Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Sennheiser Digital 6000 takes the stage at Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show

18/02/2020

Sennheiser Digital 6000 takes the stage at Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show posted: 18/02/2020

System delivers dependable wireless audio to over 100 million viewers

Broadcast on Fox to an international televised audience of more than 100 million, this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show was held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. While the performance itself only lasted approximately 14 minutes, the preparation was immense and technical execution flawless. According to numbers released by Fox network, this year's Halftime Show reached more viewers than the game itself - with a total of 104.1 million tuning in from around the world.

Sennheiser's Digital 6000 wireless system was the microphone of choice for headline performer Shakira as well as her special guest, Bad Bunny, as the two Latin GRAMMY Award winning artists sang against a perfect Miami cultural backdrop. ATK Audiotek handled the audio design for the pre-game festivities, referee microphones and the Halftime Show for the 23rd Super Bowl in a row.

Sennheiser SKM 6000 transmitters, coupled with MD 9235 capsules, were used by Shakira and Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show

All hands on deck

Just prior to halftime, there was no shortage of excitement in the game as the Kansas City Chiefs staged a dramatic comeback, tying the game at 10-10. Once the clock ran out after the second quarter, the Halftime Show crew had approximately six minutes to dispatch and assemble the entire stage, located nearby the field's 30-yard line. Antenna systems for the wireless microphones were set up in advance on either sideline prior to the game, along the stadium wall behind the team benches.

It is not a traditional concert environment where you can put antennas out on the side of the stage where they are relatively close to the performer, observes Gary Trenda, Lead RF Technician for Orlando, FL-based Professional Wireless Systems (PWS). We deployed antennas on the sidelines and aimed them at where the stage was going to be; then we used an RF-over-fiber system to connect back to the receivers, which were in a rack room under the stands.

For the Halftime Show performance, wireless receivers are usually placed at a further distance than at a typical rock concert, since the Halftime Show stage is temporary and must be disassembled after just 14 minutes. As such, the wireless must perform flawlessly - despite not having the advantage of close proximity to the stage. In a show like this, reliability is critical, says Trenda. We've got to pick up the signal at a longer distance, and it really needs to be rock solid.

Sennheiser delivers for millions of fans

For Shakira and Bad Bunny, the RF team deployed four channels of Sennheiser Digital 6000 wireless - three separate mic channels for Shakira, and one for Bad Bunny. Shakira sang several songs through a gold sparkled SKM 6000 handheld transmitter and MD 9235 dynamic cardioid capsule, before being joined onstage by Bad Bunny, who also sang through an SKM 6000 - colored in neon yellow, coupled with a distinctive red MD 9235 capsule.

This is my second Super Bowl using Sennheiser digital systems, and our experience has been that even in a crowded RF environment, it is a very reliable microphone system, says Trenda. As one would expect, the RF environment at the Super Bowl can be challenging: In the stadium area alone, there are probably 500 frequencies of mics and IEM-type systems - so we are really looking to zero in on the mics we care about and filter out anything else. This is why we applied 6 MHz cavity tuned filters in front of the Sennheiser receivers. The filters are tuned specifically to the frequencies we were using for that pair of microphones.

With 23 Super Bowl Halftime Shows under their belt, preparation is key for ATK Audiotek. Among many other activities that take place, a site survey is conducted around September in which a crew is dispatched to examine the local RF environment. RF coordination is done by the NFL Event Frequency Coordinators (EFCs). Lead EFC Loren Sherman assigns frequencies for the Halftime Show so every dimension of the performances can be carried out. The crew loads in a week and a half prior to game day, and then crews are allocated time for on-field rehearsals. This year, ATK and PWS ran through full rehearsals of the Halftime Show three times - each time carefully scanning the RF environment to ensure smooth operation.

Support when it counts

On a scale of programming such as the Super Bowl, RF crews inevitably face last minute challenges - in this case, the performers' preference to use aesthetically stylized microphones had to be reconciled with transmitters aligned to the right frequencies. Trenda explains: We had a blinged out black microphone, one that was painted a metallic red, and another that was blinged out gold - but the transmitters were in a frequency range that we were not able to use at the Super Bowl. So, we called Sennheiser and they were able to send handheld transmitters in a range that was exactly what we needed for the show. We then swapped out the blinged out shells onto entirely different transmitters. The support from Sennheiser was fast and dependable.

