HK Audio COSMO Proves Its Power

Set against the scenic backdrop of the Ohmbachsee lake in western Germany, Iron Fest Open Air has quickly earned its reputation as one of Europe's most exciting boutique metal festivals.

With a focus on top-tier curation and high-quality production, this year's edition once again pushed the bar, especially when it came to sound.

To meet the festival's technical demands, Iron Fest's longtime audio partner, SPV Neuschwander, selected the HK Audio COSMO Line Array System to provide sound reinforcement across the weekend. Known for their close relationship, the SPV team recently attended an HK Audio COSMO demo and were impressed by the system’s flexibility, reliability and sonic character.

"We had complete trust in the COSMO system," said Karsten Neuschwander, Iron Fest's Technical Producer. "It provided powerful, crystal-clear coverage throughout the site and thanks to its modular design, our load-in was faster and smoother than ever, which, at a small, independently run festival, is crucial."

With a daily capacity of around 800 attendees, Iron Fest is built on intimacy and access fans are never far from the stage or the artists themselves. But with the site’s asymmetrical terrain, including a hill on one side and a slope on the other, delivering consistent sound came with its fair share of challenges.

"The main requirement was ensuring both the main stage and the nearby Biergarten area received appropriate coverage," said Vicente Rios Silvestre, Application Support Engineer HK Audio and the festival's System Technician. "We needed punch and precision in front of the stage and a more relaxed mix in the social spaces. COSMO gave us that control and the terrain didn’t interfere as much as we initially feared."

With a rotating cast of FOH engineers throughout the weekend, each with their own tastes and backgrounds, the system was really put to the test. "What impressed me most was how quickly engineers could dial in a great mix," Rios Silvestre added. "COSMO gave everyone a reliable starting point and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive – it meant a lot."

From metal legends to underground heroes, Iron Fest continues to grow in reputation for both its atmosphere and production values. With no technical issues reported across the weekend and a sea of satisfied engineers, artists and fans, COSMO once again proved itself as the ideal choice for challenging outdoor environments.

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