Posted on

Our Assets/Resources

We buy all our equipment new, with a few exceptions, and offer for sale ex-hire after a few weeks use. Each item is individually priced according to how many days hire use it has had and the class of equipment (Lav mics, for example, depreciate very quickly in theatre use, whilst shotgun mics depreciate very slowly).

All equipment is inspected between hires and tested as per the following table:

Asset ClassBetween HireOccasional
AmplifiersPAT; firmware checkspeaker profile update; Dante reset
SpeakersWhite noiseFrequency scan
MonitorsPAT
DesksPAT; firmware check; factory reset
Lav Micclean; pass audio
Computers etcPAT; hire specific s/wDante reset
CablesContinuity checkEthernet bandwidth
Solid State IO
(eg SWP)
PATfirmware check
Complex IO
eg CCS-2; XDante
PATDante reset; config check
Posted on

Multi Week Discounts

Our sliding scale of discounts are automatically applied to hire rates by our website. So, if you’re planning a seven week production there’s no need to negotiate: everybody gets a fair price. Likewise, if your production only has selected dates over a ten week period then there’s no need to return equipment half way through for a two week break: typically after 5 weeks you’ll be on roughly 50% the headline rate.

Continue reading Multi Week Discounts

Posted on

Tailor a Product

Our standard template products allow you to add, delete or alter ancillary components. So, for example, you can add Speakon cables to an amplifier product, delete Ethercon cables from a mixing desk or change the length of cables included with speakers or amplifiers or switches. We let you change out vertical speaker frames for horizontal; trigger clamps for hook clamps; or flight cases for soft cases. The list is endless.

Anyone can tailor a product using our Sound Designer web app. Just drag an Item from the left into a System on the right and select Save. Now when you select the Item in the System you will be shown all the components where you can change quantities and some lengths. Note that if you want to be able to return to your work another day, then you will need to create an account.

Alternatively, just email your requirements to hires@calmtheatesounds.co.uk or ring 07740946141 and we will be more than happy to tailor a system for you.

Posted on

Product Pricing

Each of our products is made up of one or more components. Every component has a charge out rate, if it’s only a few pence per week. Generally, we add all the component charge out rates and round up the price to the nearest £7 ex VAT. So for the best prices we recommend building a single product that covers all your requirements rather than ordering several small products.

Using our Sound Designer app, you can drag Items into your System and save them. Then click on an Item in the System to modify components. The app will then give you a revised value for “Min. order wk1”.

Alternatively, email hires@calmtheatresounds.co.uk or call 07740946141 and we will do it for you.

Posted on

English Touring Theatre hire lav mics

CALM is pleased to announce our continued supply of flesh toned DPA 4061s for theatre hire. As other hire companies move away from renting lav mics to theatres, we buck the trend.

It was therefore no surprise that when English Touring Theatre: ETT approached CALM to supply microphones for Macbeth at The Lyric, Hammersmith we were able to answer the call. Our scope of supply includes brown and beige DPA4061s and an Extreme SPL DPA4099.

Posted on

Spirits on 61s?

Ding, dong, ding, dong, the bells are ringing because Scrooge is coming to Newcastle – and he’s meaner and greedier than ever. Bah Humbug!

CALM Theatre Sounds is pleased to announce a continued relationship with Northern Stage. This year’s A Christmas Carol will see no less than 10 of our EM Acoustics EMS-61s adorning the Epic Space along with 10 amplifier channels.