Mini test: Audio-Technica BP3600

Posted on Oct 7, 2025 by Adam Duckworth

For filmmakers needing high-end immersive audio, we tested the Audio-Technica BP3600 – an eight-channel mic

Thinking of dropping more than five grand on a mic that’s sole purpose is to record background sound rather than the main audio? Chances are you’re a high-end operator who wants the very best available.

Enter the Audio-Technica BP3600, a professional-grade, eight-channel immersive microphone that promises true 3D sound capture in a compact, portable unit that’s quick to set up.

The BP3600 is built to create 3D sound beds that will make your audience feel like they’re actually in the heart of the action. If you’re already investing in immersive visuals such as VR content, pairing it with true immersive audio is the next logical step. The BP3600 allows you to do that without a whole rack of separate mics or full spatial audio rig.

While immersive audio might once have seemed like a luxury reserved for the biggest-budget blockbusters or televised global sports events, audience expectations have evolved, with platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime investing heavily in the area. Pressure is mounting for independent filmmakers to keep pace.

The BP3600 is designed to record ambient sound beds that can drop seamlessly into formats like MPEG-H 3D audio without extra processing. Its eight identical microphone assemblies are arranged in a cube shape, spaced exactly 15cm apart and mounted with 12mm hypercardioid capsules. It records a full sphere of directional sound with enough isolation between channels for a truly 3D soundscape.

This opens up a world of creative opportunity for filmmakers. Battle-tested across several seasons of Moto GP coverage, the results were convincing enough that it’s now a permanent fixture. Whether you’re capturing the roar of a racetrack, the layered ambience of a city street or perhaps even the shifting mood of a forest at dawn, the BP3600 delivers spatially accurate, immersive audio that pulls audiences right into the scene.

A black device comprised of a sphere with multiple microphones protruding from it

The battle for immersive 3D sound beds is spearheaded by this Sputnik-shaped BP3600

Set-up is straightforward given the mic’s capabilities. The entire unit is relatively compact, and the mics are fitted to the eight arms using a small bayonet mount, with each mic module colour-coded and numbered. The capsules themselves are hypercardioid, offering focused pickup and good separation between sources, but they’re also small, which means the whole rig is surprisingly subtle. This avoids drawing attention or disrupting the visual environment.

The base of the BP3600 features a 16-pin Lemo output connector, and the mic system comes with a five-metre Lemo-to-XLRM breakout cable. This terminates in eight balanced outputs that can be fed into a multichannel interface. Phantom power (48v) is required, so your recording gear needs to support phantom power across the eight channels simultaneously.

Despite the complexity of what it does, it can be set up and ready to go in minutes, and gives you everything you need to record high-impact immersive audio in one take.

The mic ships with eight AT8172 windscreens, an AT8476 stand clamp and a carry case. Optional Rycote windshields and windjammer fur covers provide further protection in high winds. And each capsule has a water-resistant cap.

The BP3600 doesn’t require decoding or special processing to produce usable results. That makes
it practical not only for immersive post-production workflows, but also for live broadcast use or streaming, where turnaround time is critical.

Ultimately, the Audio-Technica BP3600 is a niche tool, but a very powerful one. It turns what used to be a complex multi-mic set-up into a single, portable solution. If you can master how it works, it will set new standards for your audio.

£5143/$5649

audio-technica.com