Shure wireless dominates Super Bowl week
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All RF usage was planned and managed by NFL lead frequency coordinator Karl Voss. Primary audio supplier ATK Audiotek again brought in experts from Orlando-based Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) to meet the challenge of delivering pristine audio for the on-field entertainment. PWS handled Gladys Knight’s rendition of the US national anthem among other pre-game festivities, plus the Maroon 5 half time show and the referee’s critical microphone.
Professional Wireless Systems RF engineer, Gary Trenda, chose Shure wireless again. He explains: “It’s our second straight year using Axient Digital as our preferred system, which has several advantages in covering a football field. The Quadversity antenna system increases reliability and range. No matter where your transmitter is, you’re always closer to antennas than you would be with a regular diversity setup. That’s a huge advantage to us because the stage design and location are typically not yet finalised at the time when we are designing the RF distribution and specifying the wireless equipment.”
For the coin toss, referee John Parry was double-miked with twin Axient analogue AXT100 bodypack transmitters, in frequency diversity mode. Parry used the system for penalty calls throughout the game, so the referee’s mic was always under the microscope.
“Shure frequency diversity feature offers big benefits,” notes Trenda. “With two active frequencies operating simultaneously, we can avoid interference by switching seamlessly to the second channel. For the referee system, we extend that redundancy by using two microphones and even two receivers, one on house AC and the other plugged into a UPS battery backup system. That gives us two fully redundant audio paths, so it would take a pretty catastrophic failure to lose the referee audio.”
The halftime show was a Shure-driven event, with Adam Levine’s vocals delivered via an ADX2FD/SM58 microphone. In addition, Levine and Maroon 5 lead guitarist James Valentine used the new ADX1 bodypack systems for their guitars. The ADX series of Axient Digital incorporates Shure’s ShowLink® system, which provides full remote control of all transmitter functions by the system operator. This backchannel command and control system was powered by three AD610 ShowLink Access Points, strategically placed around Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
At the annual NFL Honours awards show on Saturday, ATK Audiotek provided 20 channels of Axient Digital, six channels of UHF-R wireless mics, and used PSM 1000 for all in-ear systems. Another highlight of the week was the first Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest, where daily concert events included Bruno Mars on Axient Digital, Aerosmith on Axient analogue, and Cardi B with her signature gold UHF-R handheld wireless transmitter.
(Jim Evans)
