Blue Array Productions adds Sennheiser Spectera to its rental fleet
Blue Array Productions has bought Sennheiser Spectera: 16 handheld transmitters, four beltpacks and two base stations, all on one wideband carrier.
Rental company Blue Array Productions has added Sennheiser Spectera to its fleet. The order, supplied by Stage Audio Works, covers 16 Spectera handheld transmitters, four beltpacks and two base stations, with the accessories that go with them.
The system's first show was Francois van Coke & Vriende, the annual Afrikaans rock show at SunBet Arena, Time Square, in Pretoria, on 9 October 2026. Van Coke and his band Die Gevaar were joined by a line-up of guests that included Karen Zoid, Fokofpolisiekar, Spoegwolf, Jack Parow and Early B.
Sennheiser describes Spectera as a wideband, bidirectional digital wireless ecosystem. It runs on Sennheiser's WMAS (wireless multichannel audio system) technology, which carries an entire production in a single wideband RF carrier of 6 or 8 MHz: one slice of radio spectrum rather than a separate frequency for every mic and in-ear monitor. That removes the time spent on frequency coordination. Sennheiser says it also makes the system far more resistant to dropouts from RF fading than narrowband systems.
Each base station takes one rack unit and handles up to 64 channels, 32 in and 32 out. It has redundant power supplies, redundant Dante and optional redundant MADI, and up to four antennas can be connected. The bidirectional bodypacks carry an in-ear monitor feed and a mic or line signal at the same time. Through Sennheiser's Spectera WebUI and SoundBase software, engineers can monitor and control IEM volume, audio levels, RF health and battery status remotely.
Kobus van Rensburg, owner of Blue Array Productions, said: "Investing in Sennheiser Spectera was an absolute no-brainer for our rental inventory—pairing the bidirectional bodypacks with the Spectera SKM handhelds under a single wideband RF carrier gives us incredible flexibility for both stage talent and presenters. Managing pristine audio, telemetry, and real-time remote control across both packs and handhelds simultaneously is a complete game-changer for complex live productions."
He added: "But just as important as the technology itself was buying it through Stage Audio Works. Their deep technical expertise, reliable local backing, and comprehensive understanding of advanced wireless ecosystems mean we're not just acquiring bleeding-edge gear; we're partnering with a team that ensures we can deploy it flawlessly under pressure."
