
EXCLUSIVE TEST: Hollyland Solidcom M1 Intercom System posted: 25/11/2021
by Sven Kubeile
For any live production that requires a larger crew communication is key. Usually a reliable intercom system will take care of that. Especially with larger productions, these systems are often complex. But there are also solutions for smaller teams, such as from. We were able to test Hollyland's latest top-of-the-range system Solidcom M1 in a real production environment.
Solidcom M1 is a digital intercom system for small to medium-sized applications and basically an intercom system in which, depending on the version, up to four or eight people can talk to each other independently. It is not a system in which the beltpacks can be used to create a complex wired intercom solution. The beltpacks do not contact each other directly, the connection is established via a base station. The individual units can also be configured and assigned to groups via the integrated display and the control options. The base has to be powered with a dedicated power supply unit via an Ethernet port. Multiple systems can be cascaded with one another or connected to a third-party system using additional connections. Compatible manufacturers are Clear-Com, Hanson, Altair and Datavideo. A directional antenna is integrated in the base to ensure a secure radio connection, a feature which is particularly useful for stage applications. When placed on a tripod a range of 400 meters can be achieved. For applications in which users of the beltpack have to be mobile, the use of the supplied rod antennas ist recommended. They enable an omnidirectional range of 300 meters.
Beltpacks
The beltpacks are very well made and look neither too small nor too big. There is a battery compartment on the side. For charging the devices can either be placed in the supplied charging cradle or batteries can be removed individually and charged separately, allowing the batteries to be exchanged quickly during production. On the bottom of the bealtpacks there are LEMO sockets to plug in the headsets that come with the beltpack. The talk switch can be found easily on the top of the device. A few settings can be made via a display and three buttons, but these do not go into much depth so that the user is prevented to change anything essential. The volume can be adjusted as required using two buttons on the side
Headsets
The supplied headsets are open on one side and allow good speech intelligibility as well in noisy environments. A tally is attached to the foldable microphone, shows that a sound signal is being transmitted. The headband is comfortable and the quality of the connectors will most likely allow for a long service.
On set
We used the Solidcom M1 system in a production enviromment to find out the systems capabilities and its potential limits. It was used as the main intercom for two small Live-TV productions taking place in large churches. The architecture of those caused the only problem that we came across. Due to the massive outer walls the signal range was sometimes in the range of only 10 metres which made it difficult to connect to the system's base station in the outside broadcast vehicle. This would normally have called for either using a second base station or careful readjusting of the existing base station - which was the route we went down.
Everything being set up well you can enjoy very good voice quality, which simplifies production both on air and during assembly and dismantling. A clean reception and transmission quality was possible at all times, even when speaking in a low voice like you have to during a production in a church. We especially liked the integrated audio processing that prevents noise from all open beltpacks from adding up and thereby reducing speech intelligibility. External providers who were included in the intercom were also enthusiastic about the intelligibility of speech and how comfortably the headsets could be worn.
The dismantling of the system was as quick and easy as the setup before. Thanks to the perfectly provided cutouts in the case, everything could be packed quickly and securely. The trolley has integrated rollers and can be easily transported over long distances.
Conclusion
If you decide to buy a Hollyland Solidcom M1, you get a very capable, well-functioning and simple intercom system. Being in a price range of under 8,000 euros for eight transmitter / receiver units, the system can't be compared with significantly more scalable systems such as a Riedel's Bolero. For small to medium-sized and less complex productions, small live streams and TV broadcasts, theaters, film productions and event companies, the Solidcom M1 offers almost everything you can possibly need. In addition, it can be set up and operated by almost anyone without any particular system training.
What we liked:
High quality and robust construction
Very good voice quality
High quality case tailored to the system
Comfortable headsets
Robust connectors on beltpacks and headsets
Long battery life
Everything you need in one case
No training necessary
What we didnt like:
Low range through walls - in that case the use of two bases is advisable
No push-to-talk , just continuous on or off
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
At IBC2026, MediaKind will make its first major appearance as a unified global powerhouse in video, showcasing one of the world's most comprehensive video i...
