Every evening, up to 1,000 vehicles converge on Hannover’s Schützenplatz fairground, where they tune in their UHF radios – just like in a drive-in cinema – to listen to stage performances, from concerts to comedy. Autokultur – from Hannover for Hannover has been keeping the entertainment scene in Northern Germany buzzing.

Among the highlights of the early summer concert series were two sold-out performances by German rapper Sido using a Sennheiser SKM 6000 – whose bright red, high-gloss finish was inescapable during close-ups of the performer on the event’s huge LED walls.

The handheld transmitter from Sennheiser’s Digital 6000 series was operated in the A1-A4 (470-558MHz) range and was equipped with a cardioid, dynamic MD 9235 capsule. The receiver was a Sennheiser EM 6000, which was placed in a rack bag together with an L 6000 charger at the monitoring console at the side of the stage. With a black set-up waiting as a spare, the high-contrast OLED displays showed that monitor engineer Thomas Hofer had chosen unambiguous Red?Black designations for the two reception channels, ruling out any risk of confusion.

‘The SKM 6000 handhelds have never once let us down’, Hofer reports with great satisfaction. ‘The MD 9235 capsule harmonises perfectly with Sido’s voice, and this combination of transmitter and microphone capsule is robust enough to withstand the most energetic live performances or even showers of rain during open-air concerts without any damage. What is more, the feedback tendency when the performer is moving in critical areas, for example at the front edge of the stage, is extremely low.’

Hofer is impressed by the sound of the Sennheiser Digital 6000 systems in every respect: ‘With analogue transmission systems, you sometimes have to struggle with sound influences caused by the companders,’ he explains. ‘Digital transmission, on the other hand, doesn’t require traditional companders, which results in a more open sound image. When you use a high-quality signal chain, you can hear that immediately.’

Hofer is also appreciative of the spectral efficiency and the signal stability of the Digital 6000 series: ‘The Federal Network Agency is increasingly selling off segments of the frequency spectrum for financial reasons, which means that less and less spectrum is available for events. With Sido, we are often involved in large events that use a hundred or even more transmission channels. But thanks to our Digital 6000 systems, we are on the safe side.’

Normally, setting up multichannel wireless systems requires intermodulation calculation, and sound engineers have to circumvent these intermodulation frequencies when planning their system. The Digital 6000 system, however, does not generate any intermodulation products, which means that frequencies can simply be arranged in an equidistant grid. It therefore not only makes frequency planning very easy, but also supports more transmission channels within a defined frequency window compared to some other systems.

‘With the Digital 6000 systems, I simply put the transmission frequency into a free space, and everything works perfectly – I am totally impressed by the Sennheiser digital wireless systems,’ Hofer says.

Sido – Paul Hartmut Würdig – knew how to get the best out of the unconventional concert setting. Members of the audience watching from around a thousand cars were quick to show their appreciation by flashing their headlights and sounding their horns. Everyday worries were put aside during the two-hour show, and the multitalented rapper provided his fans with two unforgettable evenings, even if the surroundings might have been somewhat unusual.

‘For many years, Sido used a 2000 series system with great success,’ says Thomas Holz, Sennheiser Business Specialist Touring & Rental. ‘Since 2019, our innovative Digital 6000 system has been his preferred choice, and I’m really pleased that Germany’s most popular rapper has chosen this ground-breaking Sennheiser wireless solution. At the artist’s request, Sido’s SKM 6000 handheld transmitter was given a stunning bright red finish at the Sennheiser factory in Wedemark, in keeping with the artwork of his latest album.’

Autokultur – from Hannover for Hannover included not only live concerts but also comedy performances and films, with the support of well-known sponsors. ‘We created the Autokultur series of events entirely from scratch in just ten days,’ says Nico Röger, MD of Hannover Concerts Operating Company. ‘You can only do something like that if you have a great team. ‘Our aim is to put on events even in such difficult times and to make it absolutely clear that culture has systemic relevance.’