Riedel Announces Role To Bring Audio Clarity To Music And Arts Festival

Riedel Communications has announced its pivotal role in bringing unparalleled audio clarity and connectivity to one of the U.S.'s biggest 2024 music and arts festivals.

Undertaken in collaboration with RMi Inc., a distinguished Riedel channel partner, the deployment of Riedel's state-of-the-art Bolero wireless intercom and Artist digital matrix intercom systems has set a new standard for live event communications.

"Our seamless integration of Riedel solutions ensures that artists, crews, and vendors can focus on delivering unforgettable experiences to festivalgoers, secure in the knowledge that they are supported by the best in communication technology," said Eddie Marquez, CEO of RMi and communications director at the event. "The ability to do partial saves per artist saves time. To be able to update on the fly and accommodate a constantly changing environment was essential to the success of the show. Riedel's Bolero and Artist systems not only met but exceeded our expectations, providing crystal-clear communication across all channels and the robustness needed to withstand the desert's harsh conditions."

Spanning two consecutive weekends, this festival, held in the California desert, was dynamic and expansive in nature. The event covered 78 acres and featured multiple stages with simultaneous performances, presenting unique challenges in terms of communication and coordination. Tasked with supporting seven vendors, 28 artists, and three stages, RMi employed Riedel for a solution that could offer flexibility, scalability, and robust performance in the desert's extreme temperature fluctuations.

The deployment included one Artist-1024 intercom matrix frame, 37 Bolero antennas, 155 Bolero wireless beltpacks, and eight SmartPanels from the RSP-1200 and DSP-2300 series alongside 64 channels of four-wire connected via Dante for a total of 240 ports — all seamlessly integrated through a network of nine switches. Particularly, the lighting, artist, and camera crews appreciated the Riedel systems' unparalleled capacity and flexibility, with support for 10 beltpacks per antenna and six channels per beltpack, as well as its ease of use and the added convenience of Bluetooth connectivity. This setup not only facilitated flawless communication among the crew members — enabling them to reach anyone, anywhere, at any time — but also ensured that the system could be dynamically reconfigured, including using partial saves, to meet the needs of different artists and crews, a critical factor given the festival's constantly evolving environment.

The network-based nature of the Riedel systems allowed for even more scalability and flexibility. RMi could place Bolero antennas and SmartPanels anywhere across the vast festival site, requiring only a fiber connection to integrate with the central 2RU Artist frame. This enabled RMi to create a cohesive and robust network that supported both AES67 and Dante audio networking standards, ensuring that the diverse needs of vendors, artists, and stages were met with a single, unified IP system. Overall, the Riedel systems' comprehensive programming capabilities, superior sound quality, and enhanced functionality were pivotal in managing the festival's complex communication demands.

"The Riedel system shines for its remarkable versatility and lack of limitations — we were able to have everything together in just one system," said Jeff Marshall, Chief Technology Officer of RMi Inc. "Whether enduring the desert temperatures of California or adapting to dynamic environments, it offers unmatched flexibility and scalability. With panel placement possible anywhere you can run fiber, coupled with its user-friendly programming and superior sound quality, even when transmitted through the panels, this system stands out."

"Our collaboration with RMi demonstrates the power of innovative technology to overcome the logistical and environmental challenges of large-scale festivals," said Ernesto de la Torre, Regional Sales Manager, West, at Riedel Communications. "We are thrilled to support our channel partner in its efforts to deliver an exceptional audio experience at a festival at this scale. This deployment showcases the scalability, flexibility, and superior sound quality of our Bolero and Artist systems and how they prove indispensable for the live event industry."

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