With a live TV audience of over 400 million every year, capturing the array of sounds for MotoGP™ is essential to ensure fans feel the exhilaration of each race. From the mechanic’s wrench to the roar of a crowd, Audio-Technica have worked closely with Dorna Sports to provide solutions that bring fans closer to the action. 

Speaking about the technical partnership Audio-Technica President, Kazuo Matsushita, said: “The sound of gears, chains, tyres and brakes are an indispensable part of the fun, and we want to convey to realism of the racetrack to TV viewers through sound.”  

Since 2018, Audio-Technica engineers have been working closely with Dorna Sports and MotoGP™ to develop new technologies capable of capturing both low and high sound pressure levels in a variety of different environments.  
 
Audio-Technica looked at all elements of the MotoGP™ soundscape, which presented many unique challenges, especially capturing the complex sounds on each bike. In addition, every bike manufacturer has a different set of requirements, so the microphones need to be adaptable to capture the unique personality of each bike.  
 
Audio-Technica engineer, Yusuke Sano, worked on developing a solution for these complex issues: “We adapted the BP899, a newly developed lavalier microphone in my department at Audio-Technica to the harsh environment of MotoGP™. We focused on ensuring the sound quality was not degraded, while adapting it to vibration, sound pressure, wind pressure, temperature, and weather conditions. 
 
For normal sound collection, less wind noise is preferred. But not in the racing world. I consider wind noise to be a very important sound for expressing a sense of speed. We designed a windshield that would allow the wind noise to be reduced to the point where it does not interfere with the sound of the bike, but still allows the wind noise to come in nicely at top speed. This gives the viewer a sense of realism and excitement.” 
 
This collaboration has enabled Audio-Technica to push our audio expertise to the limit, as we develop new microphone technologies that can be tested quickly in high-pressure scenarios. The feedback and access we gain from Dorna Sports is invaluable in enabling our team to showcase the potential for live sound.  Audio-Technica and MotoGP™ will continue to work together to enhance the audio experience for fans, bringing them closer to every race.  

https://www.motogp.com/de/news/2019/09/09/audio-technica-capturing-the-sound-of-motogp/155751