BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — AAVBR (American Audio Visual Baton Rouge), a leading full-service event production company serving Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region, has enhanced its production workflow and on-site team coordination by adopting Pliant Technologies’ MicroCom XR Wireless Intercom System. With over 30+ packs in use, AAVBR relies on the scalable, user-friendly solution to provide seamless communications across its wide range of events, from healthcare conferences and government meetings to Mardi Gras balls, concerts, and large-scale galas.
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Founded in Baton Rouge, AAVBR specializes in conferences, meetings, image magnification, LED wall presentations, and high-profile social events. Like many small- to mid-sized production companies, the team faced a long-standing challenge: finding a reliable and affordable communications system that could meet the demands of both intimate seminars and loud, fast-paced live productions.
“For a long time, the options were either two-way radios with headsets, which never worked well, or bulky, expensive belt packs that required base stations and carried price tags far outside of what made sense for us,” explains Hans Wax, Owner of AAVBR. “We needed something small, durable, easy-to-use, and cost-effective. For years, it simply didn’t exist.”
That changed when Wax discovered Pliant’s MicroCom XR system during InfoComm. “I had been describing for a long time exactly what I wanted in a comms system—something the size of a cell phone with a headset, good range, and a couple of channels. When I walked into Pliant’s booth and saw the MicroCom XR, I knew immediately this was it,” Wax recalls. “We waited for it to become available, and the moment it was, we bought multiple systems. We were early adopters and we’ve been thrilled ever since.”
AAVBR’s MicroCom XR system has since become indispensable for the company’s day-to-day productions. The system provides flexibility without the need for a base station, allowing the master pack to be placed almost anywhere it’s needed on-site. Its range comfortably covers large venues, and its small profile ensures crew comfort and mobility. “The size is perfect, the sound quality is excellent, and the build quality has surprised me,” Wax notes. “After five years, we haven’t had to replace a single belt clip, which is very impressive considering how much wear and tear they go through. The durability has been outstanding.”
The system’s flexibility has also allowed AAVBR to adapt to a wide range of production environments. From quiet medical seminars using lightweight Pliant SmartBoom LITE headsets to booming concerts and Mardi Gras balls with heavy-duty double-ear SmartBoom PRO headsets, MicroCom XR delivers reliable communication without interference. “Our video crew can be on one channel while backstage stage managers are on another, and they don’t step on each other,” says Wax. “That separation is critical when you’re managing complex shows.”
The 900MHz band used by the MicroCom XR has also proven to be an advantage in crowded wireless environments. “We run a lot of wireless microphones and other RF systems, so having our comms live in their own lane is huge,” Wax adds. “It doesn’t interfere with anything else, and that gives us confidence that it will work every time, even in challenging RF environments.”
AAVBR currently maintains nearly 20 MicroCom XR packs, supported by multiple charging stations, and spare packs for last-minute additional users, to ensure readiness for any event. Beyond its own productions, the company has also introduced the system to other organizations, including local houses of worship, where it continues to provide reliable communication years after installation.
Looking back on his three decades in the AV business, Wax emphasizes how rare it is for a product to truly excite him. “I don’t get excited about much after 30 years in this industry, but this system is different,” he says. “It filled a real need for us and it’s something I continue to be genuinely enthusiastic about.”
With Pliant’s MicroCom XR now central to its productions, AAVBR has streamlined its operations and reinforced its reputation for delivering seamless, professional events. As Wax put it, “We needed a communication solution that worked every time—and with Pliant, we have that.”