Sound Equipment Geek

A lot of K-pop groups performed at the Incheon show, including SNSD (Girls' Generation). Looking at the video, I noticed they were using the newest Shure UHF-R wireless handheld transmitters with Beta 87 microphones. We have the previous UHF system at NewSong and the stuff is crazy expensive. One UHF-R/Beta 87 transmitter/receiver set is ~$3,600 list. Even if you buy it online, it still costs almost $3,000. Since there are 9 members in SNSD, the microphones costs ~$25k. If they also use wireless in-ear monitors (IEM), then it's another $2,000 per set for the Shure PSM700. I don't know prices for lighting equipment but for just for sound, it probably takes several hundred thousands of dollars of equipment for each concert/show.

Also, I notice that when they're promoting their singles, these K-pop groups are performing almost every day. There are three large TV networks and each has a weekly music performance show (SBS Inkigayo, KBS Music Bank, MBC Music Core). They're also on radio programs, variety shows, and other performances. It's no wonder you read artists collapsing from exhaustion during performances in Korean news media.

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In response to the comment, here are some SNSD concert performance video snapshots:

Everyone has a wireless microphone

Close-up shot of the microphone. You can tell from the antenna at the base of the handheld transmitter and the shape/color of the mic head that it's a Shure UHF-R + Beta 87 A/C.


If you look closely, the girl in the back (Taeyeon) has in-ear headsets on (they look like Shure E3's). You can also see the wireless IEM receivers in their back pockets. It does appear that not all of them have IEM's. Depending on the stage setup, sometimes I don't use them if I can hear everything through the house speakers, or just use one ear so I can hear my own bass amp.

What else would I be looking at if not the sound equipment? :)