The 46th Annual CMA Awards aired live in 5.1-channel surround sound Thursday, 1 November, 2012, on the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and featured over 200 Audio-Technica microphones, including an impressive array of hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless Systems.
The team responsible for the audio at this year's CMA's again included a who's who of broadcast audio. The audio was supervised by award-winning audio producers Tom Davis and Paul Sandweiss; ATK/Audiotek provided the sound system with FOH (front-of-house) mixers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer; the broadcast music mix was handled by New Jersey/California-based M3's (Music Mix Mobile's) John Harris and Jay Vicari. Stage monitoring was handled by Tom Pesa and Jason Spence.
Audio-Technica's Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System with the AEW-T6100 Hypercardioid Dynamic Handheld Microphone/Transmitter was used for lead vocals by A-T endorser Jason Aldean, who opened the show performing The Only Way I Know. Aldean later returned in the show to perform his hit Take A Little Ride.
The backline mic complement of A-T wired microphones included the AT4080 Phantom-powered Bidirectional Ribbon Microphone on guitars; AT4050 Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone on guitars and bass; AT4040 Cardioid Condenser Microphone on overheads; AE2500 Dual-Element Cardioid Instrument Microphone on kick drum; AE5100 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone on hi-hat and ride cymbals; AE5400 Cardioid Condenser Microphone on rotary speaker top and AT4050 on rotary speaker bottom (used by Gregg Allman with the Zac Brown Band); ATM650 Dynamic Instrument Microphone on snare; and ATM350 Cardioid Condenser Clip-On Microphone on toms and fiddle/violin.
Tom Davis stated: "Audio-Technica has been a longtime go-to microphone for the CMA Awards, based on their reliability and performance. Their ability to deliver clean, clear, consistent audio makes them exactly what I need when choosing microphones for this awards show."
(Jim Evans)
