Following the debut of Sennheiser’s Spectera’s at the Tony Awards in 2025 – where Cynthia Erivo used a single bodypack to simultaneously transmit a lavalier microphone signal and receive stereo in-ear monitoring during her entrance from an upper-level dressing room, through backstage corridors and stairwells, and onto the main stage – the bidirectional wideband ecosystem was back this year for the 79th event at the Radio City Music Hall.
Most notably, host P!NK relied on Spectera throughout the evening for her wireless set-up, including headset, lavalier, in-ear monitoring and a handheld microphone equipped with a Neumann KK 204 capsule. With just one low-profile bodypack, it supported her high-flying entrance, a star-studded performance of ‘Lady Marmalade’ from Moulin Rouge! The Musical, as well as audience interactions and introductions throughout the broadcast. Spectera mics were also used for other performances throughout the evening, including from Schmigadoon! and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and instrument wireless during the In Memoriam tribute.
‘With the Tony’s being a combination of in-ears and a headset mic for some of the performances, it was a no brainer for us to use the transceiver,’ says monitor engineer Jon Lewis. ‘The functionally of the Spectera system allowed us to constantly monitor the bodypacks, make changes remotely and lock volumes to allow them to be placed inside costumes without the worry of volumes being knocked during complex dance sequences. Spectera is a game-changer when it comes to system management and functionality.’
The production team used two Spectera Base Stations for venue-wide coverage throughout the venue. In total, Spectera carried what would be the equivalent to approximately 60 channels of audio within 12MHz of spectrum, while operating alongside many traditional wireless systems on the same stage. Wireless monitoring, coordination and control for the production were managed entirely through SoundBase across all brands, giving the RF team visibility across the show’s intricate and ever-changing wireless ecosystem.
‘We were able to adjust mic capacities and add more in-ear channels without having to worry about additional frequency management,’ reports Scott Hoskins, RF Coordinator for Firehouse Productions. ‘The ease and flexibility of EtherCon-based antennas greatly expands our ability to change areas of coverage on the fly, as well as reach remote areas where a traditional coax-based system would require additional hardware.’
‘We deployed four antennas on the first base and three on the second and have had great coverage throughout Radio City, says monitor RF tech, Justin Milner. ‘With broad venue coverage in one of the country’s most challenging RF environments, flexible infrastructure and the ability to support microphones and in-ear monitoring on the same wideband carrier, Spectera enabled the production team to adapt quickly to the evolving needs of the broadcast throughout rehearsals and the live show. Combined with SoundBase for wireless management, the team maintained oversight of both Spectera and conventional wireless systems from a unified platform.
SoundBase Pro’s new Remote View feature enables production teams to use individually tailored dashboards on multiple devices, including phones, tablets or laptops, for monitoring anywhere in a venue, without needing multiple software licenses. Monitoring throughout rehearsals and the live broadcast was carried out using Sennheiser HD 480 Pro headphones.
The broadcast offered a preview of the forthcoming Spectera SKM handheld microphone, with pre-production units used throughout the broadcast by P!NK and other performers. Looking ahead, Hoskins believes technologies like Spectera will be critical as live productions continue to evolve. ‘The amount of physical space and RF spectrum Spectera alleviates should help us keep up with how the shows are constantly increasing in their complexity,’ he says.
The Spectera ecosystem, including bidirectional bodypack transmitters and receivers, is available now, while the handheld microphone is available for pre-order ahead of shipments beginning this later in 2026.
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Spectera advances at ESC