Michael Abbott’s long history in audio engineering includes many years working in live sound and broadcast television. He has handled audio for numerous high-profile events around the world, from the Super Bowl to Olympic ceremonies, presidential debates, the Oscars, and more. He has coordinated audio for the Grammy Awards for more than 30 years.
We recently spoke with Michael to discuss his career and to hear about his experience using the Austrian Audio Hi-X65 headphones, our new professional headphones for mixing and mastering.
Michael is always on the go, and he works in a variety of mobile environments. “Almost every project is a different platform,” he says. “Mostly they’re in what are called OB (outside broadcast) trucks.” Typically he’s working with equipment such as Calrec, Studer or Lawo broadcast audio consoles, and for field recordings a Yamaha CL5.
Since his broadcast work involves staying in frequent communication with the director and others, when Michael is on site working in a video truck he’s usually not wearing headphones. But in quieter settings, as when he’s mixing or monitoring during a field recording, he often uses headphones for critical listening.
Michael appreciates the Austrian Audio Hi-X65 headphones for their comfort and the quality of their audio reproduction.
“Putting these on, there was a definite snug, comfortable feel,” he says.” He notes that wearing headphones for long periods of time on the job can be fatiguing, and for that reason comfort is extremely important. “I feel these headphones provide that”
Michael Abbott
In terms of the audio quality of the Hi-X65 headphones, Michael specifically appreciated two aspects.
“I was struck by the stereo imaging,” he says, “and by the low-frequency response. I put on a Childish Gambino album, and with the headphones there was no hype in the frequency response that I could hear, but at the same time when there was a low-frequency passage with, say, an 808 sampler, that was reproduced very, very efficiently and linearly.”
Michael Abbott
