With the Indian events markets growing in strength over the past year, more A-list artists are starting to add the country to their touring schedules. The latest act to visiting was Maroon 5 who put on a set at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai, at the tail end of 2024. With 20,000 delighted fans eagerly awaiting the band’s first time in the country, local audio expert Mega Sound was brought in to supply the audio infrastructure for the show.
“This concert was a true turning point for India’s live sound industry,” enthused Mega Sound’s Siddharth Chauhan, making it clear how important this performance was to the wider entertainment market in the region. As Founder and Audio Director for Mega Sound, the fact that an act of the calibre of Maroon 5 was visiting the region elevated the importance to have a strong infrastructure. “With global artists increasing touring here, there’s a significant demand for top-tier audio services and we were proud to be at the forefront of that evolution.”
Alongside Chauhan working on this production on behalf of Mega Sound were: Head System Designer, Vishrut V. Joshi; FOH Designer, Sanjay K; Stage Head, Devender Jethi; Stage Tech, Lokesh Salvi; and FOH Technical Team, Swapnil Elpass and Harshal Pillare. “This was a true team effort and I’m extremely proud of the work they put in to make this concert a resounding success,” complemented Chauhan.
For the performance, Mega Sounds deployed an L-Acoustics K2 line array system. “Twenty K2 were deployed for their extended range to ensure that the sound reached even the furthest corners of the 20,000-capacity venue,” explained Chauhan. The system also featured flown K1SB subs and KS28 ground subs alongside KARA that provided near-field clarity ensuring no area of the venue had less than optimal sound.
A DiGiCo Quantum 5 was also supplied with the band bringing in their own SD5 and SD10 desks. “The deployment process began with detailed planning and simulations to ensure we could meet the specific requirements of the venue and Maroon 5,” stated Chauhan. “We used advanced simulation software to design the system, mapping the speaker placement and signal routing to optimise coverage for every section of the venue. Once the design was approved by the band’s engineers, we moved into the physical setup.”
The physical setup was one of Chauhan’s highlights for the show, where he and his team ensured that the audio infrastructure would not affect any of the sightlines. “By working closely with the other teams, we ensured the sound didn’t interfere with any of the visual elements of the stage design, allowing for an immersive audiovisual experience,” he enthused.
While pleased with the delivery, Chauhan recounted some of the challenges the team had to battle, including weather and logistical delays. “Being an open-air venue, the weather posed a potential risk, especially with gusty winds,” he explained. But to prepare for these adversities, Mega Sound proactively adjusted its rigging to withstand the elements, securing the entire setup and ensuring stability even in the windy conditions. “Initially we faced a full day of logistical issues,” he added. “However, we quickly adapted by restructuring our timelines and using the extra time to ensure all elements of the setup were fine-tuned.”
Alongside the more general challenges that come with hosting open-air events, Chauhan delved into some of the more technical challenges that came with the audio requests from the band. “We needed to implement a highly reliable, redundant signal routing system utilising a Luminex Gigacore Switch to ensure network stability and smooth data flow across the venue.” He noted that the use of audio over Ethernet with a 96kHz sample rate was crucial in preserving sound quality – “bypassing traditional analogue-to-digital conversions to maintain pristine audio fidelity,” he added.
This ability to deliver such a high level of audio networking was yet another example of how the region is able cater for bigger acts touring through India. “Our use of advanced technologies like L-Acoustics K1 systems and audio-over-Ethernet with 96kHz demonstrates the level of sophistication now required for these large-scale productions,” he stated.
“Maroon 5’s concert highlighted how far the Indian live sound rental industry has come,” closed Chauhan. “With a growing demand for high-quality audio in the entertainment sector, this event was a great opportunity for us to not only showcase our technical expertise but also to be part of a larger movement pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the live sound space. As India continues to welcome more international tours, the live sound industry is rapidly evolving, and Mega Sound is excited to be a key player in this transformation.”
Photos: Mega Sound
