VH1s Divas Duets Share the Stage with Neumann/Sennheiser Wireless Mics

LAS VEGAS: VH1 brought the biggest line-up of stars so far in its Divas series to the small screen when "VH1 Divas Duets: A Benefit Concert for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation" aired live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 22. Hosted by Queen Latifah, the show features many of the world’s leading divas with several of their male counterparts and two dozen Neumann KK 105-S/Sennheiser 5000 wireless microphone systems.

	VH1s DIVAS DUETS paired the sensual Ashanti with high-energy Ron Isley (Isley Brothers) while RF specialist, Kevin Sanford, paired the two with Neumann KK 105-S/Sennheiser 5000 wireless mics

Show producers once more called upon Kevin Sanford, owner and founder of Wireless First, to provide the RF systems equipment and coordination for the show. A preeminent wireless specialist located in the northeast, Wireless First is the go-to company for many top television productions. Music mixer for the show was Effanel’s John Harris, while ATK Audiotek Corp., under vice president Mikael Stewart’s direction, provided audience sound reinforcement.

The theme of the show meant that large numbers of wireless systems were required, notes Sanford. “It was all duets, which is why there were so many microphones. None of the artists wanted to “share” mics, so we dedicated a particular mic to each artist.” Those using the hybrid Neumann/Sennheiser mics included Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Ashanti and Ron Isley, Pat Benetar and host Queen Latifah, as well as presenter Sharon Osbourne.

This year, leading up to the “Divas Duets” special, VH1 presented a reality-based series, “Born to Diva,” a competition that sought out the next potential diva from hundreds of aspiring amateur performers. The three finalists were present at “Divas Duets” and the winner, Tarralyn Ramsey, who was announced at the show by Sharon Osbourne, also performed with the Neumann/Sennheiser combo.

The presence of the VH1 ENG crew from “Born to Diva” documenting that show’s finale required additional coordination by Sanford. “They had Sennheiser receivers,” he reports. “There were six ENG 3041s running. I had to give them frequencies so they could be seamless with us.”

All in all it was a busy show for Sanford, who coordinated all of the wireless in-ear and production staff intercom systems for the event in addition to the microphone systems. And it was not only the divas that were using Sennheiser/Neumann combo, says Sanford. “We had some off-stage announcers on the Sennheiser/Neumann mikes, also. When they did the bit with an off-stage opera singer, that was a Sennheiser.” As for the background vocals, “If they were wireless, they were Sennheisers,” he says.

With so much RF flying around, Sanford made sure to use Sennheiser gear in mission critical locations. “I used Sennheiser equipment with Sharon Osbourne for all her interview segments. I needed that because they wanted it to work everywhere—backstage and frontstage. I had to split an antenna system up with a switcher so that any time they went to the backstage area I went to another antenna. That way I had coverage everywhere. Along with Sennheiser 3032 receivers, Sanford had two “sets of the SAS 232 antennas splitting the systems up into four frequency groups and running two sets of antennas for a wider spectrum.”

Finding sufficient workable frequency bandwidth to operate without interference can be a problem in any major city, and this was no exception, but as Sanford observes, “Vegas is preferable to New York. It's not as bad, although it's getting there. But no matter what you do, you still run out of spectrum at some point.”

Divas are, well, divas, which means that production staff are often in the dark as to who is performing in the big show finale, or indeed the show itself, until the last minute. This year, the show closed with an all-star medley honoring, and featuring, Stevie Wonder. With the potential line-up in flux right down to the wire, Sanford has to not only stay on his toes for changes but also keep bandwidth and RF channels available for everyone.

“You never really know until the end who is going to perform with who,” he says. “ Whoever happens to be in town may stop on by. Things change up to the last minute.”

VH1's "Divas" specials raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music programs in America's public schools, and to raising awareness of the positive impact that music participation has on students. Since VH1 Save The Music was created in 1997, more than $25 million worth of musical instruments has been donated to 1000 public schools in 75 cities, improving the lives of more than 500,000 children.Neumann's award winning line of microphones has set the standard in the industry since 1928. In 1999, Neumann received the prestigious Technical Grammy(r) for their 70 years of innovation in microphone design and contribution to the music industry. A continuing commitment to provide innovative, technically refined products and engineering solutions of proven quality ensures that Neumann's stature will remain unassailable.

The above image and article are from Sennheiser's web site