MOUNT VERNON, N.Y.—In my line of work, whether it’s eSports tournaments, televised boxing, high-stakes upfronts or massive events like Formula One, flawless communication isn’t optional, it’s critical. Over the years, I’ve used a variety of Pliant Technologies wireless intercom systems and headsets on a range of projects. The Pliant gear has become a go-to for me, thanks to its clarity, comfort and adaptability across a variety of production environments.
I first discovered Pliant’s lightweight IEHU In-Ear Universal Fit Headset at NAB Show New York and started using it right away. The thing that really sold me was its incredible comfort, as I wear it all day and hardly notice it’s there.
Customized Comfort
I had the custom ear molds made by my audiologist and sent them to custom ear-mold manufacturer Coda Room Custom Audio. I ordered one for each ear, in red and green. I switch ears throughout the day to combat listening fatigue, especially on marathon productions. It’s a small touch, but one that makes a big difference when you’re doing this for a living. The color coding ensures that I have the right one in the right ear, with no guesswork.
What I also love is how discreet and effective it is. The noise-canceling mic performs really well in loud settings, and the headset connects via a single wire with a four-pin (or five-pin) connector. I’ve never needed or wanted to use anything bulkier since.
As a freelance audio engineer, I work with various manufacturers’ gear, as I
am typically called into established workflows. The great thing about the Pliant
In-Ear Universal Fit Headset is that it works with most industry-standard intercom beltpacks, and I bring it with me to every job.
I use the Pliant headset on just about everything—eSports shows around North America, televised boxing events and network upfronts, which are surprisingly complex productions packed into just 90 minutes.
On top of range and reliability, I also require gear that can withstand long, intense days. I’m usually on comms from 7 a.m. to midnight. Even the best headset can cause fatigue after a while, especially the over-ear models I used to use.
I liked the Pliant headset so much that I bought three more and gave them to crew members as gifts. They’d always say, “Man, I wish I had one of those.” Now they do. (I told them they’d have to get their own molds, though!)
At the end of the day, a headset should be simple: It should sound good, feel good and stay out of your way. That’s what I get from Pliant. Whether it’s the MicroCom XR wireless intercom system or the Pliant In-Ear Universal Fit Headset, the company’s products are always dependable.
And when something works this well, you stick with it.
Extended Coverage
I’ve worked in some pretty unconventional setups. One production in particular involved a show taped inside someone’s private house. The production truck was stationed more than 600 feet away, which posed a huge challenge for comms. A main benefit of Pliant is that the antennas are removable, so I was able to use a directional antenna on each side of that 600 feet to extend the coverage.
Pliant’s MicroCom XR system was deployed for this project, and because it has a wide range and multiple modes of operation, we were able to achieve the coverage we required from the house to the truck and all areas in between. We had a solid signal all the way back to the compound, and that kind of flexibility in the field makes a huge difference.
With Pliant, you get scalability, flexibility and modern features that work just as well for small gigs as they do for large-scale events. It’s a smart investment for any rental company.
More information is available at plianttechnologies.com.
