Riedel Gear at the Bullring Battle in Madrid 

The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas has been part of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour for more than a decade, and the competition in Madrid has intensified with each passing year. The tight confines of the bullring put the crowd right at the heart of the action as motocross bikes roar across the track and fly through the air. To maintain reliable and clear communication in spite of intense noise, the Red Bull X-Fighters team depended on the robust architecture of Riedel's Artist digital matrix intercom system and solutions such as the company's MAX noise-canceling headsets.

In Madrid, as at other tour stops, the Riedel systems supported show coordination among event directors and stage managers, lighting and PA staff, and scoring officials, as well as the work of the team's sports, medical, and security staff. Three Artist systems were networked in a self-healing fiber ring that guaranteed complete redundancy in the event of a fiber break.

Artist 1000 Series control panels were divided between the front of house (FOH), staff, and event judges. Nine Performer digital partyline beltpacks were distributed among the judges and the follow-spot lighting crew. These systems were complemented by 150 Motorola radios, with eight Riedel RiFace universal radio interfaces serving as radio repeaters to ensure coverage across the venue.

The Riedel architecture allowed for the quick setup of a flexible backbone that could be adapted to support the vast majority of additions. The crew was able to make changes with the click of a mouse rather than having to run additional cabling. With the Artist's user-friendly yet powerful Director configuration and control software, technicians also could adjust levels remotely to improve the clarity, utility, and safety of event communications. The Artist system interfaced with an OB truck, where the event was recorded and prepared for air and streaming to a live audience around the globe.

About Riedel Communications
Riedel Communications designs, manufactures, and distributes pioneering real-time video, audio, data, and communications networks for broadcast, pro audio, event, sports, theater, and security applications. The company also provides rental services for radio and intercom systems, event IT solutions, fiber backbones, and wireless signal transmission systems that scale easily for events of any size, anywhere in the world. Founded in 1987, the company now employs more than 400 people at 11 locations in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.