Tuesday saw the UK launch of Sennheiser’s new LSP 500 Pro wireless PA system – first unveiled at ISE earlier this year (video) – at the Infiniti Red Bull racing HQ, Milton Keynes.
Sennheiser didn’t select the launch venue arbitrarily. The professional audio company became official audio supplier to the F1 team at the beginning of 2013 and now provides professional audio solutions for Red Bull racing’s factory debriefs, driver interviews and hospitality requirements: including use of in ear systems for the pit side garage link systems and other wireless systems for VIP hospitality requirements post-races.
Encompassed in the raft of equipment available to Red Bull is the LSP 500 Pro (shipping in mid-September). The system uses an iPad app that connects via WLAN to control up to 20 UHF-connected loudspeakers, eliminating the need for a mixing console and wires. The app handles aspects such as individual or collective volume control and equaliser adjustments. It also shows speaker battery life status and enables speakers to be positioned on the graphic interface to reflect the speaker positions in the room. Users can then select where the audience is in a room to produce optimum levels for the multiple speaker set-ups.
The LSP 500 Pro PA system takes up to three receivers for wireless microphones and offers source connectivity choices including Bluetooth, USB and a range of wired options. The industry standard MPU 1 batteries are rechargeable and interchangeable so that if a battery is about to die, a replacement battery can be inserted to prevent interruption to the system’s operation.
Key markets for the system include hospitality venues, multipurpose meeting rooms and exhibitions.
Primary team driver for Infiniti Red Bull racing Sebastian Vettel first used the LSP 500 Pro system in May at his press conference at the Monaco Grand Prix. This was in light of a new media strategy implemented by Infiniti Red Bull racing whereby Vettel would condense three press conferences (radio, TV and newspaper press) into one. The LSP 500 Pro was seen as the most suitable system by all involved and was one of the catalysts for the new partnership with Sennheiser.
