Conference Microphones

Conference Microphones

Conference microphones are extremely useful at conferences and larger meetings. By installing the microphones, you ensure that everyone is heard while saving time by not having to pass a regular microphone around among participants. The microphones can be used with all common programs and video services such as Skype, Google Meet, Google Hangout, Zoom, Facetime, etc. If you are holding a home meeting, video meeting, conference meeting, video call, online meeting, or similar, a good microphone is crucial for everyone to hear each other clearly and distinctly - otherwise, the call quickly becomes tiring.

The choice of conference microphone depends on the size of the room

The choice of the right microphone depends on the size of the room. In small group and meeting rooms with up to 5-6 participants, there is often no need for microphones unless you are having a video conference or recording the meeting. For that purpose, you can advantageously choose a discreet boundary microphone either with or without cable or a couple of condenser microphones hanging from the ceiling.

If you have a slightly larger meeting room with space for up to 30 people, it can be difficult for participants to hear each other if the tables are arranged in a circle so that everyone can see each other. If a video conference is to be held in the room or if the discussion is to be recorded for the archive, microphones are absolutely essential. It would be sensible to choose gooseneck models with either an on/off or mute button, as it quickly becomes chaotic if multiple microphones are on at once. It may be advantageous to choose panel microphones that have both a switch and a gooseneck.

If you are looking for microphones for a larger classroom with space for up to 40 people, the tables are usually arranged with a presenter speaking to a row of listeners, all looking up at the speaker from the same direction. To avoid straining to hear what is being said, it is often a good idea to choose a microphone, preferably a model with clips or a lavalier type, so it can be attached to the speaker's clothing. You can also choose a headset, which will also be able to pick up sound when the speaker turns their head away from the audience and towards the screen. On a lectern, it is often acoustically advantageous to place a gooseneck microphone.

If we talk about very large conference halls with space for several hundred listeners, the same advice as above will largely apply. However, you can greatly benefit from adding a sound system that can enhance speech intelligibility. If it is to be possible for the audience to ask questions, it is important to remember microphones for that purpose, so that those sitting in the back row can also follow what is being said.

At SoundStoreXL, you will find professional conference microphones and gooseneck microphones, where you as the moderator always have the opportunity to control who has the floor when, so that everything does not turn into chaos.

At SoundStoreXL, we have a large selection of many types of microphones, see for example our large selection of wireless microphones, headset microphones, USB microphones, and video microphones .

Microphone and acoustics are interconnected

The most important thing about sound in a conference room is good acoustics. Acoustics cannot be seen, but it can certainly be heard; however, despite its importance, it is often underprioritized by architects and building engineers in favor of a nice visual expression. A room with poor acoustics is terrible to work, listen, and be present in. It is exhausting for the brain to constantly compensate for the poor acoustics; the brain uses a lot of energy just trying to hear, and it is distracting, which quickly leads to poor concentration. Important things are communicated in a conference/meeting room, so poor acoustics are in no way beneficial.

Directional or table microphones

In a meeting situation around a table, it will likely be sufficient to hang a couple of ceiling-mounted microphones above the table. To avoid amplifying the surroundings and the acoustics further, the best solution would be to use directional microphones.

The table microphone has the advantage of only amplifying when activated by its user, and it is focused precisely on the person speaking. Therefore, the speech becomes clear and pleasant. In a seminar, presentation, or lecture situation where one or more speakers need to be amplified, there are several solutions. The most chosen and comfortable for the speaker would be a wireless lavalier microphone placed at the collar or breast pocket. Here, a directional or a non-directional microphone can be chosen. The latter sounds better and is less sensitive to the speaker moving their head during the presentation. However, it requires that the acoustics in the room are good. A handheld microphone or a wired table microphone can also be chosen, both of which will provide better sound and amplification. However, it occupies a hand for the speaker or requires a fixed position, which is rarely preferred. So here, comfort and practicality are a choice that often results in the wireless solution.

It is advisable to have sound reinforcement in a meeting room spread evenly throughout the room. It can be distracting to see a person speaking but hear the sound from a speaker located elsewhere in the room. The location and presence of the speaker become less immediate in terms of listening if ceiling speakers are used instead of wall speakers. The ceiling speaker creates a more diffuse sound field, and it is often easier to place the speakers evenly throughout the room with a ceiling placement.