As usual, the biggest news out of NAB this year has to do with cameras and the latest tech trends. However, while AI art generators and text-based automated editing might get the first wave of headlines, there are still plenty of hidden gems to find at the conference.
In particular, NAB has plenty of great innovations and new pieces of gear in the world of audio recording and sound design for video which are equally as important as any camera or NLE announcement.
With that in mind let’s take a look at one of the biggest stories coming out of NAB this year with Neumann’s introduction of the MT 48 — the manufacturer's first audio interface in its nearly 100-year history.
Neumann MT 48Credit: Neumann
A Bit of Background on Neumann
Georg Neumann GmbH, known as “Neumann.Berlin”, is one of the world’s oldest (and leading) manufacturers of studio-grade audio equipment and the creator of some of the best recording microphones in existence. Founded all the way back in 1928, these guys have been behind the scenes for all types of audio recording innovations and releases for decades.
As a part of the Sennheiser Group since 1991, Neumann has pushed further into international markets with their legacy technology adding depth and quality to the audio for video and film world.
Starting around 2010, the legendary manufacturer has been looking to expand its electro-acoustic transducer design expertise from the studio and more into television, film, and radio broadcasting. This leads us to this announcement at NAB of their MT 48 audio interface.
Neumann MT 48Credit: Neumann
The Neumann MT 48 Audio Interface
As the first product from Neumann with Merging Technologies inside, the MT 48 audio interface is an update of the popular Merging Anubis audio interface, but updated for additional USB and ADAT connectivity and an overall new user interface optimized for ease of use in studio and home studio setups.
“As a legendary microphone manufacturer, Neumann has always been synonymous with excellence in recording technology," Neumann CEO Ralf Oehl said about the product. "Over the past decade, we have shown that Neumann can bring the same uncompromising quality to loudspeakers and headphones. The MT 48 completes the ideal signal chain: Finally, you can have Neumann quality throughout, from the sound source to your ear.”
With a dynamic range of 136 dB and mic preamps that go up to 78 dB gain, this new MT 48 should help to set a new benchmark for audio quality for all types of projects and productions. It also has four analog inputs and eight analog output channels (four stereos) and is expandable through ADAT and AES67 as well.
Neumann MT 48Credit: Neumann
Pricing and Availability
For any sound designers or audio recording artists, the MT 48 should be a great option for any sort of studio setup with its two extremely powerful headphone amplifiers with ultra-low output impedance. There are also some nifty onboard DSP effects as well including sophisticated EQ, complex dynamic processing, and reverb.
There’s also a cool intuitive touchscreen interface that allows users to change mixer levels, pan positions, and other parameters with ease. Plus for anyone looking to operate the MT 48 from their computers or tablets, a Remote Control App and a browser-based Web Control feature are both available as well.
Key features include:
Class-leading AD/DA converters with enormous dynamic range
Intuitive touchscreen user interface
DSP processing (EQ, dynamics, reverb)
4 independent mixers with integrated talkback
USB, MIDI, ADAT, and AES67 connectivity
The Neumann MT 48 audio interface should hit stores worldwide in the next few weeks and will retail for $1,850 USD. If you’d like to find out more you can check out the product page here.
No Film School's complete coverage of NAB 2023 is brought to you by Blackmagic Design and Lexar.