Brett Valasek, General Manager of ATK Audiotek, appreciates the quality, reliability and service support Sennheiser provides, adding: We've done many shows with the Sennheiser Digital 6000, and it is a product we trust, he says. We were very happy that both Shakira and Bad Bunny were using the Digital 6000s - we are very pleased with its RF strength and audio clarity. With respect to our transmitter frequency challenges, we are very pleased that Sennheiser was able to support us through the entire process. We truly value our relationship with Sennheiser.
LINK: https://www.live-production.tv/news/shows/sennheiser-digital-6000-take...
See more stories from liveproduction

Europe Stories

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

07/08/2025

Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, Redefining In-Car Entertainment Experience

July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...

11/07/2025

Superman' Filmmaker James Gunn Reveals the Playlists Inspired by Your Favorite Characters

If you've ever wondered what might be playing in Clark Kent's headphones...

11/07/2025

AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration

AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration launches two papers to guide the future of AI integration, today at the AI for Good Global Summit The...

10/07/2025

Taliban repression silences award-winning Afghan woman journalist

The current holder of the prestigious Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year Award has been forced to stop reporting over fears for her safety in Afgha...

10/07/2025

A New Report Puts Aussie Artists in the Spotlight

Spotify is turning up the volume on Australian music with a multipronged initiative designed to highlight the dominance of Australian artists on the global stag...

10/07/2025

Spotify Toasts Oasis's Return With Exclusive Ways for Fans to Get Closer to the Music That Defined a Generation

This is not a drill: Oasis is back on the road-marking its first live performanc...

10/07/2025

Spotify and Youth Music Open Doors for Future Artists

The music industry depends on fresh ideas, bold voices, and emerging talent. Yet across the U.K., too many young musicians lack the space to develop their craft...

10/07/2025

VEON and Cohen Circle Secure Investor Commitments for Kyivstar Listing

10 Jul 2025 VEON and Cohen Circle Secure Investor Commitments for Kyivstar Listing Kyiv, New York, Dubai, and Philadelphia - July 10, 2025 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq:...

10/07/2025

From Treehouses to the Deep Sea: A First Look at Sky Kids New Adventures

Thursday 10 July 2025 The Very Small Creatures Jaime's Treetop Tales Emerald BooSnoo! Christmas Mashup Pip & Posy's Spooktacular Party The Very Sm...

10/07/2025

Millions of Sky customers set to enjoy even bigger rewards as Sky VIP loyalty programme gets a major upgrade

Thursday 10 July 2025 Brand new rewards are coming to Sky customers, with free ...

10/07/2025

Comscore Achieves Full JIC Certification for National TV Measurement Including Persons-Based Data

Comscore Achieves Full JIC Certification for National TV Measurement Including...

09/07/2025

Sky becomes UKs fastest major broadband provider with launch of new 5 Gbps Full Fibre speed and WiFi 7 hub

Wednesday 9 July 2025 Sky Broadband now has the UK's fastest broadband spee...

09/07/2025

2025-07-09

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Jeff Williams will transition his role as chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple's senior...

08/07/2025

MediaSafe Africa: A New Digital Safety Resource for Journalists

In an era where digital threats to journalists are becoming increasingly aggressive and widespread, MediaSafe Africa launches as a vital online resource to help...

08/07/2025

Spotify's Our Game, Our Sound' Campaign Champions Community and Joy in Women's Football

This summer, as the energy builds for one of the biggest moments in women's ...

08/07/2025

Richard Watsham to depart UKTV following highly successful 14-year tenure

UKTV today announces that Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer at UKTV and Global Director of Acquisitions for BBC Studios/UKTV, has decided to step down fro...

08/07/2025

Harmonic Sets DOCSIS 4.0 Record with 14 Gbps Downstream Speed at CableLabs Interoperability Event

SAN JOSE, Calif. - July 8, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a reco...

08/07/2025

Arvato Systems optimizes customer communication with AOK Niedersachsen

Arvato Systems Optimizes Customer Communication with AOK Niedersachsen New project in the statutory health insurance sector Arvato Systems and AOK Niedersach...

