Behind the Rack

Vincent
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Behind the Rack is the AV industry podcast where Pro AV, broadcast, and live production come to life. Hosted by Hugo Chevrette, Franco Caruso, and Vincent Simoneau, each episode dives into the latest audio, video, and broadcast technology trends, while sharing real-world experiences from integrators, tech specialists, and industry leaders. From new product launches and system integration tips to AV industry trends, audio solutions, and video workflows, the hosts keep the conversations casual, practical, and easy to follow. Expect honest insights, a few rants, and plenty of useful takeaways that go beyond what you’ll find in spec sheets or trade show booths. Whether you’re an AV integrator, dealer, broadcast engineer, or just passionate about pro audio and video technology, Behind the Rack helps you stay connected, learn something new, and see what’s really happening behind the rack.

  1. 8h ago

    Ep.14 - The Death of the AV Rack? Randy Blanchard on 33 Years in Pro AV

    Send us Fan Mail From projection TVs that weighed 260 lbs to AI-generated install guides — Randy Blanchard has seen every chapter of pro AV. In Episode 14 of Behind the Rack, the industry veteran joins host Vince Lavigne to unpack why the AV rack is disappearing, why networking skills are now non-negotiable for integrators, and where AI, video walls on substrate, and decentralized AV are taking the industry next. Recorded in Dorval, Quebec at SFM | Midwich, this conversation spans three decades of AV evolution: from analog distributed antenna systems and Crestron-stuffed racks to Dante audio networks, PoE everything, and conference rooms with nothing but a Luxul switch and a few PoE injectors behind the wall.  🎙️ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN  - Why the traditional AV rack is being replaced by network closets and cloud control - How Randy redesigned a 60-seat boardroom from 60 push-to-talk mics to 2 Shure MXA ceiling arrays - The shift from analog distributed antenna to Dante, AVB, and IP-based AV - Why AV integrators who aren't networking-fluent will be "100% left behind" - How AI tools like Gemini are already generating install guides, wiring diagrams, and BOMs - The future of video walls: from LED cabinets to printable substrate displays - Why integrators must stop selling parts lists and start selling themselves as the brand - The "suspension of disbelief" — AV's true endgame across audio, video, and XR  🔑 KEY TAKEAWAY  The rack isn't dying — it's migrating. AV is becoming a networking discipline, and the integrators who win the next decade will be the ones who sell themselves as the solution, not a bill of materials tied together with Cat6.  🏢 ABOUT BEHIND THE RACK  Behind the Rack is SFM's podcast for AV integrators, dealers, broadcast engineers, and pro-audio professionals across Canada and beyond. Hosted by Vince Lavigne, the show goes behind the gear to explore the people, decisions, and shifts shaping commercial AV, broadcast, pro/live sound, and systems integration. SFM is a Midwich Group company headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, distributing brands including Shure, Genelec, Electro-Voice, Dynacord, QSC, Avid, BirdDog, Blustream, Netgear, Visionary Solutions, Christie, Bosch, Pioneer DJ, and LEA.  🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PLATFORM  Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Buzzsprout • YouTube Music 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every month featuring AV industry leaders, brand experts, and integrator deep-dives.  ❓ FREQUENTLY ASKED  Q: Are AV racks really disappearing? A: In fixed installations, yes — most AV functions are migrating to network switches, PoE, and cloud control. Racks remain essential in live venues, broadcast, and data centers.  Q: What skills do AV integrators need most in 2026? A: Networking fluency (VLANs, QoS, multicast for Dante/AVB), system design thinking, and the ability to sell solutions rather than equipment lists.  Q: Who is Randy Blanchard? A: A 33-year pro AV veteran with experience spanning high-end residential integration, AV distribution, video wall manufacturing, and consulting — based in the Detroit metro area.  Q: What is "Behind the Rack"? A: A monthly podcast by SFM (a Midwich company) exploring the people and technology shaping professional AV across Canada.  #BehindTheRack #ProAV #AVIntegration #AVoverIP #Dante #SystemsIntegration #AVtweeps #InfoComm #SFM #Midwich #AVindustry #CommercialAV #VideoWalls #NetworkedAudio #AVnetworking #AVpodcast

    1h 9m

  2. May 14

    Ep.13 - The DJ Booth Has Changed Forever — 5 Shifts Reshaping Live Events in 2026

