Posse Audio » Posse Audio Hardware

Our Kickstarter is LIVE!

Dominic — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 22:42:41 +0000

Ambient Microphone Kit

Our Kickstarter went live today:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/610544753/posse-ambient-microphone-kit-hear-what-you-need-to

We are very excited to reveal our newest product: The Ambient Microphone Kit. We went live with our Kickstarter today to introduce the AMK to the world. But that’s not even the best part. We’ve decided to go with crowdfunding platform because we want this to be a community project. We want to get your input and make this a product that you and everybody else truly can’t miss.

So, what is it? The idea is simple: hear what’s happening around you for convenience and safety! The Ambient Mic Kit is a pair of high quality electret condenser microphones that plug into a miniature amplifier. Together with a set of ear buds or headphones (IEMs included in the kit), you’ll be able to listen to music and hear the ambient sound around you that would normally be blocked out.

Anyone who has used the POSSE On Stage Monitoring System knows that one of the coolest features is the built-in room mics, originally designed for musicians to be able to talk to each other, be more aware on stage, and feel connected with the crowd. We took that same technology from our POSSE and put it into a tiny package to create the AMK. Besides the convenience of having your ambient sound easily available, the AMK also makes a great safety device!

We are especially excited about this project because it involves YOU! We created a Kickstarter because we wanted the general public to be aware of it and we want your feedback. This isn’t just for musicians, and together we can make something that is universal. We have everything in place to get this made quickly and with your help, we can make a better product, faster.

We’ve been playing with a prototype in the office, and it has some amazing effects. When I adjust the balance knob, it feels like I’m adjusting the volume of the world! Have you ever wanted to put someone on mute as they’re blah blahing in your face? With the AMK, now you can! Usually I’ll just be using it to listen to music all day, while occasionally turning on the mics to talk to someone. It’s great, I can turn off the world when I want and if I actually need to hear something, now I can hear up to 100 feet away! It feels really cool! I’m not sure I would call it a super-power, but its definitely a great ability!

Make sure to grab an Early Bird or a Fully assembled kit. If you’re just looking to buy a POSSE, we’ve made them available at an unbeatable price of $170, just so you’ll help support the Ambient Microphone Kit.

In Ear Monitoring Systems for Today’s Musician

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 07:19:52 +0000

If there’s one piece of equipment that musicians nowadays can’t do without, it’s probably the monitor system. Before the advent of reliable and high-quality In Ear Monitoring Systems that are freely available off the shelves of major stores, everyone were relying on large and bulky wedge speakers to blast out the monitor mix for the particular venue. When the IEMs became more prevalent, performers could get the monitor mix straight into their ears, allowing for clearer sound, better fidelity, as well as providing additional noise isolation and cancellation.

Musicians and performers look for many qualities in their In Ear Monitoring Systems. Naturally, this device is an essential part of ensuring that the performance will sound good—and they aren’t free, too, so the investment must be considered carefully. Especially when it comes to personal monitor mixers, there’s has to be the right set of functions to give the performer full control.
In Ear Monitoring Systems can be either of the one-way type or of the two-way variety. One-way systems are basically on just one driver at full frequency, similar to most of the various headphones you’ll find on the market. There are also two-way systems that make use of something called a crossover circuit, which then splits the single signal into two bands for two drivers (which render hi/mid frequencies and the bass). Two-way systems are generally considered to provide better fidelity as well as better audio quality.

Given their functions and specializations, In Ear Monitoring Systems can be a tad pricey. The in ear monitors are different from the standard earphones available commercially for most consumers. For one, consumer ‘phones don’t usually offer the great fit and noise cancellation that monitors do, and their drivers may not be on par in terms of quality. That said, it’s important to keep an in ear monitor system in excellent condition to ensure long service life.

Don’t hesitate to scout for top-quality In Ear Monitoring Systems if you’re really interested in taking control of your monitor mix no matter where you perform. Be it the stage, an arena, a club, or a studio, having a reliable monitor system should definitely be on your priority list. Make sure you consider the options carefully since there are already a ton of different systems available on the market. This way, you’ll have a monitoring system that’s really going to fit your own style and your sound.

For the Best Comparison of In Ear Monitoring Systems for Today’s Musician, Click Here!

