Clear Com

[Ricky Smith]

Well my old High School after realizing, Oh ****! We need to be able to communicate with the sound operator, back stage, and the booth other wise the play sounds like garbage and the big ones in the city that come to see the plays complain. Realized that my suggestion last year and now once again this year was a wise one.

So, what do you guys think the average price for a Clear Com Wireless 1 Channel system is that we can tie into our Clear Com 2 Channel Wired System. I was told around 2k for the receiver and 600 per pack.

[mbenonis]

That sounds like it's in the ballpark, but the best thing to do is get in touch with ClearCom about it (or an authorized vendor). They'll be able to give you accurate pricing (and they're really nice guys).

[gafftaper]

Any reason you NEED wireless Rick? I'm not a fan of wireless. Even the best wireless systems don't always work great. You've got batteries to either keep charged or to keep purchasing. The system won't work without batteries and something that simple can be a problem in schools... especially one with a lack of adult technicians like your old one. Wired is cheaper and more reliable. In my opinoin, most of the time only the ASM and Fly operator have a legitimate need for a wireless intercom and even then it's usually something 25' of XLR cable can solve.

Van and I are big fans of the clear-com compatible products made by Production Intercom. Their "BP .15" is the smallest beltpack around and it's aluminum so it's pretty durable too.

[Dustincoc]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

Van and I are big fans of the clear-com compatible products made by Production Intercom. Their "BP .15" is the smallest beltpack around and it's aluminum so it's pretty durable too.

I was also going to recommend Production Intercom. I personally prefer the BP-1. The BP .15 is very small and in the cluttered enviroment of a HS theatre, they would be easy to misplace. You also have the potential for people to forget they have them and take them home at the end of the day. Think of how many C-wrenches walk off.

[Ricky Smith]

Well the reason we're looking to go with Wireless is because the company didn't wire any hardwired ports on stage by the fly or prop area so currently we're using all our wired com cables to run from the stage rack over a empty pipe and back down by the rigging system.

It doesn't allow for movement of any type for the stage manager or anyone else that might need a Com-Pack. Also as things have declined in terms of crew size since last year, they only have two people who are there to do events thus they need to be extremely mobile while be able to keep in contact with each other + any others they might be able to scrounge up (such as my self). The play production this year in terms of how hectic it was only started using the wireless mics the day before opening night, and that was the first night I was in to run sound for them. Now I didn't have anyway to communicate from where the sound mixer was in the house to anyone back stage or in the booth to let them know of all the issues with mics (such as actors not having them on at all) The location for the mixer in the audience has a hookup for the compacks but guess where all those lovely cables are? Running across stage.

Anywho, having a company come in and wire in some com ports on stage and perhaps back in the chorus room so we can keep track of people is probably cheaper. However the freedom of having the wireless com packs will probably help the limited crew better. Also we don't have much of an issue with the com-system thats wireless over in the media center and they can reach all the way to our theater and all the way down to the gym with their system. So the system works great for them as long as we're on a different frequency it shouldn't be an issue.

[gafftaper]

Originally Posted by Rickblu

currently we're using all our wired com cables to run from the stage rack over a empty pipe and back down by the rigging system.
It doesn't allow for movement of any type for the stage manager or anyone else that might need a Com-Pack.

Not trying to argue with you Rick but I can solve that problem for $32. I don't know how long your runs are but we can probably fix all your existing problems for well under $200 in XLR cable... and that's if we buy the good stuff.

Just trying to play devil's advocate here. If you've got the money then wireless is cool but It seems to me there are usually a lot of better ways to spend that money in a high school. How's the lighting inventory doing? Got enough microphones? Let's say you get a base receiver for $2k and 3 transmitters at $600. I'm assuming you adding headsets too, so that's another $500-ish. So we are looking at a total of around $4300 for a wireless system

OR

you could spend $300 on cable to fix the wired system and have $4,000 left over. That's enough for a dozen new Source Fours, and a nice stash of gel and spare lamps too.

I smell an amendment to "The Gafftaper Method".

[derekleffew]

Sixteen years ago when I was selling audio gear, HME had by far the best, and probably most expensive, UHF wireless com system, and was easily interfaced with ClearCom. As I recall, a complete eight drop system was $7000.

See this link.

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by Rickblu

Well the reason we're looking to go with Wireless is because the company didn't wire any hardwired ports on stage by the fly or prop area so currently we're using all our wired com cables to run from the stage rack over a empty pipe and back down by the rigging system.

It doesn't allow for movement of any type for the stage manager or anyone else that might need a Com-Pack. Also as things have declined in terms of crew size since last year, they only have two people who are there to do events thus they need to be extremely mobile while be able to keep in contact with each other + any others they might be able to scrounge up (such as my self)...

Originally Posted by gafftaper

Not trying to argue with you Rick but I can solve that problem for $32. I don't know how long your runs are but we can probably fix all your existing problems for well under $200 in XLR cable... and that's if we buy the good stuff...

Also factor in some Y-cables, as it sounds as though Rick does not have enough outlets or not in the proper places. Still, putting headsets and belt-packs in strategic locations and having the deck crew go from one station to another is considerably less expensive (and more dependable) than wireless. As detailed in The Gafftaper Method, v2.0 New and Improved--now includes audio advice!

[Ricky Smith]

As far as the other inventory goes with the theater, there's not much else that they need. The theater only opened two years ago so the lighting inventory is fine, they just added on two more Wireless SLX1 is it? Can't remember off the top of my head but they're from shure. So they have a total of 10 Wireless Packs + 2 Wireless handheld mics. So they're all set in that department, I'll bring up both ideas to the fine arts director today when I go in to help them out for the Pops Concert. Thanks for the advice

[museav]

Originally Posted by Rickblu

So, what do you guys think the average price for a Clear Com Wireless 1 Channel system is that we can tie into our Clear Com 2 Channel Wired System. I was told around 2k for the receiver and 600 per pack.

For a WBS-670 transmitter and WTR-670 receiver? Although not the current pricing, based on the pricing I do have that seems low, in fact well below Dealer cost. A quick check of some online sources shows that a package of transmitter and one receiver for around $4,500 to $4,600 is pretty common, you can likely get it for less but probably not for $2,600.