06/08/2026
Big Blue Marble (#5.A63) will demonstrate how its integrated technology and operational expertise help media companies scale premium services with less complexi...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research has received more than $500,000 in first-year fund...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Viruses are masters at invading our cells thanks to specialized proteins that coat their surfaces. When scientists design vaccines, they often crea...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-The brain has its own immune system, which detects threats and mounts a defense. A growing body of evidence has shown that in Alzheimer's disea...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research chemist Jin-Quan Yu has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors a scientist can achieve....
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research ranked third in the inaugural 2026 Cure Innovation Index recognizing the top-performing institutes and centers across the United S...
06/08/2026
Benjamin Cravatt, the Gilula Chair of Chemical Biology and a professor of chemis...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Dennis Burton, professor and the James & Jessie Minor Chair in Immu...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Inside every human cell, proteins are constantly being tagged with small chemical modifications after they're produced. Known as post-translati...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA-Scripps Research has established the Ian Wilson Endowed Chair, a new fa...
06/08/2026
Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Science...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Professor Jin-Quan Yu of Scripps Research has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the U.K.'s national academy of sciences and ...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-For years, researchers have been hoping for vaccines that protect people against not just one strain of HIV, but every strain of the quickly mutati...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-The Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, the nonprofit...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Building the complex 3D molecules needed for new medicines has alwa...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Fentanyl and related variants of the synthetic opioid kill more Americans each year than car accidents and gun violence combined. In too-high doses...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-What do decoding communication between organs and reimagining the future of genome editing have in common? They're among the scientific questio...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, app...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-For some people, cancer immunotherapies are life-changing. These treatments can turn the body's own immune system against a tumor, either elimi...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Many conditions that cause vision loss share a common feature: the ...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-RNA interference is a natural mechanism for living cells to control whether specific genes are being used or not.
Crowned with the 2006 Nobel Priz...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-The drugs that keep rheumatoid arthritis in check may one day help people stop drinking. A new Scripps Research study shows that an anti-inflammato...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to global health, linked to an estimated 4.7 million deaths worldwide in 2019 alone. As mor...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Some of the world's best-selling diabetes drugs depend on a che...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Detecting infectious disease threats early and responding quickly can dramatically alter the course of an infectious outbreak. Technologies such as...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Molecular biophysicist Joan Pulupa will join Scripps Research in Ja...
06/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-HIV is globally so diverse, consisting of hundreds of thousands of ...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/08/2026
At this year's SET EXPO, PlayBox Neo will present recent innovations across its PlayBox Neo Suite and integrated range of broadcast media solutions. By show...
06/08/2026
Live demo at IBC2026 VisualOn Booth, Hall 5, Stand A55
Amsterdam, Netherlands Modern Streaming Solutions Private Limited, a rising force in India's dig...
06/08/2026
Screen Australia and YouTube Australia fund five new teams through eleventh Skip...
06/08/2026
How Karukera Studio Built a Media Production Hub with SNS EVO
Melanie Ciotti August 5, 2026
0 Comments
Hero images displays Karukera Studio in Sainte-...
06/08/2026
NHK drama series Rosanjin no Kamado shot on PYXIS 6K
Brie Clayton August 5, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic PYXIS 6K and DaVinci Resolve Studio capture the...
06/08/2026
Camera Match: AutoSetup 3d Plugin / script for Photomontages- Cinema 4D
Jamie Cardoso August 5, 2026
0 Comments
If you do any kind of Architectural Vi...
06/08/2026
In Time airs Monday 10 August at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
In Time is the first film account of the life of D nal Lunny, one of the most influential Iri...
06/08/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on how developers, 3D practitioners and enterprises can transform their workflows u...
06/08/2026
August is here, bringing 26 new games for GeForce NOW members.
Command the seas in World of Warships: Legends and discover what's next in the GeForce NOW ...
05/08/2026
Thomson's Climate Crisis Toolkit for Media in Tanzania is being included in a new virtual library designed to ensure accurate and engaging storytelling arou...
05/08/2026
RSNs, teams, leagues, and streamers explore the present and future of local spor...
05/08/2026
As sports-production workflows generate larger volumes of unstructured data and ...