Introduction
Collaborations sometimes go way beyond collaborations, and if you want to hear a story that pretty much defines what a positive feedback loop is, read on.
Meeting Daniel Torres at NAMM 2024
During our debut at NAMM 2024, we had the fortune of meeting fellow engineer Daniel "Meca" Torres from Meca Audio, better known as Danny, who was intrigued by our products and stopped by our booth. After chatting for quite a while, he decided to give us a chance and purchased some kits, mostly packHolders, along with some miQbs that we provided on the house so he could further explore the system. The next day, he came back for more, but that’s just a preview.
Challenges and Solutions in Wireless Gear Management
Despite the backlog of orders that piled up due to the NAMM craze, we managed to ship Danny's order, which had very specific color and artwork requirements. This filled up a whole packCase(48) worth of packHolders, miQbs, and accessories. Once we shipped it, we couldn’t wait for him to reach out with his feedback. To our surprise, there was only silence. Thankfully, this did not last long as it turned out he was elsewhere in the country when his package arrived back home. We learned this a couple of weeks later when he texted us from the tour he was on, requesting more units and providing some suggestions.
Innovative Product Development
It turns out he was doing RF Coordination for Bad Bunny’s Most Wanted Tour, which, contrary to what you might believe, was quite an RF-intensive show. I should have known that from our first interaction at NAMM, but it was so crazy that I have to admit that some facts, names, and faces might have slipped. Anyway, he showed me how he was setting up his packs and sticks, and I immediately noticed that he was using a combination of desktop stacked packHolders alongside miQbs, for which there existed no connection. The next day, I designed and printed the necessary parts so they could ship with his next order, which shipped way faster than the first one thanks to all the new printers we added to the shop.
Parallel to this, our friend Eddie Caipo had taken interest in the small stand that we created specifically to display the packHolders at the NAMM booth. I was developing it into something more beneficial to the system, which I achieved by dimensioning the base to fit two miQbs per side or hook up to another base. When I showed this to Danny, he was ecstatic and ordered five right away. A new doubleClip was created to accommodate 8 packHolders in one base in a vertical fashion, giving users a better frontal view of the packs. At this point, I was wondering, how much wireless gear are these people using?
Real-World Application and Feedback
So, the order shipped and the system was deployed once received. Danny reported that the crew had grown fond of the system, and the space saved was uncharted. There were still some minor issues, though. The stand ( now called the packBase ) was designed for 4 or 8 packs, and he was using 10. He also wanted to pack the whole thing built, so he asked for a piece that could hold the two columns of packs together. Additionally, he needed some more packHolders, so I immediately went into design mode and created a drawer within the base so that it could adapt to 8 or 10 packs at a time and created a variation of the doubleClip meant just to hold two packs side by side. Next step: print and deliver.
The Impact on Bad Bunny’s Most Wanted Tour
Then something interesting happened. He needed a replacement for the last 3 shows of the tour because he was booked on another tour and asked me to step in. I said, “Cool, let’s do it.” Serendipitously, the next show was in Orlando, so a short 15-minute drive later, I was at the KIA Center delivering the order and waiting for the hands to bring the monitor world cases so Danny could show me how the sausage was made. THEN I finally understood why he had been keeping me so busy. They were using 15 Sennheiser EM 6000s for 30 wireless sources and 12 SR 2050s for 24 wireless mixes, totaling around 100 belt-packs between DX and G4 series. It made me think "Wow, and I came up with these products just because I needed to handle 24 packs." At the same time, I realized how this system made it effortless to manage all that gear. Talk about an enlightening experience. The victory lap came the week after when I was effectively subbing for Danny and noticed that the only time I had to touch the packs and mics was when they needed a battery replacement. Other than that, everyone already knew where to get their packs and where to leave them, and most of that happened on just one 6'x2' table. I really wanted to say that this system is genius, but that would be a conflict of interest, so I kept the thoughts to myself. 😝
On the other hand, here's what Danny had to say about the experience:
"Initially my main concern was RF intermod, but truth is that all the units were always off except for the moment they were actually being used, so logistically it was a complete success as it provided an efficient, reliable and repeatable structure for the crew. It was a perfect fit and the color coding made it easier for everyone. With StageStrike, I found the perfect solution for every RF gear management situation. The best part, Castor was hands-on and took care of every small detail that I needed to improve my setup and work area. And as bonus my table looks amazing too. It's definitely is a game changer "
Conclusion: A Successful Collaboration
Now, in the aftermath, we’re left with around six new parts to be published on the website, a real-life experience of how the system fares in a touring situation, and most importantly, a new professional and personal relationship with a valued customer who bet on us and is reaping the benefits.
Until next time… Boop! 🫵😉