    Send us Fan Mail The DJ booth has quietly become one of the most technically complex positions in live event production — and most people haven't noticed.    In Episode 13 of Behind the Rack, hosts Franco and James join us for a candid roundtable on the 5 biggest shifts transforming the modern DJ booth: the evolution from stand-alone performer to full production hub, the rise of monitor stacks and line arrays behind festival booths, how mobile DJs are now controlling lighting and video from a single controller, the slow death of the MC skill, and what AI might realistically bring to the DJ world in the next 18–24 months.    We also get into the real talk on sound quality vs. aesthetics at weddings, the democratization of DJing (and whether it's raised or lowered the bar), vinyl's surprising comeback, and how music curation — not just playback — is what separates great DJs from average ones.    If you're a DJ, a live event production pro, an AV integrator, or just someone who's ever been to a wedding and noticed something felt off with the sound — this one is for you.    Topics covered:  • The 5 shifts reshaping the modern DJ booth  • Festival booth logistics: rolling setups and pre-production meetings  • Why mobile DJs now need to know lighting, video AND sound  • The MCing skill gap and why it matters  • Column speakers and aesthetics: when looks beat SPL  • Audio fatigue, speech intelligibility, and the father-of-the-bride problem  • Shure SLXD wireless scanning — done right  • DJ software reliability: the case for whatever doesn't crash  • Networking cables in the DJ booth (yes, really in 2025)  • Barrier to entry: $200 controllers and the democratization debate  • AI in DJing: BPM matching, stem isolation, facial recognition — what's coming?    🎙️ Behind the Rack is produced by SFM, a Midwich company — Canada's trusted AV distribution partner for Broadcast, Pro/Live, and Systems Integration.  📍 New episodes every two weeks.  🌐 sfm.ca

    54 min

  3. Apr 29

    Ep.12 - Understanding Unified Communications Today—and Where DTEN Fits In

    Send us Fan Mail Unified Communications didn’t suddenly appear during the pandemic—it was already in motion. What changed was the pace, and more importantly, the expectations. In this episode of Behind the Rack, we sit down with David from DTEN to explore how the UC space has evolved from hardware-based systems and dedicated codecs to the software-driven, cloud-connected platforms we rely on today. The conversation traces that journey—from early interoperability challenges to the rise of Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and the shift toward simpler, more accessible meeting room experiences. DTEN’s story fits directly into that evolution. Starting with interactive whiteboards, the company moved early into all-in-one collaboration systems, helping redefine what a meeting room can look like when everything—from camera to compute—is built into a single platform. But this discussion goes beyond product design. It looks at how user behavior has changed, why hybrid work exposed gaps in traditional AV deployments, and how expectations around simplicity and reliability are now driving decision-making. We also explore what’s coming next. From digital whiteboarding and persistent collaboration to the growing role of AI—both in the cloud and at the edge—the future of meeting spaces is becoming more intelligent, more responsive, and more aligned with how people actually work. For integrators, consultants, and anyone involved in designing collaboration environments, this episode offers a grounded look at where Unified Communications stands today—and where it’s heading next.

    1h 2m

  4. Apr 9

    Ep.11 - Immersive Audio and the Next Format Shift in Music Production ft. George Williams

    Send us Fan Mail Immersive audio isn’t just another format—it may be the most significant shift in music production since the move from mono to stereo. In this episode, George from Apogee Electronics joins us to explore how immersive audio is reshaping the way music is created, mixed, and experienced. From the early days of digital recording to today’s rapid adoption of Dolby Atmos, we unpack the technical, creative, and commercial forces driving this evolution. The conversation dives into the realities behind immersive workflows, the role of major platforms like Apple in accelerating adoption, and why this format is finally succeeding where surround sound struggled. For integrators, engineers, and anyone working in pro AV, this episode offers a grounded look at what immersive audio actually means—and where it’s going next.