Understanding In Ear Systems

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:09:32 +0000

For different locations, different stages, and different performers, there will be a number of different in-ear monitor systems as well. These systems are designed to provide a performer or a musician with the proper mix of sound, since what’s heard on the stage or inside the recording studio will be different from what the crowd or what the listeners will hear. These In Ear Systems are necessary devices that should be part of any professional’s collection, and they have really stormed the industry in recent years.
Basically, the in ear system is a device that helps allow for an audio mix to be fed directly to a musician or a performer. These systems eliminate the need for wedges or speakers that output the particular monitor mix required by the performer, and they also offer better noise cancellation along with better sound. Some In Ear Systems even allow for direct control over the sound right on the stage, so musicians really get that personalized sound and can make variations and adjustments on the fly.
The surge in popularity of In Ear Systems has brought about some good competition between brands. The market is teeming with a large number of options made by different companies, from big-time brands that are already staples in the audio industry to relatively newer additions to the business.
These systems commonly come in the form of a wireless system that is required to transmit the monitor mix straight to the performers’ in ear monitors, and the performer basically has a receiver pack. Every single monitor mix usually has one transmitter, and each in ear monitor also has to have a receiver. The signals are transmitted wirelessly over radio frequencies like UHF and VHF, although the UHF In Ear Systems usually fetch for more because they provide better sound and are less likely to suffer from interference.
Getting in ear monitor systems requires some careful consideration, from the budget to the needs of the performer or the location or stage. In addition, one also has to consider if the system is okay for the in ear monitors themselves, as they will be the final stop of the system’s signals. Just make sure you don’t end up with In Ear Systems that will just distract you or affect your music even more. These are high-tech systems, but they still need to be simple enough to be controlled properly while still providing excellent audio.

To better understand the POSSE Audio In Ear System and All of it’s incredible Features Click Here!

Affordable Audio Mixing Consoles For Sale

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:53:29 +0000

When it comes to audio mixing, everything has to be set up properly in every single audio mixing console. After all, these are the devices that dictate how your output audio will really sound—both to the performers and to the listeners. Here, we’ll be discussing the structure of audio mixing consoles—the inputs and controls that make up the whole device.

The channel inputs, also known as the channel input strip, of the mixing console are made of a variety of sections. Here, you’ll find the different input faders, mic preamplifiers, and input jacks. This section also houses the equalization settings, the portion for the processing of the sound dynamics like gating and compression of the dynamic range, and the routing and subgroup assignments. Routing involves the various aux-sends, the panning control, and also the direct outs. Aux-send, or auxiliary send routing involves splitting a signal to a secondary bus for use with other external devices, and these utilize either pre- or post-fader sends.

The master output controls section is usually found on the mixer’s right hand side or along the center. The master controls include the main output fader controls as well as the subgroup controls. Other components in this section are the controls for the master auxiliary mixing bus levels. Depending on the console, the section may also contain talk-back mic controls, monitoring controls, and muting controls. The layout for the controls usually changes depending on the size and type of the mixing console.

There’s also one more section in audio mixing consoles. This section is for metering, where each channel gets level readouts on VU or peak meters. These help determine if the console happens to be clipping the signal already. Clipping is a distortion that happens with an overdriven amplifier, leading to it trying to deliver voltage that’s outside the amp’s capacity. The metering section is usually located above the sections for input and master controls, although some mixing consoles simply have meters that are integrated straight into those aforementioned sections.

Experienced sound engineers and operators that use audio mixing consoles are all already familiar with the layout of the particular console or mixer that they’re working with. Familiarization is an important factor in the proper control of a console, and it really does help the operator get the proper monitor mix for whatever performance is going on at any given time. That’s why those handling a new mixer console definitely need to take some time to become well-acquainted with the various sections. Once You familiarize yourself with a good Audio Mixing Console, be sure to couple it with our affordable POSSE Audio System!

Mixing Console: A Sound Engineering Basic

admin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:44:57 +0000

No gig, no recording, no performance can go with no proper sound mixing console. This is something which is required in order to ensure that the performers are all happy and that the crowd is definitely obtaining the best show on Earth. Usually, smaller venues have audio mixes managed from a console right in front of house area. Larger shows at larger venues rely on separate front-of-house and monitor mix setups that cater to the requirements of both audience and the performers, respectively. Audio signals from the performance on the stage are split between your two setups, and also the performers hear the entirety differently from the way the audience hears it. Otherwise, everything won’t sound nice. This is exactly why you see a wide range of speakers spread all through venues more often than not, and these speakers don’t necessarily turn out the same kind of sound.

What audio mixers do is, basically, combine and adjust different audio input from various sources like the mics and instruments and even computers. The mixers are adjusted and tuned so that the performers will be able to hear themselves over the din and also the performance will go smoothly for this reason. Each performer, from the singer to the lead guitarist to the drummer, should have that individual mix that will allow everyone to perform properly. The sound desk have small dials that represent the different channel faders, and these are what the sound engineers use to control and adjust the different monitor mixes needed by the performers as well as the front of house setup. Obviously, there’s also separate monitor desks and front of house desks for dedicated use. Speaking of monitor mixes, there’s really no formula to it. It’s all about coming up with what works the best for the performers. Which setting sounds the most pleasant or up to par with the goals is the one that should be used. Because of this, careful assessment by the sound engineer and also the performers is what’s required.

