Zetak Concerts Test Stadium-Wide Wireless Coverage

Electronic pop group Zetak performed two concerts at Bilbao's San Mamés Stadium using a wireless system designed to maintain microphone and in-ear monitoring coverage as the artist moved around the venue.

Fluge Euskadi, which handled the shows' technical deployment, designed the radio-frequency (RF) system with Agustín Íñigo of Axis Audio and Zetak's RF technician, Josué Pascual. Pascual oversaw frequency coordination and wireless operations during the event.

More than 40,000 people attended on each day. The system needed to cover the stage, seating, backstage areas and other parts of the stadium. SeeSound, Wisycom's distributor in Spain and Portugal, supplied technical guidance and design support for the deployment at "La Catedral del fútbol".

At the centre of the microphone system was Wisycom's MATF RF over Fiber Matrix, which collected signals from up to 14 antennas across seven coverage zones. Four zones were connected by optical fibre and three by coaxial cable. The matrix brought the signals together and managed their distribution across the stadium.

The team positioned portable RF over fibre boxes, known as PFLs, around the venue to establish remote coverage zones. Wisycom BFLT2 and BFLT1 converters carried RF signals over optical fibre between stadium areas. For microphone reception, the BFLT2 units connected directly to the MATF's fibre interfaces.

The main artist's in-ear monitoring system combined a Wisycom MTK982 transmitter with an MPR60 wideband receiver. The technical team said the receiver's RF stability, audio clarity and stereo separation helped maintain monitoring as the artist moved beyond the main stage.

To cover long distances, BFLT2 transmitters were placed near the in-ear monitoring transmitters, while BFLR2 receivers were housed in the PFL units. Transmit antennas connected directly to N-type connectors on the weather-protected enclosures.

Mikel Sayar, Fluge Euskadi's sound engineer and RF designer, said: "Throughout the entire show, the RF floor remained clean and free of carrier dropouts. The combination of optical transport (BFL Series), the MATF array, and the True Diversity performance of the MPR60 paired with the MTK982 provided the technical team with total control of the spectrum and reliable coverage anywhere in San Mamés."

The equipment used included the MATF matrix, which supports fibre and coaxial connections and has a built-in spectrum analyser. The BFLT2 converts RF signals for transport over fibre, while the BFLR2 converts them back for local antenna distribution. The portable PFL boxes carry RF and control data over a single fibre connection, and the BFL1 module offers selectable filters and remote control.

Zetak was founded in Navarre by musician Pello Reparaz and combines electronic music with Basque cultural influences. Fluge Euskadi is part of the Fluge Audiovisuales Group, while Barcelona-based Axis Audio was founded by sound engineer Agustín Íñigo. Wisycom is an Italian manufacturer of professional wireless audio equipment.

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