2004 MTV Music Awards Go Wireless with Sennheiser

The 2004 Video Music Awards--held in Miami late last month--used wireless gear for the telecast, furnished by Sennheiser Electronic. RF specialist Wireless First was brought in to select and set up the mics and other equipment.

Covering everything from pre-show to awards to post-show, Kevin Sanford--who heads up Wireless First--said that 24 channels of Sennheiser SKM5000 mics were used inside the Miami American Airlines Arena.

"Those were each fitted with the Neumann KK105-S capsule," Sanford said. " We used all Sennheiser 3032-U dual true diversity receivers."

Besides performance and presenter microphones, there were four wireless podium mics, use with the Sennheiser SK50 beltpack transmitters.

Sanford put in approximately 140 channels of RF intercom for production, inside the arena and outside.

Jet, who won the "Best Rock Video" award for their hit single, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" used the Evolution series mics. A group of hip-hop artists used 14 RF mics.

The next gig for Wireless First was "Fashion Rocks," a rock concert at Radio City Music Hall that was part of New York Fashion week.