Model 214A User Guide
Issue Preliminary 1, October 2022
Studio Technologies, Inc.
Page 9
Model 214A
ANNOUNCER’S CONSOLE
Future Capabilities and Firmware
Updating
The Model 214A was designed so that in the future its
capabilities and performance can be easily enhanced. A
USB type A receptacle, located on the unit’s back panel,
allows the operating firmware (embedded software) to be
updated using a standard USB flash drive. The Model 214A
uses Audinate’s Ultimo™ integrated circuit for implementing
Dante. The firmware within this integrated circuit can be
updated via the Ethernet connection, helping to ensure
that its capabilities remain up to date.
Getting Started
In this section, signal interconnections will be made using
the connectors located on the back panel of the Model
214A. A microphone signal will be interfaced by way of a
3-pin XLR connector. A ¼-inch 3-conductor phone jack is
provided for the headphone output. An Ethernet connection
will be made using either a standard RJ45 patch cable or
an etherCON protected RJ45 plug. This will typically supply
power-over-Ethernet (PoE) along with data. A 4-pin XLR
connector allows the connection of an external source of
12 volts DC.
System Components
Included in the shipping carton will be a Model 214A
Announcer’s Console and instructions on how to obtain
an electronic copy of this guide. As a device that can be
Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) powered, no external power
source is provided. If the local-area-network (LAN) asso-
ciated with the application won’t provide PoE, an external
source of 12 volts DC will need to be provided. An appli-
cable power supply, the Studio Technologies’ PS-DC-02,
is available as an option.
Microphone Input
The Model 214A is compatible with balanced dynamic and
condenser microphones. Depending on the application, the
microphone may be part of a headset or be an independent
handheld or stand-mounted model. The Model 214A’s
P48 microphone power source will support essentially all
phantom-powered microphones. The quality of the Model
214A’s microphone preamplifier and associated circuitry is
such that applications may benefit from using “high-end”
microphones.
Microphone interconnection is made by way of a 3-pin
female XLR connector, located on the Model 214A’s back
panel. The mating connector (male) should be wired such
that pin 2 is signal high (+ or hot), pin 3 is signal low (– or
cold), and pin 1 is shield. It’s possible that an unbalanced
microphone will also work correctly. In this case, the mating
connector (male) should be wired so that XLR male pin 2
is signal high (+ or hot) and signal common/shield is con-
nected to both XLR male pins 1 and 3.
As of the writing date of this guide, the Sennheiser HMD
26-II and HMD 27 headsets are popular for on-air sports
broadcasting use. Fine products, they work very well with
the Model 214A. Adding the suffix “-XQ” to the headsets’
full part number specifies a 3-pin male XLR connector for
the microphone and a ¼-inch 3-conductor plug for the ste-
reo headphones. This configuration is very useful, allowing
the headsets to work directly “out of the box” with the Model
214A. These two headset models from the HMD-series
feature dynamic microphones and will function directly with
the Model 214A. Units from the HME-series of headsets
are NOT compatible with the Model 214A as they require
an electret (unbalanced, low-voltage DC) power source.
This is completely different from the P48 phantom power
standard that the Model 214A supports.
Models from manufacturers such as AKG, beyerdynamic,
DPA, Sennheiser, and Shure can perform very well in Mod-
el 214A applications. A headset that users have reported
being satisfied with is the Audio-Technica BPHS1. Offered
at a relatively low price point, it may be applicable for some
applications.
Headphone Output
The Model 214A provides a 2-channel (“stereo”) headphone
output by way of a 3-conductor ¼-inch phone jack. Devices
such as stereo headphones or “dual-ear” broadcast-style
headsets can be directly connected using a 3-conductor
¼-inch plug. Following the usual convention, the left chan-
nel should be terminated on the tip lead, the right channel
on the ring lead, and common on the sleeve lead.
It’s also possible to use a monaural (“single-ear”) head-
set or broadcast-type single earbud as long as sufficient
care is taken. If a 3-conductor ¼-inch plug is used by the
device it should be wired such that the tip lead is connected
to the positive terminal of the transducer and the sleeve
lead is connected to the negative or common lead of the
transducer; the plug’s ring lead should be left unconnected.
A single- or dual-ear monaural device that is terminated
on a 2-conductor (tip and sleeve) ¼-inch plug can also be
utilized. When a plug of this type is inserted into the Model
214A’s headphone output connector (phone jack) the unit’s
right headphone output channel will be shorted. (This would
occur since the ring lead of the connector would be direct-
ly shorted to the sleeve lead.) This can stress the Model
214A’s right channel headphone output circuitry as well
as drawing extra current from the output stage. To prevent
this unwanted condition the Headphone Output – Audio
Sources and Routing should be set for Model 4. Then audio
should only be routed (subscribed) to the Dante receiver
(input) channels associated with the left headphone output