In any show, the sound engineer and also the performers need to be in constant communication to guarantee that everything is in sync and that the audio mix is handled properly for each segment. For recordings, how pleasant the entire song or sequence sounds to any listener will depend on the precision of the mix used to broadcast or record the piece. It’s that important of a factor.
A sound mixing console is one thing that’s used by a wide range of industries, not just in live performances and concerts. Public address systems use them, TV programs use them, your local theater likely uses them. Post-production for movies, musical recordings, news broadcasts, and all sorts of other media rely on mixers to produce the audio you need to hear what it is you need to hear.
Indeed, audio mixers are indispensable tools when it comes to any performance, whether it’s live or on broadcast or recorded. There are actually too many things to consider to set everything to chance, and everybody depends upon the perfect mix to ensure that everything will fall into place and sound perfectly.

What are in ear Monitors?

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:51:12 +0000

In modern stages and studios, you’ll find that the floor wedges that have dominated the past are no longer omnipresent. In their stead, you’ll find a bunch of In Ear Monitors nestled in the ear canals of the performers, a clear indication of the impact of technology.
Basically, In Ear Monitors, also called IEMs for short, perform the same functions as those speakers or wedges on the stage: they provide a performer with the right monitor mix so that he or she will be able to hear the sound properly in order to play music or sing properly as well. Of course, once you do have monitors for yourself, you need to make sure that the sound levels are just right because it is too easy to mess up the mix by pushing the sound a little bit too much on the loud side.
Nowadays, there are a number of reputable brands that provide the market with a vast array of options when it comes to high-quality In Ear Monitors. Performers and musicians can easily get their hands on topnotch monitors off the corner retailer. In addition to that, there are also manufacturers who allow for custom-molded monitors for that truly unique feel and absolutely uncompromising sound. Of course, these monitors can be on the expensive side of the cost spectrum, but many in the industry deem it as a necessity and they really are a sound investment for musicians and audiophiles.
Don’t worry—you don’t have to break the bank just to get your hands on quality In Ear Monitors. Even generic IEMs are made to provide an excellent seal on one’s ears, and these universal products will certainly still provide excellent audio output. If you plan on making your own monitor mix using in-ears, you first need to familiarize yourself with the various types of equipment at your disposal. You might also want to consult experts or audiophiles to find the best in-ear monitor for your needs.
More and more musicians, professionals, and audiophiles are turning to In Ear Monitors to provide them with topnotch audio, no matter if the listening takes place in an arena, on a theater stage, or even at a home studio. The level of control and the portability of modern IEMs—not to mention their general availability on the market—allow these enthusiasts to make the most of their monitor mixes and really experience sound in a whole new way.

To Learn More about POSSE In Ear Monitors, CLICK HERE

How To Setup A Monitor Mix

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:34:07 +0000

Having the proper mix during a performance, no matter where it’s taking place, is perhaps as important to the performer as talent itself. Without the right sound mix, the performance will simply be bad and the sounds will all come out wrong. With proper understanding of the venue, the mixing consoles, and audio mixing in general, the right kind of monitor mix can be achieved and the performance will surely go well.

A monitor mix can be done in a variety of ways. Sound engineers are tasked with operating the equipment and getting the right kind of sound going in certain areas of the venue, from the stage to the crowd. It’s also up to them to make sure that no feedback occurs and that the sound produced will be perfect for the hearing of the people in attendance as well as for the benefit of the performers themselves. As the performance goes on, there may be adjustments that have to be made. Adjusting the monitor mix for changes in the sound is critical in order to achieve the best possible result.

Of course, if you’re the type of performer who wants to do things a certain way, there are also numerous options to get your hands on your own personal monitor mix. How many times have you tried to adjust and deal with bad mixes from house engineers, only to end up cranking out a bad sound for your gig? The best way to ensure that everything involving the sound mix itself is in your hands is to get a personal mixer.

Personal mixers offer a wide range of controls for the performer. From master volume controls to on and off switches for tuners to stereo ambience volume, these are the things one can put his or her finger on during the performance—as long as he or she has a quality personal mixer on hand. No longer will these aspects of the monitor mix be left to chance.

Performers have the choice to go with the house mix of the venue’s sound engineers or get their own personal mixing equipment for a fully personalized sound. Either way, as long as the dynamics are properly plated and the monitor mix rendered properly, then there’s nothing that can get in the way of an epic performance and the crowd getting up on their feet and going wild with the sound.

For More Insight on POSSE Audio’s Monitor Mix Technology Click Here!