A major production at London’s Royal Albert Hall relied on Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System to deliver RF performance and audio quality for a demanding, multi-act show produced for Cascade Productions.
Audio Alliance, Shure UK’s trusted partner on the project, specified and deployed Shure Axient Digital to support a complex programme featuring a full orchestra, an international A-list artist, a second major ensemble, an opera singer, speeches and playback elements, all delivered within an exceptionally tight production schedule.
With the entire production loaded in, rehearsed, performed and loaded out in under 20 hours, reliability and certainty were critical. Audio Alliance turned to Shure to ensure flawless operation across all wireless systems in a high-pressure, RF-intensive environment.
“On a show of this scale, there are no second chances,” said Oliver Driver, Audio Alliance. “Reliability was the overriding factor in our decision. Shure is a known quantity for us — proven products, predictable performance and absolute confidence that the system will behave exactly as expected under pressure.”
For the production, Audio Alliance deployed a comprehensive Shure Axient Digital system, including 20 channels of Shure Axient Digital, using a combination of ADX1M Micro Bodypack Transmitters and ADX2 transmitters and 28 channels of Axient Digital PSM with ADXR in-ear monitoring receivers.
With a significant number of RF channels in play, frequency coordination and system agility were essential. The flexibility of Axient Digital, combined with the Shure ShowLink Remote control and Shure ShowLink software provided Audio Alliance with the tools needed to manage RF proactively and maintain performance throughout the event.
“There was a huge amount of RF in use, as you’d expect at a venue like the Royal Albert Hall,” continued Driver. “The flexibility of Axient Digital, combined with ShowLink, gave us confidence that we could remain frequency-agile if conditions changed or interference became an issue. Wireless Workbench is a standard part of our workflow, and ShowLink gives us genuine, real-time insight into what the performer’s pack is actually experiencing.”
Driver also highlighted the impact of Shure’s latest Axient Digital PSM technology on the production. “The new ADXR receivers are genuinely game-changing in terms of audio quality, performance and feature set,” he added. “Axient Digital remains a trusted and familiar platform for us, it’s rock-solid, sounds excellent and gives us total confidence under pressure.”
In addition to product performance, Audio Alliance praised the ongoing technical support from Shure UK. “Working with Shure is consistently positive,” said Driver. “Beyond supplying top-tier equipment, the level of technical advice and support is excellent whenever it’s needed. Dave Phillips is always at the end of the phone, and our relationship with the wider Shure UK team is genuinely invaluable. It’s a partnership we trust implicitly on major productions.”
David Phillips, Senior Manager, Pro Audio Sales at Shure UK, commented: “Productions like this at the Royal Albert Hall demand absolute reliability and confidence in RF. It’s great to see Audio Alliance using the full capabilities of Axient Digital, Wireless Workbench and ShowLink to deliver such a complex show under intense time pressure. We’re proud to support our partners with technology and expertise they can depend on in the most demanding live environments.”
