Intercom

Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station

The Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X is a four-channel digital intercom main station running over a single shielded Cat5e to all the beltpacks on the channel — replacing the analog two-pair partyline with cleaner audio, more channels, and more beltpacks per run. Lives in stage manager, FOH, and monitor world racks at touring shows + theatres + corporate AV. Bridges to analog partylines for legacy comms inventory, and ties into RTS via 4-wire when needed.

Compare

Discontinued. HMS-4X marked DISCONTINUED by Clear-Com (HelixNet gen 1) — succeeded by Arcadia. Kept for owners.

Photos

Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.

Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station — Photo: Clear-ComClick to zoom

Documented outputs: 22 destination connections
Documented inputs: 3Based on documented inputs
Rack space: 1UBuilder checks available rail space
Power draw: 25W35W documented maximum
Catalog estimate: ~$4,499Use retailer rows for current price and stock

01 · What it does—and what that changes in your rig.

Product overview

Start with the payoff, then work through how it functions, where it fits, and the details that change a real build.

The payoff

Intercom decisions, organized around the whole rig.

The HMS-4X is Clear-Com's four-channel digital intercom main station, and for most touring, theatre, and corporate AV rigs it's the nerve center of show communications. A single shielded Cat5e run from this box carries all four HelixNet channels out to beltpacks, which means you're replacing the old two-pair partyline snake with one cable and getting cleaner audio and more beltpack capacity per run in return. The two analog partyline ports let you bridge legacy belt stations or a second building's existing comm infrastructure, and the 4-wire XLR pair ties directly into RTS matrix systems when the show demands it. One rack unit, 3.8 kg, and it handles the entire comms topology.

Documented outputs: 22 destination connections
Documented inputs: 3Based on documented inputs
Rack space: 1UBuilder checks available rail space

Clear-Com product panel1U · 25W

Function

How it works in the path

At load-in, the single-cable architecture pays off immediately — you're pulling Cat5e instead of multi-pair, and the Ethernet config port means you can adjust channel assignments and beltpack permissions from a laptop without touching the front panel. The 25-watt nominal draw is light enough that it won't stress a standard power conditioner circuit even when you're daisy-chaining beltpacks off a long run. The gooseneck mic input and stage-announce XLR output mean the station engineer has a dedicated announce path without stealing a channel slot, which matters on a complex show where all four comms channels are already assigned. At 230mm deep it's a standard fit in most 14-inch-deep rack lids.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the rack

If you're running more than a handful of beltpacks across multiple departments on a touring production or a mid-to-large theatre, the HMS-4X is the right call — the four-channel digital architecture gives you discrete comms for stage management, monitor world, FOH, and deck crew without cross-talk or level-sharing compromises. For a small club rig or a two-person broadcast workflow, it's more station than you need and the price reflects that; a single-channel partyline system or a simpler two-channel digital station is a better fit. The analog partyline bridge ports make it a realistic upgrade path rather than a forklift replacement if your crew still carries older belt packs.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

Run the HelixNet Cat5e on its own dedicated cable pull — don't bundle it with RF or audio snake runs if you can avoid it, especially over long stage-to-FOH distances where interference risk increases.
Use the Ethernet config port during advance and save your channel/beltpack assignments as a named show file; at the next load-in you're restoring a config rather than rebuilding from scratch.
Patch the 4-wire Out into your IEM or monitor console's aux return if you need program feed on comms — it's a cleaner integration than routing through FOH and back.
Label both partyline XLR ports clearly on a patch bay or rack lid label strip; they're bidirectional and easy to swap under pressure, and a reversed partyline connection is a non-obvious troubleshoot mid-show.

02 · Know the whole path before you buy.

Signal path

Learn the route as a block diagram: source, product function, transport, and destination. Select any block to see what enters, what changes, and what leaves.

Interactive block diagramAuto-looping · hover, focus, or tap to hold a stage

Port-type signalProduct functionSystem boundary

Follow one signal from source to destination

Each block answers the same three questions: what arrives, what changes here, and what leaves.

01 · Source · selected

01 · Source

3 documented inputs

XLR female + IEC C14

Arrives as: 3 documented inputs
Connector: XLR female + IEC C14
Signal: analog audio

03 · What this product asks of the rest of the system.

Compatibility

Treat connector names as the start of the check—not the answer. These are the boundaries that determine a complete working path.

Best fit · Intercom

Use it when 1U and 230 mm of depth fit the case.

Plan the companion path

Complete the path with upstream and downstream gear that matches connector, direction, signal type, protocol, and wiring standard.

Connector boundary

Documented connectors: RJ45, XLR female, XLR male, IEC C14. Match connector, direction, and signal type—not shape alone.

04 · Every connector, grouped by job.

I/O ports

Switch the product view and the documented port inventory updates with it—hardware and data stay side by side.

Every connector, grouped by job.

Switch panels to keep the hardware view and the documented port list in sync.

Panel view

Front panel

Rear panel

All documented ports for Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station
Port	Panel	Connector	Direction	Signal	Channels
HelixNet Channel A (RJ45)	rear	RJ45	bidirectional	data	—
HelixNet Channel B (RJ45)	rear	RJ45	bidirectional	data	—
Partyline A (XLR-3)	rear	XLR female	bidirectional	analog audio	—
Partyline B (XLR-3)	rear	XLR female	bidirectional	analog audio	—
IFB / 4-wire In (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
IFB / 4-wire Out (XLR)	rear	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Ethernet (config)	rear	RJ45	bidirectional	data	—
Stage Announce / Aux Out	rear	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Gooseneck Mic In (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Power (IEC)	rear	IEC C14	input	power	—

Showing 10 of 10 documented physical ports.

05 · Compare the decision, not just the price.

Alternatives

The rows are organized around fit, power, I/O, and system role so a cheaper unit cannot hide a more expensive workflow.

Compare	Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main StationThis gear	External unit RTS BP-325 Beltpack
Fit	📐 1U	📐 Outside rack
Power	⚡ 25W	⚡ Unverified
Weight	⚖️ 8.4 lb	⚖️ 0.9 lb
I/O	🔌 10	🔌 5
Estimate	💵 ~$4,499	💵 ~$549
Deep dive	Current selection	Full comparison →

06 · Resolve the questions that can change the purchase or build plan.

Planning questions

Short, source-backed answers surface rack fit, power, cabling, and connection details before they become surprises.

How will the Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station affect rack fit and case depth?

It occupies 1U. Its documented depth is 230 mm.

How much power does the Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station draw?

Typical draw is 25W and documented maximum draw is 35W.

What connections does the Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station have?

10 documented physical ports, including HelixNet Channel A (RJ45), HelixNet Channel B (RJ45), Partyline A (XLR-3), Partyline B (XLR-3), IFB / 4-wire In (XLR), IFB / 4-wire Out (XLR).

Is the Clear-Com HelixNet HMS-4X Main Station discontinued?

HMS-4X marked DISCONTINUED by Clear-Com (HelixNet gen 1) — succeeded by Arcadia. Kept for owners.

07 · See this unit inside a real rack plan.

Builder preview

Placement is only the start. Builder checks space · depth · weight, power headroom, dependencies, and compatible signal paths around this exact catalog item.Open in Builder

08 · Related gear, in the order you may need it.

External unit

Intercom

RTS BP-325 Beltpack

Outside rack · 5 ports · ~$549