Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Good Headset Suggestions

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padfoot13
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Joined: 5/23/05
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Posts: 24

Topic: Good Headset Suggestions
Posted: 4/05/06 at 10:19pm

Our backstage headsets (for the stage manager, the director in the audience, and booth) have rather bit the dust. We replaced them about 5 years ago, but with all the shows we do, they take a pretty good beating. We're looking around for good headset systems, perhaps heartier than the ones we have bought in the past. Any suggestions on types or brands?

THANKS!

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tblan
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Joined: 8/10/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 36

Posted: 4/11/06 at 12:09am

I've always had good luck with clear-comm systems. Our base station is nearly 20 years old and is still going strong.

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jcorkran
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Joined: 4/13/06
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Posted: 4/14/06 at 9:29am

I, too, would love to hear recommendations for entire systems. We have recently moved into a new theater and are still in the process of turning it into an actual theater. (It was supposedly designed as a theater, but this was obviously done by someone who knew nothing about theater requirements.) Anyway, we have tried cordless sets, which don't work -- all we get is a buzz. So I'd like to install a wired system, but don't know much about them. Any suggestions?

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Guests
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Posted: 4/25/06 at 4:29pm

Telex makes a system compatible with Clear Com, but usually a little cheaper. Shop around on line. You will need an amp for the system and lots of cable. Some systems required XLR connections, where as others have a 5-pin connection. Also, you will want to get single-muff headsets. If your house positions don't move around a lot, think about hardwiring the system. Don't forget to put outlets for mobile packs near where your tech table is set up.

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bmiller025
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Joined: 10/06/05
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Posted: 5/01/06 at 1:00pm

Clear Comm makes the best and most expensive ones. Telex is also a participant, but I don't like their reliability or quality. I would suggest the products of Production Intercom. Good quality, and a bit less expensive than Clear Comm.

http;//www.beltpack.com

http://www.brianmiller.biz/BrianDesign.htm

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acmeactor
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Joined: 2/25/04
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Posted: 5/02/06 at 9:07am

We have been using an Eartec system for 6 years now and it works perfect and much cheaper than Clearcom.

http://www.eartec.com/

Dave

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mattyjaco
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Joined: 5/04/06
Location: United States
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Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:55am

Last Year our theater purchased a set of 8 motorola buisness class MURS radios, then purchased headsets for them, in my opinion they are so much better than wired systems, directors, stage managers can move around the theater, green room or wherever and still stay in communication.

Heres a link

http://www.mytoolstore.com/motorola/motindex.html

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Mike Polo
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Community Theater Green Room

Joined: 2/01/04
Location: United States
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Posts: 286

Posted: 11/15/06 at 9:22am

We've been using similar radios for about 6 years with excellent results. The headsets are flimsy and have to be replaced periodically, but the radios themselves are first class and perform beautifully.

Mike Polo
Community Theater Green Room
http://www.communitytheater.org

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JShieldsIowa
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Joined: 11/05/06
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Posts: 49

Posted: 11/15/06 at 10:10am

One of the theatres I work with uses the mortorola head sets and we've had a lot of problems with them. The shows are performed in a metal pole building so I figure that might be the cause of the problems. One of the other theatres I've worked with uses Clear Com and those worked much better (for the price difference I would hope so!)

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TimW
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Joined: 8/10/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 83

Posted: 11/16/06 at 9:05am

I have worked with both the Motorola with headset at one theatre and currently using a clearcom system at another theatre. My preference is a wired system for general shows. You don't have to worry about missing a cue as much since you can talk at the same time as someone else. I have also worked a musical where the stage manager worked double duty having a wired connection to the tech's and a wireless for the scene changes, including fly's, so they could move freely.

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Lights and Sound
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Lights and Sound

Topic: Good Headset Suggestions( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
padfoot13 Player Joined: 5/23/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 24	Topic: Good Headset Suggestions Posted: 4/05/06 at 10:19pm
	Our backstage headsets (for the stage manager, the director in the audience, and booth) have rather bit the dust. We replaced them about 5 years ago, but with all the shows we do, they take a pretty good beating. We're looking around for good headset systems, perhaps heartier than the ones we have bought in the past. Any suggestions on types or brands? THANKS!

	IP Logged

tblan Lead Joined: 8/10/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 36	Posted: 4/11/06 at 12:09am
	I've always had good luck with clear-comm systems. Our base station is nearly 20 years old and is still going strong.
	IP Logged

jcorkran Walk-On Joined: 4/13/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/14/06 at 9:29am
	I, too, would love to hear recommendations for entire systems. We have recently moved into a new theater and are still in the process of turning it into an actual theater. (It was supposedly designed as a theater, but this was obviously done by someone who knew nothing about theater requirements.) Anyway, we have tried cordless sets, which don't work -- all we get is a buzz. So I'd like to install a wired system, but don't know much about them. Any suggestions?
	IP Logged

Guests Guest	Posted: 4/25/06 at 4:29pm
	Telex makes a system compatible with Clear Com, but usually a little cheaper. Shop around on line. You will need an amp for the system and lots of cable. Some systems required XLR connections, where as others have a 5-pin connection. Also, you will want to get single-muff headsets. If your house positions don't move around a lot, think about hardwiring the system. Don't forget to put outlets for mobile packs near where your tech table is set up.
	IP Logged

bmiller025 Star Joined: 10/06/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 82	Posted: 5/01/06 at 1:00pm
	Clear Comm makes the best and most expensive ones. Telex is also a participant, but I don't like their reliability or quality. I would suggest the products of Production Intercom. Good quality, and a bit less expensive than Clear Comm. http;//www.beltpack.com
	http://www.brianmiller.biz/BrianDesign.htm
	IP Logged

acmeactor Player Joined: 2/25/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 28	Posted: 5/02/06 at 9:07am
	We have been using an Eartec system for 6 years now and it works perfect and much cheaper than Clearcom. http://www.eartec.com/ Dave
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mattyjaco Player Joined: 5/04/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:55am
	Last Year our theater purchased a set of 8 motorola buisness class MURS radios, then purchased headsets for them, in my opinion they are so much better than wired systems, directors, stage managers can move around the theater, green room or wherever and still stay in communication. Heres a link http://www.mytoolstore.com/motorola/motindex.html
	IP Logged

Mike Polo Admin Group Community Theater Green Room Joined: 2/01/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 286	Posted: 11/15/06 at 9:22am
	We've been using similar radios for about 6 years with excellent results. The headsets are flimsy and have to be replaced periodically, but the radios themselves are first class and perform beautifully.
	Mike Polo Community Theater Green Room http://www.communitytheater.org
	IP Logged

JShieldsIowa Star Joined: 11/05/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 11/15/06 at 10:10am
	One of the theatres I work with uses the mortorola head sets and we've had a lot of problems with them. The shows are performed in a metal pole building so I figure that might be the cause of the problems. One of the other theatres I've worked with uses Clear Com and those worked much better (for the price difference I would hope so!)
	IP Logged

TimW Star Joined: 8/10/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 83	Posted: 11/16/06 at 9:05am
	I have worked with both the Motorola with headset at one theatre and currently using a clearcom system at another theatre. My preference is a wired system for general shows. You don't have to worry about missing a cue as much since you can talk at the same time as someone else. I have also worked a musical where the stage manager worked double duty having a wired connection to the tech's and a wireless for the scene changes, including fly's, so they could move freely.
	IP Logged