Point Source Audio Mics Worked Wonders for Sound Designer
Award-winning Sound Designer Lindsay Jones Explains his Microphone Choice for Wonderland, Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure
Petaluma, CA — July 22, 2015 —Lindsay Jones, principal of Lindsay Jones—Unique Music and Sound Design, is sometimes challenged with “as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” Jones had just attended the first production meeting for Wonderland, where he was tasked with figuring out a sound system for 11 actors who also play all the musical instruments in the show. He remarked “I really wasn’t sure what I was going to do.” Luckily, he knew exactly what he was doing when he chose Point Source Audio’s CR-8S Cardioid Earworn and CR-8L Cardioid Lavalier Microphones for the fun family musical that premiered last April.
Jones’ first experience with Point Source Audio mics was a delight. He proclaimed, “The PSA mics sounded great out of the box. We only had to do a minimum amount of EQ-ing—if any—on the actors to get them up and running. That was a huge time-saver and a real relief for me.” Jones loved the accuracy of the mics, explaining, “The PSA sound is very transparent and warm. When you’re working in theatre, there is a huge emphasis on the mic sound seeming as natural as possible in order to not distract from the performance. Point Source does an excellent job of amplifying without changing the tonal color of the voice.”
According to the Chicago Children’s Theatre’s Technical Director, Brian Maschka, “The most complicated part of Wonderland was the sound design and equipment.” Jones chose cardioid mics because the actors would be getting their instrument and vocal monitoring from wedges and side fills around the stage. He wanted to ensure that they could get as much monitoring as they needed without feeding back because the actors frequently ventured into the audience located in front of the main PA. Jones explained, “I went with the cardioid mics for my production because I needed to control mic bleed from the monitoring of rock and roll instruments around the actors. All of the actors were on earset mics; however, we had a number of acoustic instruments (ukulele, banjo, violin) that needed to be amplified, and that’s where we used the lavs.”
Point Source Audio’s SERIES8 collection of miniature headset, earworn and lavalier microphones are offered in cardioid and omnidirectional patterns. All the headworn microphone styles include their highly durable 360° bendable boom; the CR-8 cardioid versions can handle up to 135dB max SPL, and include one interchangeable X-Connector with each mic for swapping wireless terminations, or fast on-site repair.
Maschka further added, “The mics held up to all the stress we put them through and sounded great. I’ll be using them again next year and for many seasons to come!” Jones is equally complimentary, stating “The Point Source Audio team was so great to work with, really knowledgeable and enthusiastic. It mattered that we got what we needed when we needed it. I would absolutely recommend PSA mics to any of my colleagues. As a freelance designer, there’s usually a lot of pressure to deliver a great sound within a reasonable budget, and in a very short amount of time. Point Source’s mics do all of that!”
More information about the SERIES8 collection of headset, earset and lavalier mics, and Point Source Audio’s other industry-leading audio solutions can be found by visiting www.point-sourceaudio.com.
About Point Source Audio
Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide a unique line of live event tech including their patent-pending comm headset; and their SERIES8 miniature microphones, known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features, and a winner of the 2014 Best Microphone award. As the Digigram Distributor for the Americas, the world renowned brand of Digigram sound cards, and IP audio and IP video networking technology are also available from Point Source Audio. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio
About Lindsay Jones
Lindsay Jones – Unique Music And Sound Design is a sound designer and composer for theatre and film. He designed and composed for the Broadway productions of Bronx Bombers and A Time to Kill. His Off Broadway credits include Bootycandy (Playwrights Horizons), Mr. Joy (LCT3), Wild with Happy (The Public Theater), Top Secret (New York Theatre Workshop), Rx (Primary Stages), and many others. His regional credits include Guthrie Theater, Hartford Stage, Alliance Theatre, Goodman Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Arena Stage, and many others. His international work includes Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada and Royal Shakespeare Company in England, as well as productions in Austria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Scotland. Mr. Jones has received seven Joseph Jefferson Awards and 21 nominations, two Ovation Awards and three nominations, and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, as well as three Drama Desk Award nominations, two Helen Hayes Award nominations, and nominations for the Barrymore Awards, Henry Hewes Design Awards, and many others. His film scoring credits include Magnolia Pictures’ The Brass Teapot and HBO Films’ A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2006 Academy Award for Best Documentary, Short Subjects). For more info, please go to www.lindsayjones.com.