Lately, the Artistic Expertise’s US-based operation (CTUS) labored with Sennheiser on the design and specification of a complete wi-fi audio package that featured its EW-DX wi-fi system to make sure dependable and superior sounding audio for its clients.
CTUS has assembled and deployed 140 customized wi-fi microphone kits — every with the Sennheiser EW-DX wi-fi system at its core — to streamline its capacity to ship audio for mission essential occasions throughout the U.S.
CTUS routinely tackles over 100 occasions monthly – a lot of which might be thought-about ‘extraordinarily large-scale reveals’ with hundreds of attendees. Whereas CT’s specialty is staging enterprise degree company occasions, the corporate additionally has a foothold within the audio, video and lighting companies for sporting leisure and specialty occasions of all styles and sizes, working with high-profile purchasers together with Google, VMWare, Meta, Microsoft, and others. In all of the setting sorts that CT serves, efficient wi-fi audio options are pivotal to the success of the occasion.
Delivering on the highest degree
Philip Barrett, Director of Audio at CT Groupsays, “As we proceed to serve our high-end consumer base and produce increasingly occasions, the stress is on us to ship on the highest degree. After I was doing music and touring, I used to say that ‘nothing sobers the thoughts just like the considered 20,000 folks asking for his or her a reimbursement.’ Within the dwell occasions house, I’d add that it doesn’t matter how lovely the LED screens are, or how unbelievable the lighting appears to be like. If the CEO walks on stage and his mic doesn’t work, that’s all they’re going to speak about.” Barrett is accountable for the continual and future operation of the audio division at CTUS.
With absolutely stocked warehouse places of work in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago and New York, CTUS employs full service technical occasion groups, logistics operations and offers on-site assist for all of its consumer occasions, prioritizing the human factor with regards to dwell occasions. Venues can vary from intimate assembly rooms or ballrooms all the way in which to arenas and huge out of doors areas. “I wish to say we’re the most important sound firm you have got by no means heard of,” Barrett says. “When it comes to the place we function, we run the gamut and we now have to be versatile.”
A wi-fi answer dressed for fulfillment
CT selected Sennheiser’s EW-DX system for his or her wi-fi microphone ‘Flight Pack Kits’ primarily based on the newly launched system’s performance, wealthy function set and flexibility. Sennheiser’s EW-DX units an business customary for value-based efficiency and reliability with its low latency (1.9 milliseconds) and an ultra-wide enter dynamic vary of 134 dB. This enables its transmitters to deal with virtually any sign, making it dependable in any RF setting. Whereas in Commonplace Mode, the EW-DX can deal with as much as 146 hyperlinks inside its switching bandwidth, and as much as 293 frequencies in Hyperlink Density Mode. This leads to a better quantity of doable transmission frequencies — all in a system that simple to make use of and is supplied with lengthy battery life.
“Our objective was to place collectively kits with all the things in a single field that our purchasers may want,” says Barrett. “It was a clear answer for us to bundle all the things in a single place so it’s all there and able to go. We will’t afford to have folks searching for disparate parts and having to ship them out at 10:00 p.m. on a weeknight. These are very simple to ship and likewise simple to move on-location in and across the staging space.”
Every package comprises a Sennheiser EW-DX receiver, two HSP headset microphones, two ME4 lavalier microphones and two EW-DX SKM-S handheld transmitters, each coupled with MMD 835 capsules. Additionally included are two EW-DX SK bodypack transmitters in addition to an Evolution Wi-fi Digital charging case. A QR code resulting in the instruction handbook is printed on inside of every case for the simple reference of stagehands.
A price-driven answer, constructed on efficiency
When contemplating the necessity to purchase a number of dozen wi-fi microphone methods for its secondary breakout methods, Barrett says that the EW-DX introduced a value-driven answer that was each versatile and sturdy: “It was an important buying determination for us, as a result of the system was on-point value clever, whereas delivering the entire efficiency and reliability we anticipate from Sennheiser. Our end-user clients are fairly often C-level presenters, and the appliance is sort of all the time spoken phrase — so high-quality, predictable efficiency is essential.”
There have been many components that attracted Barrett to the EW-DX system, corresponding to ease of operation and adaptability of frequency allocation. “Having the ability to deploy giant portions of methods in shut proximity and nonetheless have out there frequencies is essential for us,” he explains. “We work in so many various cities, and the EW-DX works in all of them. There are all the time loads of frequencies out there on this field and it’s so simple to make use of.”
“On one among our current initiatives we coordinated over 200 frequencies simply within the Labs, Workshops and Breakouts utilizing the brand new Sennheiser EW-DX R1-9 and Q1-9 RF Bands,” says Jeff Jones, RF Coordinator, Artistic Expertise. “These models had been simple to arrange, simple to tune and straightforward to sync physique packs and handhelds. Having the 2 extensive RF bands allowed us to tune over the entire out there spectrum making the EW-DX models a superior option to deal with the massive amount of breakout rooms versus older technology, band-limited applied sciences. We had rock strong efficiency with the brand new Sennheiser models.”
Except for the technical and efficiency components that drew Barrett to the EW-DX system, Sennheiser was capable of create a holistic package to suit CTUS’s wants: “CTUS got here to us with a selected understanding of how these methods might successfully be deployed to their clients,” says Jamie Criswell, Enterprise Growth at Sennheiser. “We labored arduous to create an answer that brings collectively all of the required parts right into a single, complete bundle so it not solely anticipates the wants of the end-user, however makes logistics and dispatch all of the extra environment friendly.”
On this enterprise, the significance of steady reliability can’t be overstated: “We’re in contrast to most different staging firms with respect to the quantity that we do, so the ROI for us has to work,” says Barrett. “These mics get thrown on pallets, are shipped all throughout the nation and are taken by way of the darkish labyrinths of assorted properties and accommodations time and time once more.”
Sennheiser proper out of the gate
After evaluating aggressive choices for a top quality, sturdy microphone system, Barrett says that the EW-DX checked all of the packing containers and has been performing flawlessly ever since. “Total, it was Sennheiser proper out of the gate and we’re more than happy that Sennheiser listened to our wants and helped put collectively this method for us. Thus far, all the things is assembly or exceeding all of our expectations. There have been no failures, the intelligibility is nice, and I’ve been very impressed with the system general!”
