Milford, NH – August 10, 2010 – Earthworks, Inc., a leading manufacturer of High Definition Microphones™ for recording, live sound, and test/measurement applications, is pleased to announce the appointment of Bill Norton to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Recognized throughout the professional audio industry for his expertise in a wide range of sales and marketing initiatives, Norton will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of Earthworks’ sales and marketing operations, including sales expansion into new market segments, the development and implementation of all marketing campaigns and literature, as well as directing strategic product placement plus the development of new, innovative products.
As a former professional musician with a solid applications background in the use of microphones, Norton brings a wealth of experience to his new position as Earthworks’ COO. Prior to accepting his appointment with Earthworks, he spent several years as National Director of Sales at Dover, NJ-based Casio America, Inc., where he had P&L responsibility for all aspects of the company’s Consumer and Musical Instrument channels throughout the United States. During this time, he dramatically increased the presence of Casio’s Privia and Celviano brands. Additionally, Norton spent considerable time with St. Louis, MO-based St. Louis Music, Inc. He served as St. Louis Music’s Regional Sales Manager for the state of New York and the entire New England region. He subsequently assumed a similar role with Loud Technologies after Loud Technologies purchased St. Louis Music prior to his move to Casio.
Norton commented on his new appointment as Earthworks’ COO, “I am delighted to be on board with Earthworks. As a brand and a company, Earthworks is much respected in both the recording and the live sound reinforcement segments of the pro audio industry and is considered by many to be the accepted standard for affordable, reliable reference and measurement microphones. In recent years, Earthworks has developed numerous highly respected vocal and instrument microphones, such as the company’s acclaimed PM40 PianoMic™ Series. With Earthworks’ products being used by a long list of world-class artists and engineers, including Bruce Hornsby, Branford Marsalis, John Harris, and Steve Gadd, among others, it is very apparent the Earthworks brand is very highly regarded. I am honored to be chosen for this role with Earthworks and eagerly look forward to expanding our domestic and global market share.”
“We’re very pleased to have Bill joining our effort,” says Heidi Blackmer- Robichaud, Earthworks’ President. “He brings a wealth of sales and marketing experience that, I’m confident, will bring greater perspective to all that we do here. With a solid track record in sales that reaches beyond the markets Earthworks has traditionally served, I’m confident of Bill’s ability to look at the big picture and help us identify realistic goals that will enable us to increase our presence in existing sales channels while simultaneously expanding into new markets that are equally viable. The entire Earthworks team is very pleased to have him onboard with us.”
Bill Norton’s position as Earthworks COO commenced July 26th.
About Earthworks, Inc.
Earthworks is a New Hampshire, U.S.A. based manufacturer of High Definition Microphones that is dedicated to quality and sonic excellence. Each Earthworks product is handmade with great care, meticulous attention to detail, and a strong emphasis on quality. Earthworks prides itself in making only the very best in professional audio equipment intended for mission critical sound applications. For additional information, visit the company online atwww.earthworksaudio.com.
"The PianoMic gave me the most natural piano sound through a monitor I've ever gotten - and with a closed...
The best thing about these microphones is the capsules size compared to the wavelength of the sound at high frequencies
- and the fact that they are free mounted (no microphone body that distorts the sound). In a studio they are probably better for most recordings – but for recordings where sounds arrive from many directions (for example a live recording on a consert with 2 microphones in the front of the stage and the audiance behind), the difference is huge compared to the ordinary large diaphragm microphones.
I record mostly non musical sources and sometimes live music – often in environments that’s more or less diffuse field or with souces all the way around me. For example trains, motorcycles, cars, fireworks, and a lot of other sources.
Often I record sounds indoors without acoustic treatments and sometimes I also do live recordings standing in the audiance of a consert.
I have got similar results with Panasonic WM61 casules used in home built microphones – altough these is probably even better tuned (perfectly flat frequency responce, even at frequencies above 8-10 kHz – wich is hard to find accurate data about and is not possible to calibrate by a piston driven calibrator) and a few dB lower self noise, and handles a little higher SPL.
They also run on phantom power – wich is good for those who don’t build stuff them selves. Powering capsules for low distorsion requires the right voltages and resistor values, wich is specific for each kind of capsule – that’s not possible with standard products on the market
(for example the WM61 as I use needs inverted powering, wich is +grounded).
In fact I have used small capsules then I started with recording about 9 years ago – then just improved the design to make the sound better. Lower the distorsion at high SPL and try out different capsules for lower self noise and better frequency response
That way I got used to clean sound already from start. When I hear many other recordings with those large diaphram microphones
– it sound like there is a thick towel or a jacket put over the microphone. Muddy, unclear sound with loss of details and high frequencies missing.
Then I also heard a recording of drums and cymbals with the QTC50 microphones that someone did in a basement without acoustic treatment – and it was as good or better to what I’m used to (room sound is heard of course, but it’s just natural as you hear it in real life):
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/remote-possibilities-acoustic-music-location-recording/336185-whats-flattest-response-mic-2.html
I have also downloaded some demos and videos from this site, that have just awesome sound (the best musical recordings I have ever heard) – but that untreated basement (diffuse field) is more of a test as many other microphones also sound good on sounds spot on, but is crap just 60° off axis.
Only downside with all small capsule designs is self noise, wich is high compared to large ones. On most sounds it’s not an issue – but in a few cases where the level of the sound source is very low (for example some nature sounds such as bird calls at far distances, or “ambient sounds” indoors) it may be worth to offer sound clarity to get less noise.
Cool Beans Bro!! Very Proud!!