It’s a Sennheiser kind of night at the MTV Awards

Held at Radio City Music Hall on August 29th, the annual MTV Video Music Awards presented the challenge of providing three hours of live RF (wireless system) performance.

As in the past, Wireless First, under the direction of Kevin Sanford, was hired by MTV to coordinate and set up all of RF systems (microphones, in-ear systems and wireless intercom) for the event.

Sanford brought his usual stock of Sennheiser wireless systems along with over a dozen of the recently introduced Neumann KK 105-S capsule heads, based on the KMS 105 vocalist mic, with Sennheiser's SKM 5000 N transmitters. The systems were used by several of the artists as well as hosts, presenters and various other production elements. (Eminem, winner of four “Moonmen,” used his own Sennheiser silver-coated SKM 5000 with ME 5005 capsule.)

"I had just as many microphones, in-ears and intercoms outside the venue as I had inside," Sanford says. The RF-heavy environment of a major metropolitan area such as New York City requires flexible, frequency-agile wireless solutions that can operate without interference, something that is especially critical in live broadcast situations. "Outside, it was all Sennheiser," he continued. To handle all the outdoor antics required another fifteen Sennheiser wireless mics plus a dozen Evolution 300 Series in-ears."

"The pre-show these days is almost bigger than the main show," he continues. "You've got people in the middle of the street, and there's always an open mic somewhere. This year it was Ludacris driving up Sixth on top of a tour bus. The objective was to have him heard at least a block away as he rolled up Sixth to rally the crowd. MTV always brings me a challenge in the opening numbers of these events."

A show of the size and complexity of the VMAs requires operational experience and technical expertise to ensure a trouble-free show. "It's all about coordination and doing your homework," notes Sanford, "This was critical in the outdoor portion. We had to do some heavy frequency checks in light of new CNN Studio now directly across the street from Radio City. What usually happens is that we work out final details on the spot. That's part of the reason why I like Sennheiser so much. Their equipment is agile and robust. Sennheiser's extra twenty to thirty milliwatts of transmitter power always turns the trick."

Sanford, whose Wireless First operation started six years ago, comments that he's quite comfortable doing shows inside Radio City. "My very first show was in Radio City, and I probably do five or six other shows there every year. The Local 1 sound departments at Radio City and in the Garden are the best in the city. There's a tremendous amount of microphone moves and coordination in the hall, but I always know that when I go to Radio City, Eddie Santini and Tom Aragone are going to take care of me. Getting that support makes my job easier."