| Coldplay Living the Life on tour with Sensaphonics
Monitor engineer Chris Wood lists sound quality, comfort and reliability of the Sensaphonics 2MAX earphones as keys to success.
 One of the hottest arena/shed tours on the road this summer was Coldplay’s Viva La Vida. With a large stage set-up for sheds and arenas, in-ear monitoring was a critical element to the band’s success. As they have for the past several years, the band members were all on Sensaphonics custom earphones via Sennheiser wireless systems.
However, there were a few key changes for this year’s tour. All four band members have upgraded from the classic ProPhonic 2X-S to the Sensaphonics 2MAX. “Most of the backline crew also have Sensaphonics IEMs,” says Wood. “We have found the drivers to be very reliable. I can’t recall having a problem in the eight years we have used them.” A few wedges can still be seen on stage, but are used mainly for backup.
Another change this year is that lead vocalist Chris Martin now keeps both of his earpieces inserted throughout the show. “Previously, Chris wore one earpiece and one ER15 (custom earplug), as he liked to hear the band acoustically,” notes Wood. “But with the increasing size of the venues – and the level of the stage and P.A. – he prefers to make the most of the noise rejection the 2MAX gives him. He keeps both earpieces in place all the time now. And of course, it’s also better for his hearing.”
To help keep the band connected to the audience, Wood adds some ambience to his monitor mix. “I use a pair of Sennheiser shotguns at the downstage left and right corners, pointing toward the center of the audience about 40 feet back from the stage,” Wood reveals. “With a heavy low frequency rolloff, I can leave them on at low level throughout the show.”
On a more personal level, Chris Wood relies on his Sensaphonics earphones both during and between shows. “I use them constantly, as the sound quality is excellent and are very comfortable. I always use them to mix shows with, and also when traveling, especially when flying.”
Coldplay recently completed its North American tour in mid-August and have now embarked on a two-month run through Europe. The band is offering a live album recorded on the Viva La Vida tour, LeftRightLeftRightLeftRight, as a free download on its website.
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