Ren studiolyd på scenen: Sam Smith velger Sennheiser Spectera

Trådløs toveis-teknologi leverer lyd i toppklasse og uovertruffen spektral effektivitet til konserter i New York og San Francisco

Oslo, 9. april 2026 — Under Sam Smiths siste konserter på The Warsaw i Brooklyn og ved gjenåpningen av The Castro Theatre i San Francisco stod produksjonens tekniske team overfor oppgaven med å håndtere trådløs monitorering i RF-miljøer med høy belastning. For å løse oppgaven valgte Sam Smiths faste monitortekniker, Saul Skoutarides, å bytte Sam og bandet over til Sennheisers Spectera — verdens første digitale, toveis wideband trådløse system. Skiftet har endret produksjonens workflow og erstattet begrensningene ved analoge systemer med en klarhet som Skoutarides beskriver som «ekte stereo».

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Saul describes his career as a "long and exciting journey" that began in the Australian club scene in the mid 90’s, which has culminated in becoming a mainstay in the Sam Smith team. Skoutarides is intimately familiar with the constraints of legacy wireless gear. The switch to Spectera was driven by a need for increased reliability and a desire for a more musical, transparent monitoring experience. "FM stereo was invented in the '60s and up until now we’ve been using a version of it that isn’t that far away from the original," Skoutarides remarked. "It’s 'faux stereo' compared to what Spectera is doing. There’s no compander and comparatively no noise floor. Out of everything I’ve ever used, Spectera is the closest thing to plugging a pair of headphones straight into a nice headphone amp."

The difference was particularly apparent in the low-end frequency response. Skoutarides noted that in the past, low frequency synth-bass or sub-patches could make traditional RF go "squiffy" because of how the compander reacts to those frequencies. With Spectera, that fluttering simply doesn't exist. "The low end is real," Skoutarides explained. "When I A/B tested it against the 2000 series, the legacy gear suddenly sounded like the low end was out of phase. I was more than sold!"

Beyond the technical specs, the elimination of the constant background hiss inherent in older analog technology led to a marked change in the energy of the room during long rehearsal days. The Musical Director, David Odlum, a top-tier producer and studio engineer, noticed the difference on day one. "These make zero noise," Skoutarides recounted. "We realized we weren't hitting that wall of fatigue. That constant RF noise floor eats away at your brain subconsciously. Removing that completely changed the energy in the room. Even our performers, some of whom are skeptical of in-ears were blown away by the clarity."

In the dense urban landscape of Brooklyn, Spectera’s ability to operate amidst heavy interference proved essential. Unlike traditional systems that require a perfectly clear frequency for every individual channel, Spectera’s wideband approach allowed Skoutarides to operate effectively even in occupied spectrum. "At gig time in New York City, unknown elements out of our control pop up all over the place," Skoutarides noted. "I was operating with low-to-mid-level interference on those TV channels, and it didn't make any difference. It worked fine. There was no stress knowing it will work in an environment with such a high noise floor."

The system’s bidirectional control also solved logistical headaches involving remote dressing rooms and high-pressure changeovers. Skoutarides recalled a festival in Mexico where he had to manage the RF deployment solo. ”I recently had a situation where I needed to change one frequency block last minute. Previously, I would have had to run to the dressing room and collect all the packs before making an alternative RF plan and deployment in the middle of a festival changeover, which can be extremely stressful. Now, with Spectera, the pack will stay silent until it sees the base station. I watched the packs walk into range and re-sync automatically as the band walked toward the stage, which was a real weight off my shoulders in that situation."

From a physical perspective, the shift from rigid LMR400 RF cabling to standard Cat 5 has streamlined the tour's infrastructure, replacing cumbersome, breakable cables with a setup that "stagehands can’t destroy as easily." By utilizing MADI integration and ultra-low latency modes, the production achieved a level of fidelity that handles Smith’s complex vocal reverbs and high-fidelity arrangements with ease.

For Skoutarides, the shift represents more than just a gear upgrade; it is a permanent change in philosophy. "I’ve spent my career climbing toward better quality sound, and this is the next level. We’ve found the silence, and we’ve found the space. I’m never going back."

As Sam Smith prepares for future tour dates, Skoutarides is looking forward to continuing the production’s journey with Spectera. “Once the [SKM] handheld transmitters are available, they’ll be a natural addition, when we need to use a wireless mic again” he said. “It will give Sam the freedom needed on stage while delivering that same very high-quality audio experience to the audience.”
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​The Spectera SKM Handheld Transmitter is available for preorder and expected to begin shipping in September 2026. For more information about Sennheiser and its solutions, visit www.sennheiser.com.

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Daniella Kohan

Communications Manager – Americas & ANZ (New York, USA), Sennheiser

daniella.kohan@sennheiser.com+18602272235www.sennheiser.com

Chloe Hildeman

Account Manager, InGear

chloe@ingearpr.com+1 425-466-2264