AES Standards News Blog

A new AES Standards project, AES-X189, "Connector for surround microphones" has been initiated.

The project aims to "establish a standard for the connector type and contact assignment for microphones having four or more balanced analog output channels, as used in surround sound applications. It will include specifications for marking and identification for the audio channels. It will include recommendations for cable type and detailed wiring. "

Modern recording techniques for surround sound applications often uses an array of microphones with a predetermined physical relationship. Individual connections using conventional microphone cables become sufficiently bulky and heavy that the practical options for placing the microphones in any sound field is unnecessarily constrained, and important recording options are compromised. A standard connector that is able to handle a range of surround microphone types will allow greater placement speed and recording flexibility, and will allow manufacturers of microphones, recording equipment, and interconnect cables to design with confidence.

Development of this standard has been assigned to the AES standards working group SC-04-04 on Microphone Measurement and Characterization.  More information can be found at:

http://www.aes.org/standards/meetings/init-projects/aes-x189-init.cfm