Augusta, GA – May 2018… The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League, and they are the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Their stadium, SRP Park, is the anchor piece of Riverside Village; a live, work, ‘playball’ development that includes apartment living, senior living, retail, restaurants, class ‘A’ office space, and a Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. Simply put, there’s a lot of activity here, not the least of which is the excitement of the hometown team’s baseball games. For the just started baseball season, club management wanted a great microphone setup for announcements, interviews and more—and they found it in the pristine audio quality and untethered freedom of movement made possible by a new MIPRO wireless microphone system, distributed in North America by Avlex Corporation of Kansas City, MO.
The Myrtle Beach, SC office of Strategic Connections Inc., an AV design / build firm that services the worship, education, and commercial markets in addition to operating a live event production division, was contracted to design and deploy the sound system, which included the new wireless microphone equipment at SRP Park. Ultimately, Jim Bang, the Manager of both Sales and Engineering, and his team installed four channels of MIPRO’s 8 Series True Digital Wireless equipment. He discussed the project.
“The 4-channel MIPRO setup we installed consists of two MIPRO ACT-80HC Rechargeable Digital Handheld Transmitters, two Avlex HSP-49 single ear headset microphones used in conjunction with a pair of MIPRO ACT-80TC Rechargeable Digital Bodypack Transmitters, and on the receiving side of the equation, a MIPRO ACT-848 Digital Wideband Encryption-Capable Quad Channel Receiver,” Bang explained. “In addition to the primary system components, the setup also includes two AD-12 Passive Antenna Divider/Combiner units, two AT-90Wa Wideband Extension Antennas, plus some additional items such as a battery charging cradle and In-Line TNC Connector Couplers.”
Applications for the new wireless microphone equipment include the ability to better facilitate on-field interviews, the singing of the National Anthem at the start of the games, and related uses. According to Bang, “With the new mic setup, the announcer can freely move anywhere throughout the stadium without experiencing any dropouts whatsoever. This a huge plus and it really puts the talent at ease—enabling them to function better.”
When queried about those attributes of the MIPRO equipment that most appeals to him, Bang offered the following thoughts. “First and foremost is audio quality,” he reports, “and the MIPRO equipment is every bit on par with the performance of the bigger name brands—at reduced cost—and that translates to better value. Equally important is setup and configuration, which is quick and easy—even in areas where there is a lot of RF activity. Combined with a rich feature set and solid build quality, there really isn’t anything that motivates me to look elsewhere.”
With any wireless equipment, questions frequently arise, so quality customer and technical support services are crucial. In this regard, Bang gives Avlex Corporation high marks. “Avlex’ tech support has been great—particularly when it comes to coordinating antenna distribution and placement schemes. The company’s support is very responsive, which is important when you’re working on a tight schedule. Most significantly, I’ve had very little need for support because the gear is so well made and robust. I’ve yet to have a unit fail.”
With the baseball season well under way, Bang reports the new MIPRO and Avlex equipment is exceeding expectations. “The sound quality of the new equipment and, being wireless, the flexibility it affords, is unbeatable,” says Bang. “Our client is very pleased, and the equipment really seems to make the work easier and the games more enjoyable. As an integrator, I switched to MIPRO two years ago and have had no reason to look elsewhere, as their offerings seem to fit every situation!”
To learn more about the services of Strategic Connections Inc., visit the company online at www.strategicconnections.net. For information about the Augusta GreenJackets, go to http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t478.
About Avlex Corporation
Avlex Corporation is a leading supplier of high quality, feature rich, and competitively priced professional audio products. The Avlex, Superlux, and MIPRO brands of microphones, wireless systems, electronics, and accessories are available through independent dealers and contractors nationwide. For additional information on Avlex Corporation, visit the company online at www.avlex.com.
###
