Bon Jovi bassist finds clarity with ClearOne

USA - As the bassist and backup singer for Bon Jovi, Hugh McDonald admits that his performances rely on trusted legacy equipment and he doesn’t concern himself too much with following the latest performance gear and technology. But after a year of cancelled tours and countless hours using the integrated webcam and microphone on his laptop, McDonald recently recognised that, in his own words, “There has to be a better way to do this.”
After a brief chat with some industry friends, he found the upgraded gear he needed: the ClearOne Aura Versa 50 audio and video solution.
“When I finally had to do a recording, and I was setting up the laptop, positioning it in the room, it really felt cobbled together, like a subpar solution,” McDonald said. “The band ended up doing a lot of video from our homes for various organizations, plus solo videos to prepare for a live session in Nashville, and now when I look back, I wish I had upgraded my collaboration gear earlier. No integrated laptop or phone camera can deliver 4K video, HD audio and special functions like the pan, tilt and zoom offered by my new ClearOne Aura Versa 50.”
The ClearOne Aura Versa 50 package combines a UNITE 50 ePTZ camera with a CHAT 150 speakerphone and a Versa USB Hub. The camera offers a 4K, 120-degree ultra-wide view lens with a 3x digital zoom, while the speakerphone delivers HDConference audio and plug-and-play simplicity with the Versa USB Hub.
With the uncertain timeline for the return of regular live events and musical performances, more and more artists, musicians and other performers are seriously considering how they can work from home to earn an income and stay busy. From McDonald’s point of view, part of the equation is making sure that any virtual performance or collaboration must feel as personal and real as possible.
“When I’m in a virtual session performing with bandmates or even for an audience, there has to be a visceral sense of connection and shared excitement, which can be instantly ruined by grainy video or scratchy audio,” he explains. “There’s no downside to having a better camera, microphone and speaker that offer vastly improved quality with more functions. The small physical size of the gear is great, too, because we can easily move it from my office to my wife’s computer, or take it on the road so we always present our best.”

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