Story of the Month:

Renato Haddad, A Live Audio Professional

Renato Haddad reflects on his journey through live audio, drawing from hands-on production and equipment rental experience to share insights on real-world challenges, evolving technologies, and the trends shaping today’s live events.

Live audio relies on more than equipment alone—it depends on the people behind the setup who make everything work. Their experience with gear, workflow, and technology shapes the results that audiences often take for granted. Among those professionals is Renato Haddad, whose work reflects the practical side of the industry.

Based in São Paulo, Renato is an entrepreneur working across production services, equipment rental, and live music. Through years of hands-on involvement in sound systems and equipment management, he now operates production and rental services with nearly two decades of experience in the field.

Join us as we explore how Renato approaches equipment selection in real-world environments, adapts to new technologies, and shares his perspective on the trends shaping the future of the audio industry.

(Acompanhe-nos nesta conversa sobre como sua compreensão cada vez mais profunda da área moldou sua abordagem para oferecer suporte audiovisual sob medida para os mais diversos tipos de eventos.)

1. You started your journey in the music industry as a member of a musical group. How was that transition from musician to businessman in the audio sector?

Actually, I started as a businessman. I put together a band, bought the instruments, and negotiated the shows myself.

The audio part came naturally because at the beginning of the band I had the demand for equipment and I rented it. Over time, I acquired equipment and increased the band's structure and started serving other clients.

Na verdade eu já comecei como empresário, montei uma banda, comprei os instrumentos e eu mesmo já negociava os shows.

A parte do áudio veio naturalmente pois no início da banda eu tinha a demanda por equipamentos e fazia a locação, com o passar do tempo fui adquirindo equipamentos e aumentando a estrutura da banda e começando a atender outros clientes.

2. What were the biggest challenges you faced as a businessman in the audio industry and how did you overcome them to get where you are today?

The challenges are diverse. Initially, I believe it was being able to fully meet the requests, as there was always something missing from my equipment. With the high costs, I gradually acquired more and more until I built a company with the potential to serve clients.

Os desafios são diversos. Inicialmente creio que foi conseguir atender as solicitações por completo, pois sempre faltava algo nos meus equipamentos. Com os altos custos aos poucos fui adquirindo mais e mais até montar uma empresa com potencial para atender os clientes.

3. Do you still perform professionally or has your focus shifted entirely to the business side of the industry?

We still maintain the musical and artistic side of things here in the company. Currently, I have a production company that negotiates bands and DJs for various types of events, as well as a rental company for sound equipment, lighting, and stage structures.

Being a musician has helped me a lot in choosing good equipment and in gaining the knowledge to face the challenges faced by clients.

Ainda mantemos a parte musical e artística aqui na empresa. Atualmente tenho uma produtora que negocia bandas e DJs para os diversos tipos de eventos e também a locadora de equipamentos de som, iluminação e estrutura de palco.

Ser músico me ajudou muito na escolha de bons equipamentos e no conhecimento para enfrentar as dificuldades dos clientes.

4. As an entrepreneur in the music and audio field, you have been investing in technology to improve your services. What innovations or equipment do you consider most impactful in offering better shows and experiences to your clients?

Yes, the investments don't stop. We are growing. Regarding innovations, I would say that being able to offer wireless equipment has been very impactful; this allows for a much greater artistic experience for events.

Sim, os investimentos não param. Estamos em crescimento. Sobre as inovações eu diria que poder oferecer equipamentos sem fio foram muito impactantes, isso permite uma experiência artística muito grande para os eventos.

5. When deciding on new investments for your company, what factors do you consider most important?

The factors are (type of equipment, quality, reliability, and price). Since I'm in the largest city in Brazil and have the most RF interference, choosing reliable equipment is paramount.

Os fatores são (tipo de equipamento, qualidade, confiabilidade e preço). Como estou na maior cidade do Brasil e com a maior interferência de RF é primordial escolher equipamentos confiáveis.

6. With the growth of your company and the changes in the audio industry landscape, what trends or innovations do you believe will shape the future of music production and events?

Technological evolution has been very radical and rapid. I realize that we are entering an era where audio equipment is all network-connected (Dante). This will be the prevailing trend for major events.

A evolução tecnológica tem sido muito radical e rápida. Percebo que estamos entrando em uma era onde os equipamentos de áudio estão todos conectados por rede (Dante). Isso será predominante para os grandes eventos.

