VH1 Divas Rely On Wireless Systems

Las Vegas, NV (June 3, 2003)--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 on May 22. Hosted by Queen Latifah, the show featured many of the world's leading divas with several popular male performing partners. For the elaborate production, two dozen Neumann KK 105-S/Sennheiser 5000 wireless microphone systems were used and an InnovaSON Grand Live Digital Console was used at FOH.

Show producers called upon Kevin Sanford, owner and founder of Wireless First, to provide the RF systems equipment and coordination for the show. 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, The Isley Brothers, Pat Benetar and host Queen Latifah, as well as presenter Sharon Osbourne.

ATK Audiotek Corp., under vice president Mikael Stewart's direction, provided audience sound reinforcement. Stewart, operating an Innova Son Grand Live at front of house, has been using the digital mixing console for three years now and praised it as "compact and flexible." Broadcast music mixer for the show was Effanel's John Harris.

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 mics, also. When they did the bit with an off-stage opera singer, that was a Sennheiser."

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."

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.

The above article is from the Pro Sound News web site