Choosing the right intercom system for your church’s live production can make all the difference in keeping things running smoothly, whether you're in the room or streaming to an audience. Two key types of systems—party line and matrix—serve different needs, so understanding each will help you create a more efficient communication structure for your team.

At their core, party line systems are simpler and often more budget-friendly. In these setups, you can have multiple channels (or "party lines"), but each channel is isolated from the others. For example, your video team may be on one party line, and the audio team on another. Each belt pack or intercom device can access specific channels, ensuring team members only hear what’s relevant to them. This is great for small teams where the communication doesn’t need to be too complex or private, but it can quickly become distracting if not set up properly.

For larger teams, a matrix system is often the better choice. These systems are much more flexible and scalable. They allow for point-to-point communication, meaning you can have a one-on-one conversation without the rest of the team hearing it. This is especially useful for larger productions where you need more control over who communicates with whom. A matrix system can scale up to thousands of devices, making it ideal for big events like church conferences or large-scale live-streamed services. The flexibility to create specific party lines and private conversations helps reduce unnecessary chatter and ensures your team only hears what they need to hear.

The right choice depends on the scale of your production and the level of communication needed. If you're running a smaller, simpler setup, a party line system might be all you need. But for larger teams with multiple roles—like stagehands, tech teams, and producers—a matrix system provides greater flexibility and precision in communication. Both systems can help streamline your workflow, so it’s all about finding the one that fits your church’s needs best.