CUSTOMER STORY
1/4

JR-EAST Shiki Theatre AKI interior view [Photo by Atsutoshi Shimosaka]

Shiki Theatre Company relies on Sennheiser Digital 6000 wireless

The Shiki Theatre Company has been leading Japan’s entertainment scene since 1953 andhas become one of the world’s largest theatre groups with 1,400 actors and teammembers. Sennheiser Japan has been a reliable partner to the Shiki Theatre Company formany years. In the beginning, all their theatres were equipped with a combination of
analogue Sennheiser 3000 series wireless receivers and 5000 series transmitters. Afterrecognising the significant advantages of the Digital 6000 series, Shiki upgraded to thenew audio system a few years ago.

Mr. Kaname Morishita from the Sound and Music Department of the Shiki Theatre Company
talks about how the new digital system got introduced: “The major turning point was a sounddesigner in the US implementing the Digital 6000 series when we were preparing to stage newinternational programs at Shiki. For international productions, it’s common for the original
sound designer to specify the equipment to be used, and unless there is no other specificrequirement, we need to ensure the same quality of sound. Because of this, the Digital 6000
series was our top candidate.”

Kaname and the Shiki sound team visited the site of the original sound design to hear firsthandfrom users and stakeholders about Digital 6000 and its ease of use, which led to the decision
to adopt the series. The equipment was delivered and put into operation just as setup for thenew production began.

CUSTOMER STORY
2/4“The biggest advantage we noticed after starting to use it is that it’s small and lightweight. The
SK 6212 bodypack transmitter weighs just 112 g and can, for example, be easily hidden inside a
performer’s wig. If the transmitter were large, it would affect the shape of the wig, and if itwere heavy, it would be a burden on the performer. The compact and lightweight design
makes all the difference.”

The SK 6212 mini-bodypack transmitter is small
and lightweight, and therefore easy to hide

Kaname also mentions the stability of the Digital 6000 series, which is a great support inenvironments where many channels are used at the same time. “The ability to use multiple
channels simultaneously and stably is another advantage. Shiki Theatre Company’sproductions have a large number of performers, and we also allocate backup channels forsome of them. The number of channels currently in use is 44 for the theatre HARU and 42 forthe theatre AKI.

CUSTOMER STORY
3/4

The racks contain 21 EM 6000 Dante receivers as well
as a L 6000 chargers for the mini bodypack
transmitters“Even when we use around 40 channels simultaneously in the adjacent theatres HARU andAKI, there is no interference,” Kaname notes, emphasizing the reliability of the system. Headds that the benefits extend not only to the sound staff but also to the performers.

The SK 6212 mini-bodypacktransmitters operate infrequency ranges A5-A8(550–638 MHz) and B1-B4(630–713.8 MHz)“We feel that the Digital 6000 Series meets what we are looking for in a wireless system. The
perspective of managing the audio equipment, the ability to handle multiple channels stably,along with good battery life, durability, and waterproofing, are significant advantages.
Additionally, the compact and lightweight design ensures comfort for the performers, makes it
easier to conceal transmitters from the audience, and prevents the device from becoming too
hot during extended use. Performers wear their costumes and wigs and have the transmitters

CUSTOMER STORY
4/4

on even before the performance starts, and once the performance begins, they move aroundunder stage lighting, which makes it quite hot. In such conditions, not having to worry about
heat is a major benefit.”

This article is a digest version of an article published in Sound & Recording on March 4, 2024.
Read the full article here (Japanese only)

The images accompanying this customer story can be downloaded here.