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Is the "One Stop AV Shop" right for your events?
Sean Walker • December 29, 2024
Do you use "One Stop Shops" Thinking they are easier for your events?
Well, you're not alone! For years now in corporate events and meetings we have had the "AV" companies that say they make it easy for us by being a one stop shop. The other option being dedicated Audio, Lighting and Video companies. Let's look at some Pros and Cons of each so you can decide what works best for your events.
Option 1 - The AV Company - "One Stop Shop"
Pros:
- Super convenient that it's one call for your events AV needs.
- They have Audio, Video, Lighting and sometimes staging/P&D too.
- Seems like it's all there right?
Cons:
- Typically there is a lack of skilled labor for each department or position. Remember the time you got a "Good One"?
- Typically not providing enough equipment to get the job done properly, as the expertise isn't there in each department..
- Tech Difficulties at almost every turn. Remember the time the CEO was on stage and their mic didn't work?
- Jack of all trades, master of none
Option 2 - Dedicated Solutions
Pros:
- Specialists at their craft. Dedicated to just the one craft, so they have a much deeper knowledge base from which to design, consult, create and problem solve from.
- Dedicated team of specialists for your event per department that can prevent most problems and solve any problems on site quickly.
- Dedicated solutions have the training and techs to provide the right spec of equipment and trained pro techs for your event to be it's best.
Cons:
- More calls or emails to multiple vendors to secure and then coordinate AV.
- Uncertainty on if they are a "Good One". I mean how do you tell? Sometimes the devil you know feels safer than the one you don't. See our
"How to choose a corporate audio partner" article.
Here is an article written by our good friend and trusted Systems Engineer Michael Lawrence about the 50,000 person show we did in Seattle for the 4th of July!
Choosing a Corporate Audio Partner can be hard. Here's how to make it easy!
We have all seen these documents shared as the "Right" way to get quotes for your audio.
Kara, Panther, GSL, KSL, XSL, HDL, Leopard Oh My!
The Top Seattle Audio Companies!
What does change Corporate Audio Costs
Poor Gain Structure and Failing to Monitor Audio Levels Step 1 of making sure you are optimized for success is to ask the production team to calibrate their rigs to each other. To do this, the Audio Engineer will send a 1K sine tone at -18 DBFS to the video team. Don't worry if you have no idea what I'm saying, THEY DO! That should be adjusted on their end so that it is ALSO -18 DBFS on the video rig. The number of times that this has NOT been the case is all of them. lol. If this step is not completed properly it's akin to driving down the freeway in your car at full throttle with the brakes on to try and slow down to a regular speed. Madness! Continuously monitor audio levels throughout your event. Adjust as needed to maintain consistent sound quality. Overlooking Soundcheck Never skip soundcheck. Soundcheck is when you and the tech team get to test all equipment thoroughly under show conditions before going live. This helps identify and fix any issues before it's go time, ensuring everything runs smoothly during the event. Poor Microphone Placement and Gain Structure Microphone placement and gain structure is crucial. Same idea as above, but no tone this time. Position mics close enough to capture clear audio with as little background noise as possible, but far enough to avoid distortion. Test different placements during your soundcheck if need be, and be sure your speakers know where the microphones are so they stay on point come show time. Neglecting Backup Plans We cannot stress this enough, always have a backup plan for your event. Is the internet and or hosting service redundant? Is the redundant line with the same provider as the primary? If so, it's NOT redundant! Trying to Wear too Many Hats There is a limit of what you can ask of your tech team and have flawless results. Be sure to ask them if they have enough crew for the level of complication for the event.
At Audio Engineers Northwest, we care as much about the success of your event as you do!