7. With the rapid evolution of network-connected audio equipment, how do you think this shift will impact businesses in the industry? What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges, and how can businesses stay competitive in this evolving landscape?

In the Brazilian market, which is very diverse, there are many small companies working with audio. These smaller companies will still take a few years to adapt and embrace (audio over network), but the larger companies are already taking advantage of this truly fantastic technology, which not only integrates everything but also facilitates control, setup, management, and audio quality. The biggest challenges are (price and lack of technical knowledge).

Regarding competitiveness, I don't think it will affect much, because the customers of small suppliers are not willing to pay for the more advanced service.

No mercado Brasileiro que é muito diversificado, existem muitas empresas de pequeno porte trabalhando com áudio. Essas empresas menores ainda vão levar uns bons anos para se adaptar e aderir ao (áudio por rede), porém as empresas de grande porte já estão se aproveitando dessa tecnologia que realmente é fantástica, que além de integrar tudo, facilita no controle, montagem, gerenciamento e qualidade de áudio. Os maiores desafios são (preço e falta de conhecimento técnico).

Sobre a competitividade, creio que não vai afetar, pois os clientes do fornecedor de pequeno porte não estão dispostos a pagar pelo serviço mais aprimorado.

8. Although you're not always directly using the equipment in your business, have you recommended or sold Phenyx Pro products to your clients? What kind of feedback have you received from them regarding our products?

I've recommended them a lot. Since I've had Phenyx Pro equipment for quite some time, I was one of the influencers on WhatsApp. The fact that I could test it in practice with the musical side of our company helped a lot in sharing experiences with other people. Most of the friends and clients I recommended are satisfied. There are occasional problems with equipment like the PTM-33 in some cases, but overall the feedback is very positive.

Já recomendei muito. Como tenho equipamentos Phenyx Pro há bastante tempo, fui um dos influenciadores pelo WhatsApp. O fato de poder testar na prática com a parte musical da nossa empresa isso ajudou muito a compartilhar experiências com outras pessoas. A maioria dos amigos e clientes que indiquei estão satisfeitos. Problemas pontuais em equipamentos como o PTM-33 em alguns casos, mas no geral o Feedback é bem positivo.

9. Having recommended many Phenyx Pro products to your clients, you’ve received positive feedback. Can you share some specific examples of what aspects customers were most satisfied with? How did their feedback influence the way you recommend products in the future?

I’ve had the opportunity to recommend Phenyx Pro to several clients and friends. Since I’ve been in the group for a long time and am based in São Paulo, which is the most complex and evolved region, clients really take my opinion and experience into account.

For Phenyx Pro, the points that impress the clients I recommend are:

• Fair price
• Equipment quality
• Proper after-sales service.

Since I have a large range of Phenyx Pro products, my experience is considered by them. The feedback from clients has been important for me to further promote the products positively. For all the people I recommend, I talk about those who have already bought and are satisfied.

Tive a oportunidade de recomendar a Phenyx Pro para vários clientes e amigos. Como estou há bastante tempo no grupo, e por estar em São Paulo, que é a região mais complexa e evoluída os clientes levam muito em consideração minha opinião e experiência.

No caso da Phenyx Pro, os pontos que mais impressionam os clientes que indico são:

• Preço justo
• Qualidade do equipamento
• Atendimento correto de pós-vendas.

Como eu tenho uma gama muito grande de produtos Phenyx Pro, eles acabam levando em consideração a minha experiência.

O feedback dos clientes foi importante para que eu pudesse divulgar ainda mais positivamente os produtos. Para todos que eu indico eu falo dos que já compraram e estão satisfeitos.

Final Thoughts

Renato’s insights in this interview stem from his extensive hands-on experience in the field. Over the years, he’s tackled a range of audio challenges at live events while continuously exploring new equipment and technologies. As trends like wireless systems and networked audio become dominant forces in the industry, workflows are naturally evolving. Renato’s observations highlight a common challenge faced by many audio professionals: balancing budget, demand, and reliability, while striving to improve service quality amidst rapid technological advancements.

At Phenyx Pro, we are dedicated to supporting professionals like Renato with innovative, reliable audio solutions that evolve with the industry. Feedback from professionals working in complex, real-world environments continues to inform how we refine and evolve our products. Through continuous improvement and user feedback, we empower professionals to create exceptional audio experiences.

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