How to resolve AdBlock issue? Sennheiser Spectera for the ESC 2026
The doors of the spacious project area at Sennheiser’s head office opened, revealing large screens displaying control software, and an impressive set-up of mobile and stationary wireless audio devices under endurance testing. Here, experts from Agorà and Sennheiser met to discuss the audio installation for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). Both Agorà and Sennheiser are official audio suppliers to the ORF for the ESC, with Agorà handling technical production for the event. The picture above shows Volker Schmitt (left) in conversation with Domenico Cerqua and Valerio Motta from Agorà. In the background: the level recorder implemented for ESC.
This will be the fourth time at the ESC for leading Italian rental company, Agorà. In Lisbon and Tel Aviv, they supported the local teams for PA, RF, show mixing and network technology. In Turin, they were in charge themselves, and are now bringing the same full service to host broadcaster ORF in Vienna.
Valerio Motta, Agorà’s project manager for the ESC 2026, is excited to see the great advances in technology and workflow that this mega-broadcast brings year after year. “But the best part of the job,” he says, “is to work with teams from so many nations. The ESC is like a very fast and complex festival – we love it!”
Dr Andreas Sennheiser highlights the technical aspect: “The Eurovision Song Contest is a huge opportunity for companies to put their latest and greatest technology through its paces at the world’s biggest live music broadcast. We’re very pleased to be able to partner with the ORF and very happy to have welcomed Agorà to the Sennheiser offices.”
For the Eurovision Song Contest, Sennheiser will deliver their largest Spectera set-up to date, including manufacturing samples of the yet to be launched handheld transmitter. A firmware variant especially for the event adds functionalities that will be needed on site, such as a level recorder. Volker Schmitt, Manager Technical Application Engineering and ESC veteran, says: “We’re excited to bring the largest deployment worldwide of Spectera Base Stations, bidirectional bodypacks and handheld mics to the ESC. Artists and crews will benefit from the extraordinary clarity of IEMs over Spectera, and artists using a headset mic will be able to perform with just one belt pack. Like the Agorà team, our wireless experts are very much looking forward to the amazing international teamwork at the ESC.”
After the endurance test at Sennheiser, all Spectera devices were shipped to Agorà for further tests and configuration into racks, followed by a two-day Spectera training at Agorà’s headquarters. The Agorà and Sennheiser teams are all getting ready to support host broadcaster ORF in its task to make the world’s biggest live music contest a reality.