Voyage Audio was founded in San Diego, CA to design, build and market innovative microphones and software for audio recording and production. With a rich history in electronics, music and over 30 years of combined experience designing and building microphones, the Voyage Audio team has brought dozens of products to market for major mic manufacturers. Spatial Mic USB, their first product was noticed, but never made it due to the global pandemic. So, the company decided to create a more ambitious product, which benefits from being connect via Dante technology, because it is particularly suite to these complex spatial audio productions.
With Audinate’s industry standard Dante audio networking built-in, there is no need for complex multi-microphone and preamp setups — users just have to plug in an Ethernet cable and focus on recording immersive audio for VR, surround sound, Dolby Atmos, or any other spatial audio format, as well as stereo music, concerts, and live broadcasts. With the flexibility to output complex polar patterns of choice and aim around the soundfield, this microphone allows users the freedom to experiment with sound in new ways.
"By far the most requested feature since the introduction of Spatial Mic USB has been to add Dante," says Voyage Audio founder Colin Ritchie. “Condensing an 8 channel professional networked audio device into a microphone body was very challenging, however the creative possibilities and opportunities this new design brings with it are very exciting."
Included with Spatial Mic Dante is the new MicNet control app that lets users remotely adjust connected microphones on the network. Using filters created in an anechoic chamber especially for Spatial Mic Dante, the Spatial Mic Converter plugin (VST & AAX) now works for post processing the entire Spatial Mic family — just selecting which mic the recording was created with from the new dropdown menu. Voyage Audio offers the possibility to download the plugin and example sessions for free on the company's website and explore audio in 3D.
Spatial Mic Dante key features detail support for up to 32-bit/192kHz audio, AES67 mode up to 32-bit/48 kHz. The capsules are individually calibrated to create a balanced array, and specified for 78dB-A SNR and 136dB SPL. The output is configurable for unprocessed, surround sound, ambiX & virtual mics with pattern controls (continuously variable from omni to cardioid to figure-8). The microphone itself, benefits from being powered by PoE (Power Over Ethernet) and features a Cirrus Logic ADC and THAT Corp analog front end.
The MicNet Control software allows direct access to the analog stage and internal DSP processing parameters, enabling changing between unprocessed, 1st order ambisonics, surround feeds (5.1, 5.1.2, 7.1) and virtual mic mono or stereo pairs with pattern control and make-up gain. Multiple microphones can be controlled on the network from a single instance of MicNet Control. Other useful features include a switchable high pass filter, gain trim and comprehensive level metering. The software is available for both Windows and Mac.
Regarding the Spatial Mic Converter plugin, Voyage Audio built the ability to encode unprocessed audio from the microphone capsules to first or second order ambisonics in AmbiX or Fuma formats, Surround Sound (up to 7.1.4 Atmos) or virtual mic patterns including mid-side for mono or stereo output. It also provides access to multiple output filters, created using measurements from an anechoic chamber, and allows changing aim and orientation. Other features include switching the high pass filter, gain trim and comprehensive level metering and individual controls depending on which output stage is selected
The Spatial Mic Dante (with software included) is scheduled to be available this year, retailing for $2,899 USD MAP.
https://voyage.audio/spatialmic