    1h 2m

  5. Mar 26

    Ep.10 - The Future of UC & Collaboration (AI, Teams vs Zoom, Meeting Rooms) – ft. Josh Blalock

    Send us Fan Mail What is Unified Communications — and why is it now critical to how we work? In this episode of Behind the Rack, we’re joined by Josh Blalock (Shure, Microsoft MVP) to break down the evolution of UC and collaboration technology — from the pandemic-driven boom to today’s shift toward AI-powered meeting experiences. We explore how platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom are shaping the modern workplace, why meeting rooms are being redesigned, and how audio and video quality now directly impact AI-driven workflows. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in AV, IT, or business leadership looking to understand where collaboration technology is heading next. In this episode:  What Unified Communications (UC) means  Microsoft Teams vs Zoom trends  How AI is transforming meetings  Why meeting room design matters more than ever  The shift toward simple, scalable AV solutions  The importance of audio quality in AI workflows  What organizations are getting wrong about collaboration About the guest: Josh Blalock is Director of Collaboration Ecosystem & Engagement at Shure and a Microsoft MVP with over 20 years of experience in enterprise communications, Microsoft Teams, and collaboration technologies.

    1h 12m

  6. Mar 11

    Ep.9 - Immersive Tech Explained: XR, VR, AR and the Future of AV

    Send us Fan Mail Immersive technology is rapidly evolving — and it’s starting to intersect with the world of professional AV in new and interesting ways. In this episode of Behind the Rack, we’re joined by Daniel Grozdavov from Imagine360 to explore the world of Extended Reality (XR) and how technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are reshaping how organizations communicate, train, and create experiences. Together, we discuss what immersive technology really means beyond the buzzwords, how these environments are built, and where XR may intersect with the ProAV ecosystem. Topics include:  • Understanding XR, VR, and AR  • How immersive experiences are designed  • Applications in storytelling, education, and experiential environments  • The role AV infrastructure plays in immersive deployments  • The future of immersive technology Whether you work in ProAV, broadcast, content creation, or experiential design, this episode explores how immersive technology is beginning to influence the next generation of AV experiences.

    1h 17m

  7. Feb 25

    Ep.8 - Common AV Infrastructure Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

    Send us Fan Mail Infrastructure isn’t the flashy part of an AV system — but it’s the part that determines whether everything works… or fails when it matters most. In this episode of Behind the Rack, we break down the most common infrastructure mistakes we see across Commercial AV, Pro Live, Broadcast, and Enterprise deployments. From poor bandwidth planning and VLAN misconfiguration to IT & AV misalignment, lack of redundancy, and scalability blind spots — we’re talking about the real-world issues that cause instability, downtime, and expensive rework. If you’re deploying AV-over-IP, wireless microphone systems, IPTV, or live production environments, this episode will help you design smarter from day one. 🎧 Topics include: Why infrastructure often gets overlookedNetwork & bandwidth planning pitfallsIT and AV alignment challengesSegmentation and VLAN mistakesRedundancy and single points of failureFuture-proofing for scalabilityDocumentation & commissioning gapsStrong infrastructure isn’t optional — it’s foundational.

    1h 6m

  8. Feb 11

    Ep.7 - Matched Audio Systems: Simplifying Loudspeaker & Amplifier Design in Pro AV

    Send us Fan Mail Designing Pro AV audio systems wasn’t always straightforward — especially when it came to pairing loudspeakers and amplifiers. In this episode of Behind the Rack, Antony Chliaropoulos joins the conversation to explain how matched audio systems have changed that. We discuss how system design has evolved, why manufacturer-tested pairings reduce guesswork, and how modern tools help integrators deliver more consistent results. Drawing on years of experience across professional audio brands, Antony shares perspective on what this shift means for dealers, integrators, and end users alike. This episode covers:  • Loudspeaker and amplifier pairing fundamentals  • Why matched systems reduce risk and complexity  • System consistency, performance, and support  • Lessons from real-world Pro AV deployments A practical, experience-driven conversation about simplifying audio system design in today’s Pro AV landscape.

    50 min
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About

Behind the Rack is the AV industry podcast where Pro AV, broadcast, and live production come to life. Hosted by Hugo Chevrette, Franco Caruso, and Vincent Simoneau, each episode dives into the latest audio, video, and broadcast technology trends, while sharing real-world experiences from integrators, tech specialists, and industry leaders. From new product launches and system integration tips to AV industry trends, audio solutions, and video workflows, the hosts keep the conversations casual, practical, and easy to follow. Expect honest insights, a few rants, and plenty of useful takeaways that go beyond what you’ll find in spec sheets or trade show booths. Whether you’re an AV integrator, dealer, broadcast engineer, or just passionate about pro audio and video technology, Behind the Rack helps you stay connected, learn something new, and see what’s really happening behind the rack.

Information

  • Creator
    Vincent
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Behind the Rack
  • Show Website
    Behind the Rack