Family Feud Swaps Its Podium Mics for 12 DPA 4018 Supercardioids

The podium microphones on the TV game show Family Feud have been replaced with DPA 4018 Supercardioid models. The change was made by production sound mixer Dirk Sciarrotta, who has mixed the programme for 28 seasons. The show records up to 200 syndicated episodes a year plus primetime celebrity specials, all in a live studio.

Why the change was needed

The microphones the show had used for years were no longer made, and replacements could not be bought. Sciarrotta needed 12 units: five for each family podium and two for the face-off position. The new models had to handle three problems at once. Five contestants stand side by side at each podium, so voices spill into neighbouring microphones. Host Steve Harvey often grabs the microphones, bends them toward himself and hits the podium. And the microphones appear in nearly every camera shot.

Before deciding, Sciarrotta mounted the DPA microphones and the old models in identical podiums and compared them directly. He reported that the 4018 matched or beat the previous units in every test.

Pattern and shock mount

The supercardioid pickup pattern is narrow, which Sciarrotta uses to keep each contestant's voice out of the other channels. When a contestant leans in close, he said, the main issue is an occasional plosive that is easy to handle. The built-in shock mount reduces the bumps and vibration that reach the signal when the host handles the microphones, which also helps in post-production.

Sciarrotta said the new shock mount was “100 times better” than the old one.

Signal chain and crew

• 12 hardwired podium microphones feed a splitter;
• from the splitter, signal goes to a Calrec Apollo console for the broadcast mix and to a Yamaha CL5 for the room;
• Sciarrotta's crew has two A2s plus separate mixers for front of house and playback;
• celebrity episodes add a Pro Tools recordist.

Sciarrotta added that DPA staff came to the studio to run the tests with him. After two full seasons with the new microphones, he reported no problems with them.