Press release
12.06.2008 - Sennheiser UK
Eurovision Song Contest — Cult show uses Sennheiser microphones
Belgrade, May 2008 — On the evening of May the 24th, the eyes of the growing Eurovision community were on Belgrade as the winner of the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest, Russia was chosen. Host broadcaster RTS covered the show on a scale never seen before, with an unprecedented forty-three countries taking part, meaning that for the first time in the Song Contest’s history, two semi-finals were organised to determine the 25 finalists. And back in the limelight during TV transmissions: microphones from Sennheiser.
The increasing size of the competition means that there has also been a big expansion in technological requirements. The Eurovision Song Contest has become a display of superlatives, with a trend towards ever more spectacular productions. "The stage and lighting technology in the Belgrade Arena was even more lavish than in previous years," divulges Sennheiser’s RF expert Klaus Willemsen, who was on location from early May installing the audio technology with Serbian TV station RTS and Sennheiser’s partner, Grothusen. Throughout the process the team looked after the artist rehearsals — some of which were public — just as attentively as the two semi-finals, held on May the 20th and 22nd and the grand finale on May the 24th.
Completely new audio technology
The very latest wireless technology was used in the ultra-modern Belgrade Arena: Sennheiser’s new EM 3732 twin receiver was there, together with the SR 350 IEM G2 twin transmitter introduced in March this year and new high-performance transmitter combiners for wireless monitoring. "RTS had 48 microphone channels available for artists," explains Klaus Willemsen. "Depending on individual preferences and the type of stage show, they were stepping on stage with SKM 5200 handheld transmitters or SK 5212 bodypack transmitters and HSP 4 headset mikes. There were also an additional 12 channels for wireless monitoring."
"We were only able to finalise the radio frequencies for the wireless mikes and the monitoring systems when the lighting technology was in place," explains Willemsen. "Radio interference caused by LEDs in the huge video walls and by dimmers and digitally synchronised lights can be found across the whole spectrum from medium wave to gigahertz. For microphone and monitoring frequencies, we then have to search for areas where there are as few active "disrupters" as possible. The Wireless Systems Manager software is a great help when it comes to this, allowing all device parameters to be picked up quickly and effectively, and adapted as the situation requires."
During the semi-finals and final, the radio spectrum was continually monitored to bypass or eliminate new disturbances and interference. Replacement equipment on other frequencies was in place for the live shows too. So the contests are not just exciting for the artists and TV audiences in their millions — they represent a particular challenge for an experienced engineer like Klaus Willemsen too.
For more infpormation about Sennheiser please visit www.sennheiser.co.uk or call:
Robert Collins, Sennheiser PR
T: 07699 294 877
E-Mail: Robert.collins180@virgin.net