Different Crew, Same Sound: How Georgia Tech Made Sports Broadcast Audio Consistent 

Key Takeaways 

• Georgia Tech uses the Shure DCA901 Broadcast Microphone Array to deliver consistent sports broadcast audio despite changing crews and venues.
• Eight steerable lobes replace multiple individual effects microphones, reducing setup complexity while maintaining coverage across courts and fields.
• The DCA901 helped save approximately one hour of A1 setup time per event, giving crews more time for production preparation and system checks.
• Networked Dante connectivity simplified deployment, eliminating long analog cable runs and allowing the team to use existing venue infrastructure.
• Saved presets and remote lobe adjustments help create repeatable audio workflows, enabling consistent results for both experienced engineers and student operators.

At Georgia Tech, the person mixing today's game may not be the same one mixing tomorrow's event.

Each production uses a mix of students and freelance professionals.

For Jake Durshimer, Director of Live Video Production and Broadcast, consistency across those crews is one of the biggest challenges when managing over 100 broadcasts each year. 

"One of our most unique challenges is trying to make sure that each event goes as smoothly as the previous one, even whenever our crew is changing, sometimes totally from top to bottom on an event-to-event basis." 

The A1 may change weekly, and the team can move from one sport to another in 24 hours. Budget matters, too. For Jake, it comes down to "how can we most efficiently use the money that we do have."

With the DCA901 Broadcast Microphone Array, Georgia Tech captures the same game audio with less gear in the field, from a setup any A1 can run. 

From Individual Mics to Networked Arrays 

Before DCA901, effects audio meant setting out eight-plus individual microphones around a field or venue, patching each one, and routing them back to the board. Drew Blanton, Senior Broadcast Engineer, was often doing it alone. 

"I'm only one person. So instead of having to carry ten XLR cables and ten mics, I'm now just carrying an Ethernet cable and one mic."

Each DCA901 array provides eight independently steerable lobes. In basketball, the arrays sit on the stanchions on each side of the court, and Drew aims the lobes at the same areas where he previously positioned individual microphones.

Baseball presented a different problem. Some traditional microphone positions required about 200 feet of XLR back to the booth. With the arrays mounted in the dugouts, Drew gets them onto Dante through the ballpark's existing fiber instead. 

Reducing Setup Time for Live Sports Broadcasts 

Jake estimates that the DCA901 workflow saves the A1 about an hour of setup. The arrays can stay in place between events, reducing the time spent striking and setting effects mics. Even adjusting a basketball stanchion mic used to mean getting a ladder and reaching up to it. 

"I would say in the neighborhood of an hour, which in production time is an eternity."

The difference also shows up during venue turnover. Georgia Tech's basketball arena hosts commencements and other events in addition to sports, requiring the team to strike and redeploy equipment regularly. Each array comes out with a single network cable. 

Remote Microphone Control Without Repositioning Hardware

Once the game starts, physical access becomes its own problem.

A microphone can get bumped or need repositioning, and Georgia Tech's control rooms are separated from its venues. Jake estimates that physically reaching a mic to make an adjustment can take 10 to 15 minutes.

Drew can now make the adjustment from the mix position. 

"Being able to change where the mic is pointing on a web interface rather than having to physically move the mic takes a lot of pressure off of us. If a player moves, because they're never static, we can just move the mic over a little." 

Different A1s can also favor different pickup zones. The physical deployment stays in place while the lobes can be adjusted around the mix. 

Creating Consistent Audio Workflows Across Different Crews

Asked how DCA901 compares with the shotgun mics it replaced, Jake names one benefit above the rest.

"The greatest benefit is that they’re set it and forget it.” 

Lobe configurations can be saved and recalled, giving an incoming A1 a known starting point while allowing returning engineers to load their preferred setup. With a preset in place, Drew says, setup is “just a click of a button.”

Auto positioning takes on more of the work for newer operators. The array can automatically move a lobe to the loudest source, which Drew calls “really helpful for training a student.”

For Jake, it means not having to “panic about who you have crewed” for a given event. 

Audio Quality and Venue Coverage with DCA901 

The simpler deployment would mean little if the resulting mix suffered. Basketball gave Georgia Tech a direct comparison against an effects setup Jake already felt worked well. 

Drew also found that the steerable lobes gave him the isolation he wanted from individual pickup areas.

"Whenever I want it to pick up a specific area, it does a really good job of picking up that specific area and nothing else."

Ultimately, those effects must translate to the broadcast. Drew says they do. 

Ready to replace your effects mics? Try the DCA901 with your program. 

The DCA901 leads to fewer points of failure 

After starting with basketball and expanding to baseball, Georgia Tech is looking at DCA901 for volleyball, softball, and football.  

For smaller programs weighing an array against a larger deployment of individual microphones, Drew points to another consideration. 

"When you get eight mics, and you put them out in the field, that's eight different things that can break. When you have the DCA901, especially because of its versatility, you can put it in a safer spot and have less chance of losing something that you paid money for." 

Jake makes the case on cost and workflow. 

Bring DCA901 to Your Venue

Georgia Tech replaced multiple individual effects microphones with DCA901 arrays. The crew sets up faster, remotely adjusts from the mix position, and gets consistent game sound no matter who is mixing.

See how DCA901 would cover your venue. Try it with your program. 

Frequently Asked Questions About the DCA901 Broadcast Microphone Array 

How did Georgia Tech use the DCA901 for sports broadcasts? Georgia Tech used the DCA901 Broadcast Microphone Array to capture effects audio for live sports productions, including basketball and baseball broadcasts.

How many microphone pickup areas can a DCA901 cover? Each DCA901 provides eight independently steerable lobes, allowing a single array to cover multiple pickup areas from one installation point.

How did the DCA901 reduce setup time? Because arrays can remain installed between events and lobes can be adjusted remotely, Georgia Tech avoided repeatedly deploying and repositioning multiple effects microphones before each production.

Why was Dante networking important for Georgia Tech? The DCA901 allowed the team to transport audio over the venue's existing Dante-enabled fiber infrastructure rather than relying on long analog XLR cable runs.

How do presets help changing production crews? Presets allow engineers to save and recall lobe configurations, giving incoming operators a proven starting point while maintaining consistency across productions.

What benefits did Georgia Tech see compared to individual effects microphones? The team reduced physical microphone deployment, simplified cable management, gained remote control over pickup zones, and created a more repeatable workflow across a variety of sports venues and production crews.