The Pasadena Symphony and POPS, Performing with Audio-Technica Microphones

The Pasadena Symphony and POPS is using microphones from Audio-Technica. Complete Production Rentals, a local provider of rentals, sales, and service of sound and video equipment, uses Audio-Technica microphones nearly exclusively for its work with the Pasadena Symphony and POPS, reportedly because of A-T's ability to accurately and consistently convey the nuances of the broad classical and popular music repertoire of the symphony.

Jack Haffamier, president and founder of Complete Production Rentals, has specific microphone choices for the entire symphony. On winds he uses the ATM650 hypercardioid dynamic instrument microphone. For the cellos and string basses, he chooses the AT4040 cardioid condenser microphone, while the AT4051a cardioid condenser microphone is used to capture woodwinds and percussion. The AT2020 cardioid condenser microphones are used for overall ambience pickup and the AE6100 hypercardioid dynamic handheld microphone serves a similar purpose but focused as overhead microphones for violins and violas. "[We do that] in conjunction with the close miking -- using an ATM35 cardioid condenser clip-on instrument microphone -- and that gives us a nice balance between the two," Haffamier explains. "When we want more of an overall symphonic sound we can rely more on the overheads, and when we want more of a pop sound we rely more on the close miking. It gives us a really nice balance between the two. And where they need a solo we put a 4040 on an overhead and they'll walk up to the middle of the stage and solo on that."

Haffamier, who opened Complete Production Rentals in 2005, says he uses A-T microphones regularly on a variety of music projects, with a particular fondness for the AT4040. "We do a lot of shows at Royce Hall [on the UCLA campus] and provide A-T to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Any time that we need a large diaphragm microphone, we will use the 4040s," he says, adding, "We have had great support with A-T, and we really like the product," he states. "Their pricing is very competitive and when it comes to reliability, I've had very few problems over the years. Any time I have had a problem the factory has been very quick to turn it around and very accommodating." But Haffamier is just as impressed by how A-T microphones seem to constantly win over new fans at his venue. "Many people are very set on certain types of microphones," he says, "but most of the time when I have given someone an Audio-Technica product they have been very positive about it and definitely like the product. They're great microphones."