Neumann and Friedrichstadt-Palast: A sound collaboration

Neumann and Friedrichstadt-Palast: A sound collaboration

The Friedrichstadt-Palast is cooperating with Neumann on a technical level to enhance spectacular shows at the venue

The Friedrichstadt-Palast, home to Europe’s largest theatre stage, is renowned for its visually striking Grand Shows.  With over 700,000 visitors attending each Grand Show over the last ten years, the building needed innovative sound technology from Neumann to immerse audiences further.

Finding an audio system to support the frequent performances at the venue presented several challenges. The unique features of the Friedrichstadt-Palast, with a huge stage area, high ceilings for acrobatics and impossibly small stage doors made installing equipment challenging.

To tackle the challenges presented by the venue, the Friedrichstadt-Palast selected a Neumann sound system with over 150 speakers. Features like optical tracking were also important for the venue’s team. This allowed singers to move around the 2000-seat auditorium freely.

The system’s features not only helped fill the vast space but also combatted technical challenges regarding feedback and crosstalk. “With the Neumann KK 105 U capsules, we have significantly more leeway,” reported Thomas Milde, head of sound. “We no longer have to turn the music down so much.”

The Neumann capsules for the wireless system also significantly improved the sound quality of the show. János Linde, FOH engineer, commented on this upgrade, “We used to have extreme EQ curves on the vocal mics, but with the Neumann KK 105 U, this is no longer necessary. The sound that comes across is already natural.”

The same enthusiasm is seen for the Neumann MCM system, which is used for instrument miking. “We first tested the MCMs with wind instruments,” said Milde, “Here we were able to bypass the EQ because they sounded much smoother than the previous clip-on microphones.”

János Linde and Thomas Milde worked closely together at the FOH mixing desk

The quick turnaround between Grand Shows of just four weeks made finding reliable technology more important for the venue. As a result, the new KK 105 U capsule for wireless systems was tested at the Friedrichstadt-Palast before its market launch.

Neumann and Friedrichstadt-Palast’s partnership is mutually beneficial for the Berlin-based companies. For Neumann, this collaboration is the perfect opportunity to test current equipment on a large scale.

Learn more about Neumann at neumann.com