Sennheiser supports the sound at Super Bowl 2012

Sennheiser RF equipment supported this years Super Bowl with acts such as Madonna, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton using their equipment.

The Super Bowl has long been associated with its show-like quality rather than the football itself. There is always speculation about who will sing the National Anthem before the game, and who will perform the all important half time show. This year’s game between New York Giants and the New England patriots was the most watched television program in history, earning 111.3 million viewers.

Lambert and Shelton kicked off the Super Bowl with a country-inspired rendition of ‘God Bless America’. Lambert sang into a new custom-made pink SennheiserSKM 2000-XP handheld microphone with an MMD 935-1 capsule that was specifically created for this event. Shelton also used a Sennheiser microphone- an SKM 5200-II with an MD 5235 capsule. "On such a high pressure show with so many top-of-their-field experts managing such a massive logistical undertaking, one has to be adament to get the mics you want," observed Brad Baisley, the duo’s monitor engineer. "Of course Miranda used her new pink Sennheiser microphone and Blake the Sennheiser SKM 5200. The top end is always superb, the sound is natural, and Miranda and Blake know how to work those capsules. Of course, Sennheiser’s RF has always been rock solid for us, and that was proved one again at the Super Bowl. In addition to their great products, the assistance of Sennheiser’s Tim Moore was fantastic. He was extremely helpful in ensuring we had the equipment we needed in the appropriate frequency ranges."

The main act of the night and the most highly anticipated performance was Madonna’s halftime show that consisted of a medley of her hits taken from her vast discography. The magnitude of the performance needed reliable sound equipment to ensure the performance ran smoothly and Sennheiser were there to make this happen. "Once the show starts, there’s not a lot you can do if something goes wrong," said Matt Napier, Madonna’s longtime monitor engineer. "The best- and really the only- thing you can do in a situation like that is to have the best equipment available and to prepare thoroughly. I trust Sennheiser in Madonna’s high-stakes concerts, and that trust was rewarded with a perfect performance at the Super Bowl."

Napier went on to explain the equipment used during the performance. "On tour, we have our own dedicated RF tech,” said Napier. “But as a general rule, we keep things simple and reliable by using Sennheiser wireless exclusively and their Wireless Systems Manager software, which is an effective tool for managing our frequencies.” Madonna used the Sennheiser HSP 4headset at the start of the medley and then switched to a Sennheiser SKM 5200-II handheld transmitter with an ME 5005 capsule for the remainder. All of Madonna’s guests featuring in her performance including Nicki Minaj, M.I.A and LMFAO, used Sennheiser SKM 5200-II handheld transmitters with Neumann KK 104 capsules. Ceo Lo Green’s mic used the MD 5235 capsule. Sennheiser EM 3732 receivers delivered the performances to the global audience.

“No matter where we’re playing, the combination of the Sennheiser SKM 5200-II transmitter, ME 5005 capsule, and EM 3732 receiver delivers fantastic audio quality and reliable, flexible RF performance,” said Napier. “Together with Sennheiser’s 2000 Series wireless personal monitors, we’re high fidelity start to finish, with rock-solid reliability and easy frequency coordination. In addition, having the full support of Sennheiser affords me peace of mind. We needed a gold-plated SKM 5200-II transmitter for Madonna and a chrome SKM 5200-II for Cee Lo. With no time to spare, Kristy Jo Winkler and Tim Hunten, Sennheiser, and Jason Bellamy at Soundtronics arranged the delivery of these transmitters. The mics were on their way the same day. That kind of service means a lot in this industry. A big thanks goes out to the Sennheiser team!”