Clear-Com Alternatives - 2023

[djbow2]

My venues spending budget is tight and we need to replace our ClearCom system. What’s everyone’s experience with the other companies (PI,Telex,etc). Do the others hold up or function better/as good as ClearCom?

 

[microstar]

Production Intercom, now Pro Intercom, produces great products. They have a Clearcom cross-reference guide on their website https://prointercomllc.com.
In the past, tech support, service, and parts availability were excellent. The company was bought by McCormick's, so hopefully they have retained the staff and the product quality is the same.

 

[jtweigandt]

Budget... How tight is tight? If you can stand about 1/2 second latency, I have been using Mumble for years now. Full duplex single channel great audio fidelity. 5 musicals a year 500+ seat venue. We run on some cast off pc thin clients running raspberry pi desktop, a RP3+ as server, and some nice logitech DECT headsets that let us wander up to 300 feet from each base depending on walls etc. deff covers the whole theater and lobby reliably. Easy to set up if you dont try to get too fancy. We just grab the headset off it's charger base.. and go. Thin clients can be had in the 30 to 50 buck range. Logitech dect headsets about 70-100 on the used market. Can use bluetooth headsets as well, or hard wired. (really cheap) Any old pc even a decade or more old can be your server/hub, and you can even cut in a cell phone in a pinch with the mumble app and wifi Everything is set to auto reboot in case of a power outage.. I have it all on 2 UPS battery backups to avoid hiccups.

 

[jayvee]

Pliant CrewCom

 

[themuzicman]

Unity is pretty great if you're looking for a DIY solution. I'm a fan of Punqtum, Riedel's budget brand, if you're looking for digital intercom at the price of a Clearcom analog system.

 

[Benjamin Fink]

Pliant CrewCom

I just got a set of Pliant MicroComXR units (their less expensive option) in house and have used them on a couple of performances. I haven't had a chance to fully put them through their paces, but I've been impressed by their build quality and performance so far.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Unity is pretty great if you're looking for a DIY solution. I'm a fan of Punqtum, Riedel's budget brand, if you're looking for digital intercom at the price of a Clearcom analog system.

Oh, is *that* who makes that?

They're hiding it pretty well...

 

[Craig Hauber]

My venues spending budget is tight and we need to replace our ClearCom system. What’s everyone’s experience with the other companies (PI,Telex,etc). Do the others hold up or function better/as good as ClearCom?

Just curious why it needs replacing?
An intercom system is a collection of many parts with each one easily repaired or replaced.
Wiring connectors and power supply are the 3 most common issues in my experience. I've installed new cheap P-I power supplies and everyone still using the collection of different vintages of belt pack just fine.
I've also watched facilities pull everything and replace with new only to have the same issues -because their wiring had a few faults!
-new headsets can be bought for old beltpacks
-new beltpacks can be used with existing headsets and PSU.

I'm still using some of the original stainless clearcom beltpacks for my portable systems.

Besides upgrading to more complex matrix switching capability I've never had to replace an entire system. Even then I've seen the old PL continuing to have a life as outputs on the new matrix (with appropriate D/A-A/D and adaptor boxes of course)

And if you are replacing please don't dumpster, find a smaller tech-savvy local theater to donate them to. Even "dead" stuff can be sources for parts.