(20/08/2014) As the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2014 charges through the final leg of its highly successful summer tour, North American audiences have been treated to a broad range of talented male and female contestants performing a diverse selection of material. The new Sennheiser Digital 9000 system has delivered stellar performance every step of the way, capturing each nuance of the vocal performances in stunning detail and clarity.
This year, since the contestants are singing to backup tracks, the audio system consists primarily of a multi-channel playback rig, wireless in ear monitors and vocal microphones putting the spotlight squarely on the Idol contestant performances. At the recommendation of Lititz, PA-based Clair Global the audio team decided to utilize (16) channels of Sennheiser Digital 9000 wireless to provide the best possible audio quality for both performers and fans.
When Clair presented me with the idea of using the new Sennheiser Digital 9000 on this tour, I was very excited because I know it is a phenomenal system, commented Dustin DeLuna, Monitor Engineer and RF Technician for American Idols LIVE! Tour 2014. So far, it has surpassed my every expectation the microphones have sounded amazing across the entire range of vocalists weve got out here.
The Digital 9000 system used on American Idols LIVE! Tour 2014 consists of two eight channel Sennheiser EM 9046 receiver units, (14) SKM 9000 handheld wireless transmitters with MD 9235 capsules and (2) SK 9000 beltpack transmitters. Each of the (10) Idol contestants have been using the SKM 9000 transmitter / MD 9235 capsule combinations. In addition, several microphone / transmitter combinations are being used as guest microphones and for pre-show Q&A sessions, which are extremely popular among fans.
For monitoring, the audio team has been relying on (18) channels of Sennheiser 2000 series transmitters and receivers. These cover in ear monitoring including click tracks to make sure everyone is in time for each of the onstage performers as well as production staff including the stage manager, lighting technician and Pro Tools operator.
Digital 9000: Outperforming in the Most Extreme RF Environments
As one might expect, the performance venues on the tour vary greatly and include arenas, casinos, theaters, sheds, outdoor fairgrounds and others. In the face of such a diverse range of performance spaces, Sennheiser Digital 9000 helps bring predictability when it comes to RF performance. The system has been unstoppable from a reliability perspective, reports DeLuna. Since we started using it, there has not been a single drop out. Just the other day, we were at Indiana State Fair it was the most crowded RF environment we have seen on this tour. But after scanning and setting up our frequencies, we had no issues. It has literally been flawless.
For DeLuna, who is handling double duty as the tours sole Monitor Engineer and RF Technician, ease of use and set up time are precious. On this level, the Digital 9000 does not disappoint. The frequency scanning features are amazing because the interface is so visual, he explains. Scanning takes about 30 seconds from start to finish, and the Digital 9000 allows me to visually plot out where I am going to put the microphone transmitters to see how they will work with other RF in the area. I can scan and sync these transmitters without any trouble and I dont even have to walk them, he says.
Delivering Pristine, Uncompressed Sound for the Masses
Front of House Engineer Kirk Shreiner, now in his third year on the Idol tour, says the Sennheiser Digital 9000 delivers on audio quality: It has a very clean and warm sound, he says. I regularly get comments on how great the microphones are on this tour, and I am having great experiences on all the PA systems we have been using with these mics. Shreiner also appreciates the outstanding feedback rejection of the new MD 9235 capsule. Its not unusual to have all of the contestants up on stage singing at the same time in front of the PA, and with these microphones were not having to fight the system.
For mixing in ear monitors, DeLuna has had a similarly positive experience: The top end of the MD 9235 capsule is very smooth, he says. All in all, the audio seems to be very well rounded. With the Digital 9000, I am hearing more detail and it is almost like the difference between an mp3 file and a wav file. Since there is more information in the audio, it means I dont have to make as many EQ corrections.
In addition to the RF reliability and sonic qualities of the system, DeLuna is especially impressed at how quiet the SKM 9000 transmitter / MD 9235 capsule combination is in light of a brand new capsule design and dampening mechanism. We have noticed zero handling noise, and this is usually among the first things a Front of House Engineer will complain about, he says. In an RF world that is usually dependent on buckets of AA batteries, DeLuna also appreciates the newly designed battery compartment on the transmitter: The two buttons at the bottom that are used to slide the battery in and out are so easy to use. Moreover, the rechargeable batteries last for six hours at a time and we can run the whole day with one set of batteries, he says.
The Sennheiser Group based in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, was founded in 1945 and has gone on to become a leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Sales in 2013 totaled 590.4 million euros. Sennheiser employs more than 2,500 staff worldwide and operates plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. The company has a worldwide network of subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hongkong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
When Canada qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, OneSoccer knew this wasn'...
04/07/2026
Celebrates company's 80th anniversary
Rhodes have recently revealed that they will be producing a limited run of electric pianos in celebration of their...
