MotoGP Appoints Audio-Technica As Its Microphone Services Solutions Provider

Successful tests resulted in Dorna Sports’ decision to select some 265 Audio-Technica microphones, headsets and monitoring solutions. These include 53 microphones to be placed along the track. Another 76 microphones are used to film interviews and news reports. Audio-Technica’s new 3000 Series handheld wireless and 925 gooseneck microphones are used for the pre & post-race press conferences. 30 BPHS1 headsets are deployed at various commentary positions. A selection of 72 M60x monitor headphones and E50 in-ear monitors allow the MotoGP teams to oversee their audio feeds. The selected Audio-Technica solutions were rolled out during the first European race of the 2019 MotoGP season at Jerez, Spain in May.

Daniel Laviña, Media Technical Director at Dorna Sports, stated: “We immediately noticed a major step-change in track audio acquisition quality when we had the Audio-Technica shotgun microphones installed. With their wide frequency response and high SPL threshold, they seem ideally suited to the sound of the race, and we can now have great quality audio continuity between one camera position and the next.”

Commenting on the appointment, head of global engineering at Audio-Technica, Kazuhiro Onizuka, said: “We are delighted that we have been selected as MotoGP’s Microphone Services Solution Provider and that Dorna Sports has deployed such a large number of our broadcast microphones. However, I am particularly excited by the close R&D opportunities that we will be able to work on together. Working with Dorna Sports at the actual live MotoGP races around the world is a great extension to our research laboratory, and further demonstrates Audio-Technica’s commitment to sports audio broadcasting.”

Audio-Technica will be showcasing their work with MotoGP at this year’s IBC International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 13-17 September.