Clear-Com purchase

[CSCTech]

I know I know, this is like the third thread I have done on communications, sorry.


I was looking through things and am thinking of trying to get clearcom now.

We only need 3, four would be nice, headsets ops, if I where to purchase the following, can I achieve communication? (minus cabling)

1x Clear-Com: PK-7, Portable Power Supply
3x Clear-Com: CC-95, Single Muff headset
3x Clear-Com: RS-601, Single Channel Beltpack

Or, could I just get the three beltpacks and headsets and daisy chain them? I know some comm systems work like that, not sure if CC does.
Wouldn't be a problem going backstage as our snake comes out where the SM is located and so it would go from my beltpack, to the other board ops, through the snake, then the SM(s) would plug theirs into the correct channel on the snake.

Hope so!

 

[jstroming]

Looks like that should do the trick....Never seen the PK-7, but looks pretty reasonable! Never thought I'd be calling clearcom's prices reasonable LOL.....CALL Clearcom and make sure it works. Ask a gazillion questions. I know alot of times these manufacturers are like "of course it will work you idiot" or "are you kidding? this isn't NASA" and that makes the questioning and spec'ing process intimidating, but screw the idiot at the manufacturer.....at the end of the day you'll have the right product. Countless times I've asked questions I already know the answer to but I'll swallow my pride, aske the basic "does this work in the US" questions and let this guy think he's a freakin genius.

Have you seen the intercom systems from Production Intercom? Definitely take a look at them....they've developed somewhat of a cult following here in the northeast, I would HIGHLY recommend their BP-1 beltpacks over Clearcom's 600 series. In fact, I DESPISE clearcom's 600 series beltpacks. Stupid mistake, Clearcom. I remember building a touring show a few years back and literally calling EVERY production shop in the tri-state area (yeah, that was me) over here trying to find someone to sell me their 500 series beltpacks, and no one would bite. The 501's were such an industry staple...then to have a new form factor, button placement.....wahhhhhh?!?!?!? Luckily I came across Production Intercom. They didnt even have prices published yet, and I gobbled up 3 or 4 main stations and 30 or so BP/Headset combos.

I do still get the standard CC-95's, etc....The guy at Production Intercom even told me "hey bro, go with the Clearcom Headsets...ours suck....trust me!" HAHA. But beltpacks and mainstations, no question. Now all this crazy matrix stuff they got goin on thats a different story, but your basic A-B line comm Production Intercom BABY!!!!!

 

[Tex]

+1 for Production Intercom.
Those aluminum beltpacks are bullet-proof.

 

[museav]

Or, could I just get the three beltpacks and headsets and daisy chain them? I know some comm systems work like that, not sure if CC does.

You could daisy-chain multiple beltpacks off one output of the power supply but you need to have a power supply in the somewhere. Production Intercom's equivalent would be the econoCom packages which can be ordered with anywhere from two to ten beltpacks and headsets. An idea of how such a system might be configured is shown here, http://beltpack.com/econocom_app.pdf.

 

[TimmyP1955]

When we bought com, the local production house said that they use beltpack.com gear because it is more reliable and less expensive than ClearCom. (It is ClearCom compatible.)

 

[producer]

I was just wondering if I've been stuck under a rock and some how missed the fact that PI comm sucks, or got a PI comm system that really kicks butt. I've used PI for a couple musicals, IMAG camera shoots, and also just goofing off. Each time PI was, in my opinion, equal to Telex comm (never used CC, but have heard good stuff about it). I'm not so sure about their version of wireless comm though.

just my 12 cents (2 cents plus tax)

 

[derekleffew]

I'll go out on a limb here and state that if you've never used Clear-Com brand intercom, you've either never done theatre or other live entertainment, or you've only done TV, where RTS (now a division of Telex) has the lion's share of the market. Production Intercom (PI) is perceived as a lower cost, quality, directly-compatible alternative to Clear-Com, at least in the basic, non-matrix, non-digital systems.

 

[producer]

Shocking, i know. My theatre experience is limited to High School with no comm. Most other live entertainment that I've used Comm was either PI or Telex. You'll understand, because I mostly specialize in low budget theatre and gigs, and contract myself out to the larger one. Before, when i said I'd never used CC, that was a lie. I'd used it before in a local theatre for a charity concert. It doesnt really count because the other guy on comm was in the booth with me. and I only had it on for an hour.

 

[Spiceboy]

To answer the original question. The equipment speced above will give you 3 packs all on one channel. The PK7 will handle 3 packs but if you get above 5 in the future you may need to move up to a PS702, which can handle up to 40. The PK7 has 3 XLRs so you can home run each pack or daisy chain them off of one output of the PK7 if you prefer.

If you prefer you could go for the Que-com but they have a fixed headset that doesnt have the comfort level of the CC95

www.clearcom.com/download/datasheet/pk-7-datasheet

 

[TheGuruat12]

Our HS has Production Intercom gear, and nothing EVER breaks (except one headset that somebody decided to tear the mic out of; we replaced it with a Skullcandy earbud. lol)