Conference Microphones

Conference Microphones

Conference Microphones are extremely useful for conferences and larger meetings. By installing the microphones, you ensure that everyone is heard while saving time by not having to pass around a regular Microphones among participants. The microphones can be used with all common programs and video services like Skype, Google Meet, Google Hangout, Zoom, Facetime, etc. If you are hosting 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 room size

The choice of the right microphone depends on how large the room is. 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 this purpose, you can advantageously choose a discreet boundary microphone either with or without a 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 everyone can see each other. If you need to conduct a video conference in the room or record what is being said for, for example, the archive, microphones are absolutely indispensable. It would be wise to choose gooseneck models with either an on-/off- or mute button, because it quickly becomes chaotic if several microphones are on at once. It can be advantageous to choose panel microphones that have both a switch and a gooseneck.

If you are looking for microphones for a larger lecture hall with space for up to 40 people, the tables will usually be arranged with a presenter speaking to a row of listeners, all looking up at the speaker from the same direction. To prevent them from straining too much to hear what is being said, it is often a good idea to choose a microphone, preferably a model with clips or a type of lavalier, so it can be attached to clothing. You can also choose a headset, which will also be able to capture sound when the speaker turns their head away from the audience and towards the screen. On a podium, it is usually an acoustic advantage to place a gooseneck microphone.

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

At SoundStoreXL, you get professional conference microphones and gooseneck microphones, where you as the moderator always have the opportunity to control who has the floor when, so everything doesn't become chaotic.

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.

Microphones and acoustics are interconnected

The most important thing about sound in a conference room is good acoustics. Acoustics cannot be seen, but they can absolutely be heard; despite being so important, they are often under-prioritized by architects and building engineers in favor of a beautiful visual expression. A room with poor acoustics is terrible to work, listen, and be present in. It is tiring for the brain to constantly compensate for poor acoustics, the brain uses a lot of energy simply to listen, and it is distracting, quickly leading to poor concentration. Important things are communicated in a conference/meeting room, so poor acoustics are in no way conducive.

Directional or table microphones

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

The table microphone has the advantage that it only amplifies when activated by its user, and it is focused precisely on the speaker. The speech is therefore precise and pleasant. In the situation of a seminar, presentation, or lecture, where one or more speakers need to be amplified, there are several solutions. The most chosen and most comfortable for the speaker will be a wireless lavalier microphone, placed on the collar or breast pocket. Here, a directional or non-directional microphone can be chosen. The latter sounds best and is less sensitive to the speaker moving their head during the speech. 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, they occupy one hand of the speaker or require a fixed placement, which is rarely preferred. So here, comfort and pragmatism often result in the wireless solution.

It is advisable to have speech amplification 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 acoustically 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.