Custom handheld transmitters contribute to the look and sound of the "All I Have" concert residency at the Planet Hollywood AXIS Theater in Las Vegas. Jennifer Lopez has decided to return to the roots of her musical performance at Planet Hollywood's AXIS Theater in Las Vegas, where she and her team deliver an unmatched show in which every detail is taken care of to the utmost.
A key task was finding the right combination of microphone capsule and wireless transmitter for the artist. It had to be a transmission system that could withstand the hostile RF environment of a production of this scale. The ideal combination selected was the Shure Axient wireless system, with the new premium KSM8 Dualdyne™ microphone capsule.
According to Shure senior Artist Relations specialist Nelson Arreguín, the combination proved perfect for the artist. "Once the techs tried the KSM8, which was still in beta at the time, they knew it was the right microphone for her," says Nelson. "Soon after, they put me in touch with Jennifer Lopez's production team to explore the possibilities of working together."
FOH engineer Gordon Mack became a fan of the KSM8 for its versatility in several respects. "The KSM8 is a very complete microphone," he says. "It captures all the warmth and depth of Jennifer's voice without losing the brightness in a delicately sung performance. And it does all that while keeping its composure when she stands in front of the PA system".
Monitor engineer Anne-Lise Coulet had a similar reaction. "The KSM8 capsule is an absolute revolution in the world of monitoring, especially with in-ear systems," she says. "When Jennifer moves between the PA, the side fills and the band, and the audience starts screaming, the KSM8 gives me the clarity and control I need. Her voice cuts through all of it, without those sounds leaking into her microphone."
Coulet is also in charge of the show's wireless systems: 24 RF channels networked together using Shure's Wireless Workbench software and the Axient Spectrum Manager for real-time monitoring of each channel. The production uses 10 microphone channels (Axient AXT200/K8B for Jennifer Lopez and Shure UHF-R for the rest of the performers on stage) and 14 PSM1000 in-ear monitoring systems.
During the initial run of ten shows at Planet Hollywood, the tech team was truly impressed by the powerful features of the Axient system. The production also uses the Shure Axient AXT610 ShowLink™ access point to enable the system's unique frequency diversity capability and full remote control of the transmitter, ensuring Jennifer Lopez's voice is never affected by interference or dropouts.
"The Axient system does things no other wireless system can do," says Coulet. "At one point in the show, Jennifer sings on top of a metal tower that is raised by an industrial electric motor, which turns the tower into a giant antenna. The wireless we were using before couldn't cope with that, but it hasn't been a problem at all for the Axient system. Frequency diversity also gives us great peace of mind, although fortunately… we haven't had to use it in any show yet!"
Another interesting aspect of the show is that Jennifer Lopez has custom AXT200 transmitters decorated with crystals to match her outfits. This required Shure's input.
"First of all, we needed to make sure the designer was aware of the battery design of the Axient transmitters, so that the crystal customization wouldn't interfere with removing the battery," says Nelson Arreguín. "We also supplied a modified AXT902 charging station with wider openings to allow the lithium-ion batteries to be recharged."
FOH engineer Gordon Mack, who has mixed artists of the caliber of Prince, Chaka Khan and John Legend, among others, believes that the combination of the KSM8 capsule with the Axient wireless system is an ideal solution for Jennifer Lopez.
"I like to think of myself as a singer's engineer," explained Mack. "My approach to reinforcing vocals is based on how they sound naturally. Then I try to recreate and reinforce that timbre through the PA. The sound quality of the Axient wireless system takes wireless to a higher level, and the KSM8 capsule lets me convey every detail of Jennifer's performance to the audience".
For its part, Shure is just one complementary piece for this star, who is now part of the group of artists the brand works with. "Jennifer Lopez is an example of the level of quality and maturity an artist can reach," says Arreguín. "She is an incredible actress, dancer and singer. When her tech and production team contacted us after trying a beta version of the KSM8, we were thrilled to welcome Jennifer to our Shure artist family and to support her with the best equipment available."
During her first run of concerts in January and February, Jennifer Lopez's "All I Have" became one of the must-see events in Las Vegas. Her next run of 10 dates at the Planet Hollywood AXIS Theater begins on May 22, 2016… so if you're in Las Vegas on those dates, don't miss the chance to see one of the city's most highly regarded shows!
