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Insights · 9 field notes · no email required

What we tell planners on the phone, written down

Costs, contracts, LED versus projection, why hybrid audio fails: the questions every planner asks, answered by the people who run the shows.

  1. 09

    How many wireless microphones does your event actually need?

    The mic-count math for panels, town halls, and galas — plus why the answer is almost never 'one per person on the agenda.'

    5 min read

  2. 08

    How much power does your event need? A planner's guide

    Wall outlets, dedicated circuits, and tie-ins — what AV actually draws, and the venue questions that prevent show-day breaker trips.

    4 min read

  3. 07

    The run of show: how to write one your crew can actually call

    An agenda tells people when to show up. A run of show tells a crew what happens next. Here's the difference, column by column.

    5 min read

  4. 06

    The 30-day AV run-up: a checklist for corporate events

    The week-by-week advance timeline we run before corporate shows — written so you can steal it, whoever your AV provider is.

    6 min read

  5. 05

    Hotel in-house AV vs. an independent AV company: a Baltimore planner's guide

    How venue commissions actually work, when the in-house team is genuinely your best option, what your contract really says about outside AV, and how to negotiate the clause before you sign.

    5 min read

  6. 04

    LED wall vs. projection: how to choose for your room

    The four factors that actually decide it — ambient light, sightlines, content, and budget — and the crossover point where LED stops being the expensive option.

    5 min read

  7. 03

    How to read an AV quote

    Labor, advance, rigging, contingency — what each line actually buys, what a fair quote makes visible, and how to compare two bids that don't look alike.

    5 min read

  8. 02

    Hybrid town halls that don't embarrass anyone: audio first

    Remote attendees forgive a mediocre camera and never forgive bad audio. Why hybrid sound fails, what mix-minus means, and what a real hybrid kit includes.

    5 min read

  9. 01

    What event AV actually costs in Baltimore: the 2026 guide

    Realistic ranges by event size and format, the six drivers that move every quote, what quietly inflates prices, and the questions that keep vendors honest.

    6 min read

Printable planner tools

Checklists and a run-of-show template, free to use with any provider.

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Tell us about the event.

A date, a room, and a rough headcount are plenty to start. You’ll hear back from a production lead, not a sales queue.

Weekdays 9–6 ET

(443) 868-2826

Spells 868-AVCO.