Overnight a new company appeared called Townsend Labs with what they claim to be 'real 3D mic modelling.' The website is simply a tease at the moment with a picture of a microphone and software, whilst there's not much info on the system the credentials of the two people behind it are impressive.
A little digging finds that the two people behind it are Chris Townsend and Erik Papp. From their LinkedIn profiles you can see more;
of Chris Townsend it says...
"Guitar Products Architect - Avid Technology - January 2007 – May 2012 (5 years 5 months)
• Developed guitar amplifier modeling technology.
• Led a team of four engineers that developed the “Eleven” guitar amplifier modeling plug-in for the Pro Tools HD Accel platform.
• The "Eleven" software plug-in is currently Digidesign's number one selling plug-in in terms of revenue.
• Potentially saved millions in patent royalties after discovering a Japanese paper which was clear evidence of prior art.
• Conducted extensive investigation of the TI c67x DSP architecture for use in future products.
Erik Papp was one of the people behind Summit Audio where he was CEO for over 10 years before they were acquired in 2011. He also spent some time working with Blue microphones.
Also clicking around their website you can find some quotes;
"The Townsend Mic is the future of microphone technology. Being able to manipulate the polar patterns, mic choice and off-axis effects after recording is a huge advantage. Quite a breakthrough!" Joe Chiccarelli
"Absolutely love what this beast can do. For many studios this could be the one mic to rule them all." Matt Hepworth
With a guy who was part of the team behind Eleven Rack, considered by many as one of Avid's finest products, and the guy who ran Summit for a decade at the helm, we think we should pay close attention to the Real 3D Mic Modelling Technology of Sphere.
What do you think they could bring to the industry with this new product?
More About The Townsend Labs Sphere From Production Expert
Since this article was published we have produced a number of Sphere related items and videos. You can check these out below.
Production Expert is proud to present a world exclusive. The first review of the new Townsend Labs Sphere Microphone system. Technical Editor James Ivey shows you around the Sphere L22 large dual diaphragm microphone and the Sphere and Sphere 180 software in a practical demonstration recording voice, drums and acoustic guitar. He talks about how to get the best out of the L22 mic and the Sphere software to get the sound of some of those classic money can't buy vintage microphones.
With the release of v1.3, the Townsend Labs Mic Modelling System plug-in became available as an AAX DSP plug-in. With v1.4 released today, they have added 10 new mic models including one specifically aimed at the audio production sector, a 416 model. In this article we are going to show how the Townsend Labs Sphere L22 mic modeling system can fit into audio post-production workflows including voiceovers and ADR.
Townsend Labs have announced that AAX DSP support is included in version 1.3 of the Sphere plug-in, the software component in the Sphere L22 microphone modelling system.
There's been a lot of comments posted in various places online suggesting everything from it being vapourware, months away, or simply wondering how it will sound. Well we've been sworn to secrecy over the many details, we understand they are coming from the team at Townsend Labs in the next week or so, but what we can say is that it is real and it is amazing.
Anyone who is looking for definitive answers on equipment choice along the lines of “what is the best X?” is missing the point. Absolutes rarely apply in audio.
Universal Audio have announced the release of two new mics based on the Townsend Labs Sphere system. We have the details:
If you want to know about microphone modelling systems then check out our in-depth article. It includes Slate, Townsend Labs, Antelope and more.
Why use a mic modelling system when you have a real vintage mic? Julian Rodgers discovers a story that may answer that question.
In this article Julian Rodgers looks at the options available for professional VO using the Townsend Labs Sphere L22 . Among the new additions to the models are some classic choices for VO. Why are these mics so popular?
The recent free version 1.5 update to Sphere, the software component of the Townsend Labs microphone system introduced IsoSphere, a way to compensate for the colouration introduced by reflection filters. in this demonstration Julian Rodgers tries IsoSphere with a Kaotica Eyeball.
Townsend Labs have announced the latest free update to Sphere, the software component of the Sphere L22 Modelling system which as well as introducing 4 new mic models introduces IsoSphere, a new way of combatting poor acoustics. If you have a Sphere L22 you’ll love this!
A recent patent filed by Townsend Labs makes for some intriguing reading. If what it suggests becomes a new product then it could be a new must-have for project studio owners recording in less than ideal spaces. We investigate.
Here is an exclusive session walkthrough video of how 5x-Grammy-Winner Cassidy Turbin (Beck, Keyon Harrold, Childish Gambino) and his brother Jason (aka Cadence Kid) used the Townsend Labs Sphere microphone system to replace pretty much all the microphones in their cupboard when recording their original tune "Spell of Love".
In this article inspired by Townsend Labs’ videos demonstrating what can be achieved using multiple Sphere microphones when tracking drums, Julian tries out the free demo sessions of the recording made in the videos and explains how easy it is to get the sessions and free plugin and try out the models for yourself.