Separated by slightly more than 72 hours in their scheduling, the Republican National Convention kicked off at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on 1 September, following the close of the Democratic National Convention in Denver on 28 August. This presented a formidable logistical challenge for ATK Audiotek, the Valencia, California-based sound company chosen to supply the audio components for both events. Three dedicated systems, requiring nine semi-trucks to move them, were constructed independently at the Xcel Energy Center, Denver's Pepsi Center (the site of Democratic convention proceedings), and Invesco Field, where candidate Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech.
"It is indeed a sizable undertaking with its own unique share of challenges," notes Paul Wittman of ATK Audiotek, commenting on the outsized proportions of the company's tasks at the DNC and RNC. "But broken down into its individual components, there's not a lot here different from the other things we do."
In total at both locations, Shure supplied 20 handheld UHF-R transmitters and 16 channels of PSM 700 personal in-ear monitors also operating within the UHF spectrum. Among the handheld transmitters, most sported KSM9 capsules.
"Nowadays, with the clarity and intelligibility found in the PA systems we use, you really don't need an accentuated bump at 4 or 5K in your microphones anymore," Baltzell related. "You want something linear like the sound system itself. The KSM9 is the smoothest vocal mic I've used, and very natural sounding, too."
(Jim Evans)
