Microphone for the video conference: what you should look out for

Probably even more important than excellent video quality is sound quality in a video conference. That's why choosing the right microphones for your video conferences is just as important as setting and positioning them. As a provider of video conferencing technology for more than 25 years, we are the ideal partner for you if you want to equip your company with high-quality audio technology. To do this, we will first explain what is important when choosing the right microphone for video conferencing.

 

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 - Microphone for the video conference: what you should look out for

Microphones for video conferencing: The most important criteria at a glance

When choosing the right microphone, there are several criteria that you should use as a guide. These include not only the quality characteristics of the microphone itself, but also relevant data about your existing setup, such as the size of the conference room. You should take all of this into account when selecting the microphone. These are the most important criteria at a glance:

 

  • High sound quality and filtering of background noise
  • Optional functions, such as noise canceling and mute
  • Compatibility with existing technology
  • Acoustic coverage of the entire room
  • Possibility of transportation and plug & play
  • Suitable for the size of your conference room and number of participants
  • Possibility of speaker tracking

 

Microphones for video conferencing: Different types

The table microphone: simple, convenient and easily accessible

One microphone option for video conferencing is the table microphone. A table microphone is a good choice for smaller conference rooms in particular. The larger the conference room, the more important it is to choose a microphone with a large radius so that all participants can be understood equally, or to invest in several table microphones that are compatible with each other.

It is advisable to choose table microphones with cables for video conferencing, as wireless models often lose quality. The direct connection of the microphone to other devices usually ensures a freer and clearer sound.

 

Ceiling microphones to avoid noise

Ceiling microphones are also a popular solution in audio technology for conference rooms. The good thing about ceiling microphones, especially in contrast to table microphones, is the unrestricted space around the microphone. On the table, there is much less likely to be rustling from files, coffee cups sliding around or pens clicking.

These can be detrimental to audio quality unless you have a high-quality microphone that can filter out these noises. Ceiling microphones, on the other hand, are positioned away from these noises so that they can ideally cover the entire conference room. Once set up, it should be easy for all conference participants to connect to the ceiling microphone in the future.

 

 Can be used anywhere: the boundary microphone

The boundary microphone is also used more frequently in conference rooms. This is a type of microphone that - unlike many other microphones - does not need to be positioned in the middle of the room. The boundary microphone can be mounted on walls, on the floor or even on a table. However, this does not mean that the sound quality has to be compromised! On the contrary: the use of boundary microphones produces a very natural sound, without echo.

 

Array microphones for video conferencing

So-called array microphones have been developed to expand on the idea of ceiling microphones. This is particularly ideal for larger conference rooms in which speakers move back and forth. They are also characterized by the fact that they are almost invisible.

However, their most important feature is their ability to track speakers. Array microphones can rotate on their own axis and thus always turn in the direction from which the speaker is speaking. This ensures excellent audio recordings in which the spoken word is captured in razor-sharp detail. This is ideal for clear exchanges in video conferences.

 

Branded microphones for video conferencing

Popular and proven brands that offer high-quality microphones include Sennheiser, Shure and BiAmp. Through years of perfection in the fields of conference room technology, video conferencing technology and audio technology, these manufacturers offer high-quality products. In the instructions for the microphone of your choice, you will also find important information on how to set up the corresponding microphone.

This includes settings to filter out background noise, volume settings and microphone sensitivity as well as optimal placement. However, setting up a microphone correctly depends very much on the model. If you want to make sure that it has been set correctly once (this is particularly advantageous for ceiling or array microphones), it may be worth consulting a specialist.

Find a microphone for video conferences with ComPeri

At ComPeri, we are happy to help you with the conception and planning of your conference rooms. This also includes advice on optimal video conferencing technology and the selection of the best microphones for video conferencing. The ComPeri service offering also includes installing your microphones and integrating them into existing systems, regular maintenance and repair measures in the event of any malfunctions or failures.

So you too will soon be able to hold video conferences in which everyone in the room understands each other just as well as those who join in remotely. This is extremely important both for the hybrid working model as part of Working World 4.0 and for optimal communication with customers or partner companies.