KENDRICK LAMAR DELIVERS IMPECCABLE PERFORMANCE AT COACHELLA ON NEW SENNHEISER DIGITAL 6000 WIRELESS SYSTEM

15/06/2017

Monitor engineer Chris Lee says that Lamar first became interested in switching to Sennheiser digital wireless after performing with Beyonc on her Digital 9000 system. He was really impressed with how that system performed on the shows they did together, so we reached out to Sennheiser and discovered that the new 6000 series receiver would work with the SKM 9000 series sticks that he had requested and perfectly fit our needs, Lee says. The Coachella performance marked the debut of their new wireless system, which includes two EM 6000 receivers for four channels of audio transmission. The four microphones used for the setup, which cover lead vocals, a lead vocal backup mic, and two guest mics, are each SKM 9000 transmitters paired with MD 9235 capsules.

Lee, who was already working with the artist when he was using his previous Sennheiser 5000 series wireless system, was thoroughly impressed with the leap to digital. We were very happy with our 5000 series wireless system, but now that we've heard the Digital 6000 in action it's like night and day, he says. It starts with the 9235 capsule, which Lee and front-of-house engineer Kyle T. Hamilton say captures Lamar's voice remarkably well-and pushes out the rest. The rejection on the MD 9235 is stunning, Hamilton says. Even with everything that's happening on stage, this mic is really quiet. Lee concurs. The MD 9235 provides plenty of isolation even if he's out in front of the PA or near the side fills with the crowd screaming, he says.

The Studio Comes to the Stage In addition to its rejection, the sonic character of the MD 9235 capsule is a key consideration for Lee and Hamilton, and combining that with the pristine wireless transmission of the SKM 9000 transmitters and EM 6000 receivers helps the team achieve what they describe as a studio-like vocal sound. With a show like this there are pre-programmed backing vocals and samples from the studio recordings, so you really want to try to match that studio vocals as much as possible, Hamilton explains. The MD 9235 has the clarity you need for that high-end studio vocal sound. It just has that cut and airiness. The EM 6000 also lets the pair utilize a nearly all-digital signal path throughout - dipping into analog only for a high-end tube compressor - to ensure maximum signal integrity all the way from the capsule to the PA system and monitors. The sound coming through digital is crystal-clear, and then I can add a little color with the tube compressor for that extra magic, Hamilton says.

Built to Perform The SKM 9000 and MD 9235 pairing also give Lamar the mobility and flexibility to deliver a command performance without plaguing his sound team with dropouts or sonic irregularities. It has extremely low handling noise, and even when he's being really dynamic on the mic it doesn't break up, Lee says. Hamilton explains that even when Lamar was cupping the mic for a few moments it maintained an even keel. He was getting into it and cupping the mic a little, but somehow the clarity was still there, he says. Most mics sound like a 102 dB kazoo when that happens.

Sound That Travels With staging that included a separate smaller performance area 100 feet from the main stage, Lamar moved freely throughout the show. During two songs, an elevator lifted the artist 40 feet into the air; therefore steady RF was a top concern for Lee and Hamilton. In our production meetings we were thinking we might need a duplicate system given how much ground Kendrick covers during the show, but the RF performance of the EM 6000 is just amazing, Lee says. As soon as we set it up on-site at Coachella and tested it out we realized that we were rock solid and didn't need that secondary system at all. Hamilton was impressed too. Zero dropouts, he said. Even with all those factors with the staging it was really solid.

After their first outing with the Digital 6000, Lee and Hamilton are ready to bring the show on the road for Lamar's upcoming tour. The MD 9235, SKM 9000, and EM 6000 are the exact vocal chain we're using for the tour, so we feel ready to go after this, Hamilton says. While Hamilton has worked with Sennheiser wireless gear in the past, he has also used other manufacturers in certain situations, but after using Kendrick Lamar's Digital 6000 rig he feels that Sennheiser has emerged as the clear frontrunner in wireless transmission. I bow down to Sennheiser on this one, he says. I'm really impressed. You could say I'm very much in the Sennheiser camp now.

LINK:	http://en-uk.sennheiser.com/news-kendrick-lamar-delivers-impeccable-pe...
	See more stories from sennheiser

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

18/03/2026

Net Insight Names Larissa GrnerMeeus CPO

Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4. Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...

18/03/2026

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026: Select Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAY

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...

18/03/2026

SVG's SportsTech@NABShow Blog Goes Live as Countdown to Vegas Heats Up

The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...

18/03/2026

The Premiere of Dead Lover Showcases Grave Robbing and Sex With a Giant Finger

(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...

18/03/2026

Music Row Piano from Wiltone Productions

Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...

18/03/2026

Techivation introduce T-Warmer Mk2

Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...

18/03/2026

Tonal Balance Control 3 from iZotope

Mix-reference plug-in overhauled iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...

18/03/2026

Toontrack Transistor Organ EKX

Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...

18/03/2026

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture 18 March, 2026 Media releases New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...

18/03/2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz at NAB 2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...

18/03/2026

LCTWS 2026

London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...

18/03/2026

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...

18/03/2026

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...

18/03/2026