— “Everyone fell in love with the antenna,” says Alejandro Peralta Almaguer, who oversaw the first Latin American use of RF Venue’s new rugged, portable and versatile CP Stage circularly polarized antenna, which is ideal for wireless IEMs and, as a diversity pair, excels at capturing wireless microphone signals —
Walpole, MA, USA — One of the first people in the world to use the new rugged, portable, and economical RF Venue CP stage antenna, and the first for sure in Latin America, was Alejandro Peralta Almaguer, an audio professional with 25 years of experience who serves as an RF coordinator for high-profile Latin American events. The CP Stage antenna is ideal for use with IEM systems and, as a diversity pair, for wireless microphones, delivering the benefits of circular polarization and antenna gain without the disadvantages of conventional helical and linear-polarized paddle antennas.
Peralta received a manufacturing prototype CP Stage antenna just in time to test it with IEM systems during two major concerts, with “wonderful” results. “The first one was in Tijuana, Mexico, in a big show for Latin GRAMMY® winner Siddhartha,” he shares, noting that the CP Stage was first tested on the engineer’s Shure PSM1000 in-ear monitor system on the November 30 date on the artist’s Miel de Azar 2024 tour at Monumental Plaza de Toros de Tijuana.
When asked by the crew, “Where’s the antenna?,” Peralta replied, “It’s in my backpack, and they said ‘No way!’” When the crew was shown the antenna in its rectangular, IP-rated housing, Peralta says the common comment was that it looked more like a WiFi router than how they expected a circularly polarized antenna to appear. “The CP Stage is a low-profile antenna,” says Peralta, “and no one can see the antenna on stage.” But the crew’s wireless beltpacks could certainly “see” the antenna.
At sound check, says Peralta (whose company LiveS is a commercial distributor for RF Venue products and through which he offers audio engineering consultancy and other professional services, audio education and product training), “I put the antenna up stage side and helped a bit with the frequency coordination for the show. We tested the antenna and the reception at the bodypacks. I walked around the stage to test the antenna from my own perspective, and the reception was very stable.” With 18 frequencies in use, he says, “There were no IEM issues. The use of antenna was transparent. All the responsibility to have a very good show was on this specific antenna. And it was a very good show.”
“The design of the antenna is very aesthetic and very compact, and it can be transported very easily,” recalls Siddhartha’s production manager and monitor engineer, Alfio Alejandro Gómez Trigueros. “We used it during this show, and it was amazing. We didn’t have any problems. Without a doubt, it is a great option for someone who wants to have advantages in the use of helical antennas.”
Peralta’s second application of the CP Stage was for artist Carín León (also a Latin GRAMMY winner) when the artist’s Boca Chueca 2024 tour stopped on December 7, at Mexico City’s largest venue, Estadio GNP Seguros. The CP Stage was first tested on the monitor engineers’ Lectrosonics M2 Duet and Sennheiser 2050 IEM systems. The principal performers’ Lectrosonics IEMs were fed through the CP Stage during the show, an indication of the CP Stage antenna’s performance and their confidence in Peralta. “The challenge in Mexico City is huge with an open venue and a crowded RF spectrum,” says Peralta. “I put the CP Stage antenna in a high position on a stage truss to include a stage extension in the coverage, and the result was, again, very nice.”
“I liked the design of the antenna,” commented León’s RF engineer, Martin Rodrigo Rodriguez Villegas. “It is quite compact, it is very easy to transport and, above all, discreet for mounting. It can remain on stage without problems.” A characteristic of highly directional polar patterns for antennas, as with the audio pickup patterns of hypercardioid microphones, is a significant rear lobe of coverage. That’s a boon for monitor mixers working from the rear of IEM antenna placement positions, says Peralta and echoed by Rodriguez. “I really like the polar pattern it has,” Rodriguez explains, “when receiving or transmitting through the rear part it is ideal for the cue bodypack or for technicians who are generally behind the antenna; It is a very good tool!”
“This test was very important to me as the company working the show, Live Nation partner OCESA, is the biggest promoter in Mexico, and in fact, the biggest in Latin America,” shares Peralta. The show was also important for Carín León as his first in the venue, where top-tier artists like Paul McCartney, U2, The Cure and Oasis have played. The show and the CP Stage antenna’s performance were both successful, says Peralta, adding that León was “happy because he’s one of the first testers in the world” of the CP Stage.
“Everyone fell in love with the antenna,” Peralta concludes. “It’s a beautiful antenna, the price is also attractive, and the behavior of the antenna in the field is very, very good. The CP Stage will be hugely successful.”
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Photo caption: The unobtrusive rectangular silhouette of the RF Venue CP Stage antenna shown on its mic stand mount between the monitor mixer and the performers on stage at Tijuana’s Monumental Plaza de Toros where it delivered 18-channels of wireless IEMs during artist Siddharta’s performance.
