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Telemundo Relies on Shure for the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards
Posted on Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Shure Wireless Technology, Personal Monitor Systems, and Wired Mics Accompanied Chart-Topping Artists To Deliver Program’s Most-Watched Broadcast in History

MIAMI, FL, JUNE 3, 2015—With a lineup that was packed with once-in-a-lifetime performances, multiple premieres, and unique collaborations, the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards delivered its most-watched broadcast in history. Network Audio Supervisor, Juan Aguila, and his team were tasked with ensuring a seamless audio production from start to finish—from the red carpet, to the main awards show, the after show, and all network coverage.

In his tenth year as network audio supervisor, Aguila went into this year’s production a seasoned pro, but that didn’t stop a new set of challenges from greeting him at the BankUnited Center. “This year’s show was the most extensive yet in terms of gear required,” Aguila said. “We had to use more mics than we ever needed in the past, simply due to the high number of musical acts we had to pack into a three-hour show.”

A high volume of live performances required superior sound, while the RF-congested heart of Miami made it crucial for Aguila’s team to choose best-in-class wireless technology. A chart-topping lineup paired with a cumulative audience of more than 6.4 million viewers left with no room—or time—for unexpected technical issues. The Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) team—led by recognized wireless experts James Stoffo and Brooks Schroeder—was also onsite to monitor the RF spectrum and ensure seamless transmission.

To ensure crystal-clear, wireless vocal performance for everyone on-stage, Aguila’s team decided to rely on 30 channels of Shure wireless, which included a mix of the Company’s comprehensive, innovative, and failsafe Axient Wireless Management Network, and the premier UHF-R wireless technology. Eighteen channels of Shure PSM personal monitoring systems handled all in-ear channels, exclusively. More than 200 wired Shure microphones were also used throughout the evening, including SM, BETA, KSM, and others.

“I never stop emphasizing how much I love using Axient,” Aguila said. “The security and peace of mind it provides when I have an artist or host on Axient is huge. With a show like this one, where there are potential roadblocks such as multiple stages or large LED walls, we still get really nice, consistent coverage.”

Marc Anthony opened the show with a performance on AXT200/KSM9. The evening featured a wide variety of performances by acclaimed Latin artists, including one of the night’s biggest winners, Romeo Santos, who performed on UHF-R with the UR2/BETA58 and took home ten awards, including: artist of the year, songwriter of the year, producer of the year, top Latin album of the year, and tropical album of the year (Formula Vol. 2), among others.

Other notable performances that followed included Shure artist Juanes, who performed with Carlos Santana, both on AXT200/BETA58, Luis Fonsi—also a Shure endorser—performed on AXT200/KSM9; and Ana Gabriel (AXT200/BETA58), who performed with Lucero (on AXT200/KSM9) to sing songs from Lucero’s tribute album that featured Gabriel's songs. Carlos Vives delivered an energetic performance in a Colombia-meets-Puerto Rico moment where Daddy Yankee and Wisin joined him onstage for “Nota de Amor;” each member of the performing trio used AXT200/BETA58.

“From a wireless perspective, this show isn’t a very ‘friendly’ environment, especially with all of the walkie-talkies and intercoms that are in-use,” Aguila concluded. “However, it went off without a hitch, thanks to great products and their useful features, like the Axient Spectrum Manager, which definitely paid off. Solid products paired with a great on-site team made the show a huge success.”

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