the host broadcaster’s immersive audio programme delivery package.