Since her debut in 1996, Mandopop star aMEI has sold more than 50m records, releasing hit after hit in styles spanning love songs to energetic rock. Her ASMR World Tour brought a stunning audiovisual spectacle to fans in cities across Asia, Europe and the US. As the tour continues into 2024, aMEI has chosen a Sennheiser MM 445 capsule and Digital 6000 as her mic system of choice.
The ASMR World Tour places high demands on the performance of the audio equipment, and choosing the best microphone was an important consideration. aMEI has been a long-time Sennheiser user – from her previous 5000 series analogue system to the current Digital 6000, which she adopted five years ago.
Until now, aMEI’s capsule of choice was the MD 9235, which the singer used for the in 2021 and then the in 2022 and 2023. Earlier this year, monitor engineer Chen Qiyao (Yao) tested various Sennheiser microphone capsules on the SKM 6000 handheld transmitter, and ultimately chose an MM 445 capsule.
‘During the trial, aMEI sang just one line with the SKM 6000/MM 445 combo and was instantly amazed by the outstanding performance of the microphone,’ he recalls. ‘Her singing is rich in emotion and very delicate, with a strong sense of story. The high sensitivity of the MM 445 perfectly captures and reproduces the emotional changes and rich detail in her voice, making the performance more expressive and appealing.’
The MM 445’s high-rejection super-cardioid pickup pattern gives voices greater presence and directness during live performance, resulting in more intense and intimate vocals. ‘aMEI listens through floor monitors when she sings, so we needed a microphone with excellent rejection and S/N ratio,’ Yao says. ‘The MM 445 meets our requirements well and delivers superb linearity. During monitoring, I rarely have to re-adjust the volume. aMEI can hear her own voice consistently and stably, which allows her to concentrate fully on the performance.’
Yao also values the reliability and ease-of-use of the gear. For instance, due to the large number of musicians taking part in the shows, a significant amount of wireless is used on the tour. Frequency planning and management are crucial to ensure smooth operation. The Digital 6000 series features advanced intermodulation-free RF technology, ensuring high-quality audio signals and sound performance, even in harsh RF environments.
‘Live performance is an instantaneous art; every moment is unique,’ Yao says. ‘Therefore, the reliability and excellent sound performance of the microphone are crucial. The digital transmission technology of the D6000 is reassuring, while the high sampling rate makes the sound experience more detailed, making it an excellent partner for singers on tour.’
More: www.sennheiser.com