08/07/2025

2025-07-08

On August 7, Apple Arcade is adding four exclusive games to its diverse catalogue of more than 200 fun games for players to enjoy, all free from ads and in-app ...

07/07/2025

** MEDIA ALERT ** VIZ Media Ignites AX 2025 with Star-Studded Panels, Exclusive Reveals, and Immersive Experiences

** MEDIA ALERT ** VIZ Media Ignites AX 2025 with Star-Studded Panels, Exclus...

07/07/2025

2025-07-07

CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA As Apple Music marks its 10th anniversary this year, Apple unveils its most ambitious creative project to date: a brand-new state-of-the...

07/07/2025

RT Announces Mark Bignell as new Commissioning Editor for Comedy

RT has announced that Mark Bignell has been appointed Commissioning Editor for Comedy following a public competition. This senior editorial position will drive...

04/07/2025

Spotify Partners With The Reading Agency to Bring the Summer Reading Challenge to Life Through Audio

The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...

04/07/2025

Official trailer revealed for new season of BAFTA-winning Sky Original comedy Mr Bigstuff, coming 24 July

Friday 4 July 2025 Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8 Further...

04/07/2025

Join RT Radio 1 for The Pitch, a new series exploring the heart of Ireland's GAA Clubs

The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...

03/07/2025

Introducing: New Carts

For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...

03/07/2025

Introducing: Slider Drive Unit

One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit! Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit! Our i...

03/07/2025

Introducing: ARRI EVO 360

The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...

03/07/2025

Panther at BSC EXPO 2025

What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London! We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography. A huge thank ...

03/07/2025

"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode

ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...

03/07/2025

** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Expo 2025

** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...

03/07/2025

Sky Arts Unveils New Mozart Season, Celebrating the Legacy of Classicals Greatest Maestro

Thursday 3 July 2025 David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...

03/07/2025

Sky announces 2025 Sky WNT Fund Recipients

The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025 Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...

02/07/2025

NAB 2025: Calrec expands ecosystem providing ultimate flexibility

Calrec expands ecosystem at NAB 2025 giving broadcasters access to dynamic workflows and ultimate flexibility Helping broadcasters meet the shifting needs of me...

02/07/2025

VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement

02 Jul 2025 VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement Dubai, July 1, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON ), announces ...

02/07/2025

Dom Chinea opens his Cornish Workshop for new series on U&YESTERDAY and U

Brand new factual series follows mechanic and self-taught engineer Dom Chinea as he makes the move of his life to the far west of Cornwall UKTV today announces...

02/07/2025

Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M portfolio for power electronics

Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M ...

02/07/2025

Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for Sports Officiating, Coaching, and Production

Wuppertal July 2, 2025 Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for S...

02/07/2025

ABC Appoints New Chair

Andrew will serve as Chair of ABC alongside his role at NED, APL Media, where he supports the executive team with strategic insight and global expansion plans. ...

01/07/2025

ITV Celebrates Best Sunday of 2025 with Code of Silence

The launch of Code of Silence, coupled with the Britains Got Talent semi final, gave ITV its best Sunday night of 2025. The first episode of the new crime dr...

01/07/2025

Romola Garai joins Shaun Evans in ITV thriller BETRAYAL, as filming begins in the North West

ITV and Mammoth Screen have announced the start of filming for Betrayal, a gripp...

01/07/2025

Movicom Selects Clear-Com to Power Communications for Global Live Events

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......

01/07/2025

KIT Plugins release NOIZ One Vox

Vocal-processing plug-in joins NOIZ Hub series Launched in 2024, KIT Plugins' NOIZ Hub series was created with the aim of providing a range of professio...

01/07/2025

7 Day Mastering: New course from Mastering.com

New self-paced learning programme announced Mastering.com have announced the availability of a new online course designed to cover the fundamentals of maste...

01/07/2025

cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for the verification of Next Generation eCall functionality

cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for the verification of...

01/07/2025

Teresa Smith Announced as Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment

RT has announced that Teresa Smith has been appointed Commissioning Editor with responsibility for Factual Entertainment following a public competition. This s...