I feel like a kid at a carnival when I go to the AES show. With a few thousand people in the room checking out the wares and trying the rides (demonstrations and training) the excitement in the room is palpable. Whether it’s other engineers, audiophiles or vendors, I always manage to bump into people I know, but haven’t seen for a while and it’s a nice feeling belonging to a circle of professionals that care about the newest and greatest audio technology. From new speakers, consoles and microphones to demonstrations in the use of Dante and immersive technology, the wizardry of audio technology is on display in all its glory. Knowledge is being conveyed at digital speed and processing all the information is an overwhelming task.
Although my office is up the street from New York’s Javits Convention Center, it’s difficult for me to get away for any length of time. So when I manage to allot a few hours to see the sights, it’s important for me to have a plan to optimize my schedule. As with most years, my first hour is spent walking around and checking out the various booths, demonstrations and displays. Usually that first hour includes bumping into old friends and acquaintances and speaking with equipment vendors. This magazine set up a meeting for me with Neumann and as I get a fair number of requests for Neumann’s U87 microphone, I took advantage of the opportunity. Even though the bulk of my business is for live sound, I do get the occasional call from recording engineers for certain upscale items such as the U87. Like everyone else, I am budget-conscious and when I am given my end-of-year spending allotment, I always waffle back and forth between what I need, may possibly need and would like to have.
Decisions, Decisions…
These decisions are based upon the: calls I receive for each item, the return on the money spent and how to stay current as an audio company. It’s a tough call because the return on monetary investment and staying current doesn’t always have an easily located crossroad. I also need to look ahead and try to get the next big thing, even if the calls for the item aren’t currently flooding in. That said, I checked out the various Neumann mics. While the new M49 reissue and the M149 sound great, I am not getting many calls for them and I certainly do not need tube mics for live events. The TLM103 is a very good mic; it has a capsule derived from the classic U87 and has a much lower price point than the U87.
While some engineers might accept a TLM103 when calling for a U87, most know what they are looking for in a mic and would probably pass on the offer. So, after a fair amount of consideration, if I decide to purchase a Neumann large-diaphragm mic, it will probably be the U87. Unfortunately, my purchasing dilemma doesn’t end there, because, as rule of thumb, you cannot buy just one of anything. Once you have the one, you will invariably need a second; it just seems to work that way.
Dollars and Sense
Despite the fact that a certain excellence and level of gear is required for my events and rentals, I do have to consider making a profit so I can stay in business and keep providing a quality service to our clients. For example, while an Audio-Technica AT 4050 is an excellent large-diaphragm mic, it is not a U87 and the cost reflects the name and quality. The cost of an AT 4050 is approximately $600 dollars and the cost of the U87 is in the neighborhood of $3,000 dollars. If I can rent the 4050 for $40 a day that’s about seven percent of it’s cost which means that it would take 15 rentals to break even with the microphone. At $3,000, seven percent of cost would be $210, which might be high, depending upon the market one is in. Therefore, it might be more fitting to rent the U87 at four percent of cost per day, which would bring the rental to $120 dollars. In that case 25 rentals would be the break-even point.
Not all purchasing decisions are based upon a quick financial return. Looking ahead, I realize that in a few months, my clients would be asking for the DiGiCo Quantum 338 console rather than the SD10s I currently have in stock, so I committed the bulk of my yearly budget to the purchase of one said console and SD rack. I know, I know, I should have bought two, but I also thought it would make sense to bring some d&b audiotechnik Infra subs into my inventory. Neither of these two items are quick money returns, but often one thing leads to another and what may start as a rental can turn into a full-on production if the client feels they can get what they need. Unfortunately, due to supply chain issues, there is no quick turnaround when ordering equipment, and this adds an extra wrinkle to the process of thinking ahead to what might be needed.
As a point of reference, I ordered 20 Atlas mic stands back in May of 2022 and they are still not in as of yet. I have been informed that both the DiGiCo 338 and the Infra subs could be up to a six-month waiting period before they are delivered, although things can and do change — almost on a daily basis. Shure told me that the delivery for some of its Axient wireless mics and PSM1000 in-ear monitor hardware could be delayed until July 2023.
I was thrilled to see there was so much enthusiasm and attendance at NYC AES 2022. I was excited to see so many new and interesting products to tempt my imagination. However, planning ahead when purchasing new equipment in this post-Covid world has taken on a whole new meaning, and depending upon what one orders, it could be old by the time it’s received.
