The MTV Video Music Awards have always been about pushing creative boundaries, from iconic performances to elaborate staging. For the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Firehouse Productions was tasked with delivering pristine audio for one of the most highly produced live television events of the year. With performances ranging from Lady Gaga’s return to the VMA stage to Mariah Carey’s Video Vanguard Award and a star-studded Ozzy Osborne tribute, the sound system needed to deliver both broadcast-ready clarity and the kind of live energy fans expect in the arena.
To meet the demands of this year’s VMAs, Firehouse Productions deployed a JBL Professional system comprising 104 VTX V25 line array loudspeakers, 24 flown VTX S28 subs, 16 ground-stacked VTX G28 subs, and 32 VTX A6 front fills – over 180 loudspeakers in total – powered by Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers. The system was designed using JBL Venue Synthesis software to accommodate the event’s complex staging, broadcast camera needs and large-scale production demands.
Mark Dittmar, vice president at Firehouse Productions, has engineered sound for 17 of the last 25 VMAs and highlighted the importance of JBL’s sound quality and flexibility. “Intelligibility is everything on a show like the VMAs,” he said. “At 170 feet, the JBL VTX V25 ii CS loudspeakers still sounds in your face, even when it’s not.”
With JBL VTX systems providing coverage across UBS Arena’s multi-stage layout, Firehouse Productions ensured both in-person and broadcast audiences experienced the performances as intended. From thrust stages to remote camera spots, the system delivered consistent coverage without compromising show pacing or visual aesthetics.
“With the VTX system and Venue Synthesis, we’re able to cover the audience no matter where the stage ends up, and the energy in the room is always exactly what the producers want,” Dittmar added.
With the support of JBL Professional and Firehouse Productions, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards once again set the standard for live music television, delivering visuals and sound powerful enough for broadcast and intimate enough to connect directly with fans.
