# Recommend an intercom system?



## yunebug (Apr 19, 2011)

FINALLY got some money allotted to purchase an intercom system for our theater. We've been working with Motorola walkie-talkies. :0p

Spending some time on Google revealed Clear-Com. Their website has so many different intercom systems that it's making my head spin. 

Looking for a wireless system that's easy to operate, can handle at least 4 belt packs, and is of good quality (in build and in ear). 

Thank you in advance.


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## kiwitechgirl (Apr 19, 2011)

yunebug said:


> FINALLY got some money allotted to purchase an intercom system for our theater. We've been working with Motorola walkie-talkies. :0p
> 
> Spending some time on Google revealed Clear-Com. Their website has so many different intercom systems that it's making my head spin.
> 
> ...


 
Does it have to be wireless? You'll get far more bang for your buck with wired (and probably far fewer problems as well!). If you do go down the wireless road, the best wireless system I've ever used was ClearCom's "Cell-Com" system. Far from cheap though...


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## waynehoskins (Apr 19, 2011)

For theatre, the standard is Clear-Com.

For television, the standard is RTS.

Either way, you always want to go wired when at all possible. To get the same reliability with wireless, you have to spend lots more money.

Why do you need wireless?


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## epimetheus (Apr 19, 2011)

We've got the Telex RadioCom system at my church and it performs very well. The Clearcom WBS series is essentially the same product, just with different branding.

For a 4 single channel beltpack RadioCom/WBS system, be prepared to drop in excess of $10,000. Unless you've got that kind of money to kick around, go wired. As a matter of fact, even if you've got that kind of money to kick around, go wired. Spending that much money on a wireless system, when you don't have a wired system already isn't very responsible to your patrons, in my opinion.


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## Chris15 (Apr 19, 2011)

In my opinion, one installs wireless when one needs to do so for a specific reason to tie into an existing, sufficient and fully functioning wired system. Not otherwise. Clearcom, HME (yes both are now under the same roof), Riedel and Telex are the names worth thinking about off the top of my head...


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## Van (Apr 19, 2011)

I'll throw my two cents in. If you are married to wireless then use the sugestions above. If you are going half and half or less < wired to wireless> then I suggest Production Intercom. Prices are fantastic, 100% compatible with Clear Com. Customer service is impeccable. A five star company in my opinion.
< No I don't work for them nor am I endorsed by them. but I have outfitted two theaters with their gear. >


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## gafftaper (Apr 19, 2011)

On Van's recommendation I purchased a bunch of Production Intercom gear about 4 years ago. I have to say it's fantastic, customer service great. The extra small belt packs are less than half the size of Clear Com's, made of aluminum, and apparently just about bullet proof. They work perfectly with my Clear-Com base station and belt packs. 

You could say Van has outfitted 3 theaters with their gear.


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## ScottT (Apr 19, 2011)

gafftaper said:


> On Van's recommendation I purchased a bunch of Production Intercom gear about 4 years ago. I have to say it's fantastic, customer service great. The extra small belt packs are less than half the size of Clear Com's, made of aluminum, and apparently just about bullet proof. They work perfectly with my Clear-Com base station and belt packs.



At my former high school we had a bunch of PI gear - it had survived more then 6 years of continuous abuse by a bunch of high schoolers (4 full scale productions a year) and still worked. I'll second (third?) the recommendation for their stuff.


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## DuckJordan (Apr 19, 2011)

ScottT said:


> At my former high school we had a bunch of PI gear - it had survived more then 6 years of continuous abuse by a bunch of high schoolers (4 full scale productions a year) and still worked. I'll second (third?) the recommendation for their stuff.


 

At my college we are slowly killing off some PI gear, Most has been used and abused for quite some time with up to 18 shows a year, with most of the equipment being 6+ years old. The only issues i've had with our system is the clear com packs. The PI packs have out lasted them almost 2 fold.


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## waynehoskins (Apr 19, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> At my college we are slowly killing off some PI gear, Most has been used and abused for quite some time with up to 18 shows a year, with most of the equipment being 6+ years old. The only issues i've had with our system is the clear com packs. The PI packs have out lasted them almost 2 fold.


 
When I was in college (which was 6-12 years ago) we had predominantly Tech Projects (who became Production Intercom) beltpacks and headsets that were from the mid '90s at the newest, and they were still running fine. Also a handful of brown CC beltpacks from the '80s that were still kicking. Technical Projects is good value gear.

