Blackmagic Design today announced a new pro-level microphone designed to capture spatial audio for immersive video production, including built-in support for Apple Vision Pro.
Called the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, the new ambisonic microphone array features a staggering 108 digital MEMS microphones designed to capture the entire sound field.
Essentially, an internal processor runs Apple-licensed array geometry and encoding filters, which convert those 108 signals into 64 channels of 32-bit audio in real time, eliminating the need for external breakout boxes or separate encoding software.
Aimed at professional use—and priced at $1,695—the device’s microphones are mounted flush in a solid, faceted metal body. It’s not as big as it seems either; Blackmagic says it’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, or be mounted on top of a camera.
The microphone connects and is powered via a single USB-C cable. Blackmagic says it’s also class compliant, so there are no drivers or plug-ins to install.
The proposition: customers can mount it on top of Blackmagic’s recently released URSA Cine Immersive camera, plug it in, and begin capturing spatial audio for Apple Immersive content, with spatial audio recording directly into the camera’s immersive files.
The company notes that users can also connect the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone to a computer and record and mix in real-time with Fairlight Live, or record directly to iPhone using the Blackmagic Camera app. There will also be a USB to SMPTE-2110 converter available for advanced broadcast workflows, the company says.
“This microphone started when we were collaborating with Apple on the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera. I heard a high resolution spatial audio capture for the first time and it was like hearing an acoustic reality, I was totally blown away,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “Apple licensed their array geometry and the ambisonic encoding filters, we did the engineering and design, and the result is an ambisonic microphone where you just plug in one cable and capture true spatial audio.”
There’s no precise ship date yet, although the company says we can expect availability in December.