Currently filming its final season after 53 years on the air, Sábado Gigante is the longest-running TV variety series in history. The Spanish-language television programme is broadcast in the US by Univision and hosted by Chilean TV star, Don Francisco. It runs live for three hours each Saturday in front of a studio audience.
To capture the skits, interviews, competitions and live performances of its concluding season, the show’s sound team has selected DPA microphones’ d:screet 4061 Omnidirectional Miniature, d:fine 4066 Omnidirectional Headset and d:facto Vocal Microphones.
‘I was introduced to DPA Microphones over 20 years ago, when I was working on musical productions, and continued using them when I transitioned to television,’ says Jose Freddy Gonzalez, Audio Supervisor Productions-Entertainments for Univision Network. ‘The quality of the products is exceptional, not only from an audio standpoint, but the design and durability is also amazing.’
On a weekly basis, Gonzalez and his team use 12 d:screet 4061s to mic the host and guests. By incorporating the lavaliers into clothing and close-miking musical instruments, they are able to conceal the amplification method used on the performers. The d:screet 4061 capsule provides a clean and dynamic sound, with a flatter frequency response, perfect for the live broadcast environment.
‘This is a large production that requires many hours of filming, and the d:screets have performed flawlessly,’ Gonzalez reports. ‘The mics keep speech intelligibility and audio levels steady, while rejecting unwanted noise from the 250-person studio audience. Further, since the mics are so small, they are practically invisible. The show’s producer is especially a fan of how easily the d:screet 4061 is concealed; and I love its ability to fit our audio needs.’
The audio team also relies on eight of DPA’s d:fine 4066 Headset mics for situations that require an unobtrusive and comfortable headset application, such as during contests. Three d:facto Vocal microphones are additionally used for live performances, as they provide natural sound and high separation from nearby sound sources.
The final episode of Sábado Gigante will air on 19 September 2015.
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