If you can afford to spend multiple thousands of dollars per station on wireless, you can do that -- but if you were able to do that, you'd be more likely to put in (or already have) a wired infrastructure for the few wireless stations to complement.


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## Van (Apr 19, 2011)

OOps I started a landslide.... I will say this; A couple of years ago we had a bunch of school kids rent one of our theaters for an extended run over the summer. When we got the theater back two of the headsets had been .... Well,... Mangled. microphone was loose, ear padding puling loose, cable twisted into something resembling a phone cord. Dropped them off at a local representatives office, and in a week I got them back, well not them but brand new < upgraded slightly> headsets. Like I said they rock.


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## gafftaper (Apr 19, 2011)

When I got mine there was a delay in getting my single muff headsets. Turns out they were upgrading the quality of the components in the headsets and I ordered right in between the production runs. I had to wait a while but they gave me the new more expensive units at the old price.  Made in Germany, not China, the headsets are durable and sound great.


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## derekleffew (Apr 19, 2011)

gafftaper said:


> When I got mine there was a delay in getting my single muff headsets. Turns out they were upgrading the quality of the components in the headsets and I ordered right in between the production runs. ...


Interesting anecdote, gafftaper. Especially in light of the fact that somewhere on here, a member recounts the story of when he asked PI π (I wonder if they celebrate March 14? ) about a certain headset, they told him, "The comparable Clear-Com headset is better than ours. Buy that one instead." We've had so many threads on headsets (including this one, for which you never provided closure) that I can't find the exact post, but if someone else wants to go searching...


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## gafftaper (Apr 20, 2011)

derekleffew said:


> Interesting anecdote, gafftaper. Especially in light of the fact that somewhere on here, a member recounts the story of when he asked PI π (I wonder if they celebrate March 14? ) about a certain headset, they told him, "The comparable Clear-Com headset is better than ours. Buy that one instead." We've had so many threads on headsets (including this one, for which you never provided closure) that I can't find the exact post, but if someone else wants to go searching...


 
Uhhh yeah. I never followed up on that thread did I? Sorry. There were issues with the purchasing department and money already having been sent to PI so I had to wait. But PI really stepped up and assured me I would get the first box of headsets off the delivery truck. It took a while but I'm very happy with them.


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## Labcsam (Aug 30, 2012)

ok, so PI seems to be the way to go. but seems they offer several different products and their website basically blows you over to their list of dealers. does anyone know what products I would need to buy in order to get a 3 man, wired system?


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## techieman33 (Aug 30, 2012)

The PS-4 econocom setup would probably be cheapest, it looks like it would be around $900 at the low end depending on options for the power supply, belt packs and headsets. It would be about another $500 to get a real base station, but as long as you don't have more than 10 headsets you'll be ok without one. A problem you might have is actually buying the setup, it seems a lot of their products have been on backorder for quite a while, so check to make sure they have product in stock before you buy anything.


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## jstroming (Aug 30, 2012)

Labcsam said:


> ok, so PI seems to be the way to go. but seems they offer several different products and their website basically blows you over to their list of dealers. does anyone know what products I would need to buy in order to get a 3 man, wired system?



Please see my post here:
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...8741-production-intercom-shipping-delays.html

I am STILL waiting on the MS-301 main station and headsets. I call Northern Sound & Light and Production Intercom every Friday to see where my stuff is. I always hear "will ship in a few weeks". Sick and tired of this. OVER 6 MONTHS OF WAITING for a product I was told would ship in a few weeks of ordering it.

I purchase over $250k of production equipment a year, and have only once had an issue like this, with a big air compressor from Lowes. Even that wasn't half as bad as this.


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## NickVon (Sep 4, 2012)

jstroming said:


> Please see my post here:
> http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...8741-production-intercom-shipping-delays.html
> 
> I am STILL waiting on the MS-301 main station and headsets. I call Northern Sound & Light and Production Intercom every Friday to see where my stuff is. I always hear "will ship in a few weeks". Sick and tired of this. OVER 6 MONTHS OF WAITING for a product I was told would ship in a few weeks of ordering it.
> ...



yup, i'm waiting on two replacement headsets that ordered Through BMI. some single muff medium, to replace 2 Giant Blue single muff with cracking vinyl ear cushions.

while there customer service has been great and speaking with a rep about there upcoming add on wireless tech for wired systems they seem great. But so for my first purchase from them is going on being delayed more then a month.


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