MONTY LEE WILKES DECLARES SABINE 2.4 GHz WIRELESS IS THE WAY TO GO

When international pop star Britney Spears recently toured across Europe, the microphone at her side was the Sabine 2.4 GHz Smart Spectrum wireless. Monty Lee Wilkes, FOH sound engineer on tour with Spears, needed a quality system that was durable enough to withstand Spears’ high-energy shows. Wilkes is well known for mixing artists like Lisa Marie Presley, the Go’ Go’s, Prince, and Nirvana and is currently on tour with Siouxsie and the Banshees.

“I think the 2.4GHz bandwidth obviously is the way to go with the pro audio industry,” asserts Wilkes. Sabine Smart Spectrum wireless microphone systems are the only wireless systems that operate on the license-free and globally accepted 2.4 GHz bandwidth. Sabine wireless systems will co-exist with any existing UHF or VHF system without interference.

The six-week European leg of Spears’ tour, in support of her album In The Zone, kicked off in the UK and included shows in Spain, Germany, Denmark and other countries. Unlike the usual challenges with UHF and VHF wireless, Wilkes had no problems with licensing while touring throughout Europe. “It is very important that the wireless systems be able to go all over the planet,” says Wilkes. “And not just in a touring situation, but more so when we are doing promotion. We went everywhere — from Europe to Korea — without any problems, and being able to travel all over the world is of the utmost importance.”

The SWM7000 Series incorporates Sabine’s Smart Spectrum® technology—a breakthrough in RF technology that allows up to 70 simultaneous wireless systems to operate with maximum fidelity. “We had no problems finding channels whatsoever—none,” asserts Wilkes. “And you can imagine the amount of wireless we had on that tour.”

During her European tour, Spears utilized Sabine’s handheld and beltpack systems. The on/off switch on both transmitters is programmable, and the antenna is hard rubber and built into the case, making it almost impossible to break. All Sabine transmitters are aluminum and built for heavy-duty applications, with controls hidden behind security covers.

SWM7000 wireless microphone systems come in one- or two-channel models. Handheld transmitters are available with a choice of Audix OM3 or OM5 dynamic capsules, or Voice Technologies condenser capsule. Beltpack transmitters are available with lavalier, headworn or instrument pickup inputs.

Sabine wireless gives pro audio users excellent sound quality and strong interference rejection. “I was really disappointed with some of the other wireless on our backing vocals on the tour. I just remember it being really noisy, and I just hate noise,” comments Wilkes. “But the Sabine wireless was really quiet.”

While working with Spears on her previous tour, Dream Within a Dream, Wilkes used the Sabine Power-Q ADF4000 multi-function signal processor. The Power-Q ADF4000 comes equipped with Sabine’s FBX Feedback Exterminator, which automatically finds and eliminates feedback during the program. “It was capable of finding and making a cut more accurately, more deeply, and, most importantly, more narrowly than I could by grabbing a graphic EQ,” asserts Wilkes. “I was expecting it to do some gouging, and it didn’t. It’s a really impressive, really nice machine.”

“Everybody thinks their gear is great, but you guys really backed it up,” declares Wilkes.

For more information about the Sabine SWM7000 2.4 GHz Smart Spectrum® wireless system and other Sabine products, visit www.sabine.com.