04/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Empower Youth Broadcasting Program
Brie Clayton July 3, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and Blackmagi...
04/07/2026
iZotope Joins Boris FX
Boris Yamnitsky July 3, 2026
0 Comments
iZotope, the team behind RX and Ozone, is joining Boris FX. A letter from founder Boris...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
03/07/2026
New bundle & three Single Packs
Continuing to expand their already sizeable orchestral collection, VSL's latest release introduces three new Single Pack...
03/07/2026
Venue installs new ATC-equipped control room
LSO St Luke's, a unique music venue that also serves as the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, have rec...
03/07/2026
Caden Pearson appointed new Commissioning Editor for NITV
3 July, 2026
Media releases
National Indigenous Television (NITV) has strengthened its commitment...
03/07/2026
1 February 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st February 2023: Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for digit...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Death Star
Andy Marken July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Look, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire; I hate i...
03/07/2026
Berklee's New Visual Identity: Honoring Our History, Building for What's...
03/07/2026
Scripps Research scientists awarded $2M to advance global disease surveillance Two Gates Foundation grants will expand wastewater surveillance and AI-driven dis...
03/07/2026
Joan Pulupa joins Scripps Research faculty to study the organization of DNA in brain cells and its links to neurodegeneration Using smell-sensing neurons and ad...
02/07/2026
Entering her senior year, this hometown girl is paving a career in live sports production gaining experience in replay and audio and as a TD
In the live-sports...
02/07/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
02/07/2026
BLAST, a competitive entertainment company focused on esports, has announced more than $133 million in revenue for 2025, representing more than 40% year-over-ye...
02/07/2026
Riedel Communications has announced official SKAARHOJ panel support for SimplyLive production workflows, enabled through the SimplyLive 2.1 release. The integra...
02/07/2026
The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has deployed LiveU video-over-bond...
02/07/2026
Gravity Media USA has announced the appointment of Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development, effective July 1, 2026. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Bosto...
02/07/2026
TwelveLabs, a video intelligence company, has announced $100 million in Series B funding co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures, with participation from Amazon, Radic...
02/07/2026
The Pro Padel League (PPL) has announced a broadcast partnership with USA Sports that will air five PPL championship matches on CNBC during the 2026 season, the...
02/07/2026
LiveLike, a digital fan engagement platform, has announced eight confirmed FIFA ...
02/07/2026
Cobalt Digital has received Future's Best of Show Award, presented by AV Technology at InfoComm 2026, for its blueCORE family of standalone signal processor...
02/07/2026
Synamedia has announced the appointment of Dr. Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transition...
02/07/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) and Sony Group Corporation have announced an expanded collaboration for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), taking place in Paris, Fra...
02/07/2026
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. ( Z') has announced exclusive broadcast and digital rights for the Bundesliga in India for five years, beginning with the...
02/07/2026
An effort uniting News, Sports, Local, and Telemundo, the 50+-camera live produc...
02/07/2026
Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Ben Wang appe...
02/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
02/07/2026
A new era in unmixing and spectral editing
The latest version of Steinberg's spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strength...
02/07/2026
Aims to simplify additive synthesis
Sine Machine is the debut launch from Melatonin, a Vienna-based developer who have spent the past six years creating wha...
02/07/2026
Products to remain fully active & supported
Following the news of Native Instruments joining the inMusic brand line-up, Academy and Emmy Award-winning visua...
02/07/2026
What you missed!
Last weekend, Saturday 27 June 2026, saw the debut of Sound On Sounds new GearExpo UK event, the largest dedicated pro-audio event to take ...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Following the successful launch of its inaugural APAC Mentoring Programme last month, the Rise AV APAC Regional Council will bring the conversation around mento...
02/07/2026
Blackmagic PYXIS 6K Used to Shoot Director Takahisa Zeze's Cry Out
Brie Clayton July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Highly mobile camera supports tense and de...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions acquires BFE, expanding its lead in European broadcast, medi...
02/07/2026
Berklee Alum and Faculty Perform at Boston Public Library's 250th Anniversar...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions GmbH, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, is acquiring BFE Studio und Medien...
02/07/2026
Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has extended the ingest facility at leading Brazilian sports company LiveMode, work...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Standalone processors acknowledged for the innovation and value they bring to Pro AV
Cobalt Digital, a leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing ...
02/07/2026
Synamedia announced today the appointment of Dr Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transitio...
(20/08/2014) As the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2014 charges through the final leg of its highly successful summer tour, North American audiences have been treated to a broad range of talented male and female contestants performing a diverse selection of material. The new Sennheiser Digital 9000 system has delivered stellar performance every step of the way, capturing each nuance of the vocal performances in stunning detail and clarity.
