CDS History

Clair Data Services (CDS) is a testament to Clair's commitment to delivering exceptional experiences. The Clair Global Archives looks at how Clair's creative team of problem solvers paves the way for a critical service that transcends audio.

in 1994, co-founder Roy Clair and chief engineer Ron Borthwick were awarded a patent for an Enhanced Concert Audio System. The method, branded Concert Sonics, was designed to enhance the fan experience by delivering supplemental audio to individual listeners wearing headphones via FM transmission to custom receivers. While the costs and logistics of this method were prohibitive, the technology performed well when tested at select shows on various tours, including U2's PopMart (1997).

By 2010, concertgoers could supply their own audio receivers—smartphones. That year, engineer Jim Meyer applied for, and later received, a patent for a delay-finding algorithm that individually optimized the experience at every location in the venue. Concert Sonics was re-launched as Aermonix under the leadership of Andrea Shirk (current CEO of Rock Lititz). Aermonix used Wi-Fi to send encoded audio to a proprietary smartphone app. Despite limitations of nascent smartphone technology, Clair's team made considerable improvements to high-density Wi-Fi and its supporting high-speed networks—the latter quickly becoming a critical component of live events.

Harry Witz, whose Chicago-based dB Sound was acquired in 2008, was asked to further develop Clair's networking brand. Witz and his team (now called Clair Data Services) advanced connectivity solutions like powering transactions, facilitating access control, and delivering internet for production teams. Experience with effective packaging and deployment of large-scale systems, gained from 50+ years of touring and production, proved to be a considerable advantage.

The big break came in 2015. A major festival hired Clair to provide Wi-Fi for their VIP lounge. When the festival's primary network provider experienced a system failure, the Clair Data Services (CDS) team reconfigured their setup to cover site-wide critical services, like point-of-sale. Since then, CDS has provided solutions that optimize production workflows and facilitate seamless communications across the world's top events. Since Safari Solutions joined the team in 2025, Clair Data Services and Safari have seen strong momentum across live entertainment, including prominent sports projects in championship auto racing and elite international golf competitions.