Kevin Hart in concert with his gold Telefunken M80. Photo by Kevin Kwan
ATLANTA — Comedian and actor Kevin Hart has been using a gold-plated Telefunken M80 for his current 2022 “Reality Check Tour.” Showtime Sound, based in Connecticut along with Telefunken’s headquarters, has been supporting the performer’s audio needs, which have included Telefunken gear for more than a decade.
More details from Telefunken (www.telefunken-elektroakustik.com):
As a Connecticut native, Showtime Sound director of technical operations Marc Chauvin has developed a strong association with nearby Telefunken microphones. Chauvin says that the longtime pairing of the Telefunken M80 dynamic microphone with Showtime’s VIP client, Kevin Hart, has resulted in flawless performances for more than a decade.
Comedian and actor Kevin Hart began his career as a stand-up comedian, and has since also starred in major films, television programs, and has released several well-received comedy albums.
Scott Tydings, production manager and front of house engineer for the current 2022 “Reality Check Tour,” has been touring with Hart since the “Let Me Explain” tour of 2012. “On his last tour ‘Irresponsible’ in 2017-2019,” Chauvin said, “we switched to a wireless nickel-plated Telefunken M80 with a Shure Axient ADX2FD transmitter. For his current tour, ‘Reality Check,’ we kept the M80’s, but this time in a hardwired configuration for Kevin’s gold-plated Telefunken M80.”
Chauvin explained, “Kevin has a very dynamic personality. Sometimes he is very quiet and sometimes he is very loud. Scott and I were trying to find the right mic for his tours when we discovered the M80 — it gave him more control of his delivery and had a more even response.”
Connor Rowen, artist relations manager at Telefunken Elektroakustik, explained, “The most important thing comedians need with their microphones is clarity for the audience. The M80 offers optimum clarity for a handheld microphone. The extra headroom helps with the vocal dynamics of the comedian so they can be as loud with their vocal performance as they’d like without distorting the sound. It helps that these mics are built to take a beating too.”
Chauvin said, “It’s become the go-to mic for the ‘Reality Check Tour.’“ Rowen added, “And the gold works great with the vibrant colors that Kevin shows during his performances. We have plenty of custom colors in our custom shop, so we’ve always been able to manage whatever requests are made.”
Chauvin elaborated, “It’s essential to have the same quality in a microphone that we have coming out of our L-Acoustics monitors and speakers. We aim to fully capture the entire show as it was meant to be seen and heard – the essence of a performer in his natural environment, and that’s what the Telefunken M80 provides. From day one, the support and service we have gotten from Telefunken has been outstanding.”
For more into on Showtime Sound, go to www.showtimesoundllc.com