Good audio is one of the most important parts of any successful AV system, and no single audio solution works for every environment.
A small conference room, university classroom, council chamber, large training center, and auditorium all have very different requirements. The right solution starts with understanding the room, how it will be used, and how people need to communicate.
A small conference room, university classroom, council chamber, large training center, and auditorium all have very different requirements. The right solution starts with understanding the room, how it will be used, and how people need to communicate.
Microphone Options
The best microphone captures speech clearly and consistently based on how the space is utilized.
Ceiling microphones can provide a clean, uncluttered room design while giving participants the freedom to speak naturally from different locations. Modern beamforming microphones can automatically focus on whoever is speaking and are increasingly common in conference rooms, classrooms, training spaces, and larger collaboration environments.
Tabletop microphones remain a strong option for boardrooms, conference rooms, council chambers, courtrooms, and other environments where participants have designated seating positions. Depending on the application, microphones can be permanently installed, wireless, or integrated into conferencing systems.
Wireless handheld and lavalier microphones provide flexibility for instructors, presenters, panelists, and audience participation. They are particularly useful in training rooms, lecture halls, auditoriums, event spaces, and multipurpose environments.
Getting the Sound Back Into the Room
Capturing audio is only half of the equation. People in the room also need to hear clearly.
Smaller collaboration spaces may use speakers integrated into a display or video conferencing system. Larger rooms often require strategically placed ceiling or wall-mounted speakers to provide consistent sound throughout the space.
A properly designed distributed audio system helps ensure that someone seated in the back of the room hears the presentation just as clearly as someone sitting near the front.
In larger training or collaboration environments, voice lift can also be used to subtly reinforce a speaker's voice throughout the room. The goal is not to make the presenter sound amplified. It is simply to make their voice easier to hear everywhere in the space and should sound natural.
Audio for Video Conferencing
Hybrid meetings have made audio design even more important. Remote participants need to clearly hear everyone in the room, while people in the room need to hear remote participants without echo, feedback, or distracting background noise. This requires more than simply adding a microphone and speakers.
Digital signal processing, acoustic echo cancellation, automatic microphone mixing, noise reduction, and proper system tuning all work behind the scenes to create a natural conversation between people in the room and participants joining remotely.
When it is designed correctly, users should never have to think about any of it. They should simply be able to talk.
Do Not Forget the Room Itself
Technology can only do so much. Hard surfaces such as glass, concrete, drywall, and exposed ceilings can create reflections and reverberation that make even excellent audio equipment difficult to understand. That is why acoustics should be considered as part of the AV design.
Acoustic panels and other treatments can help control reflected sound, improve speech intelligibility, and make the room more comfortable for both in-person and remote participants.
Accessibility Matters Too
Audio system design should also consider people who may need additional help hearing presentations or conversations. Assisted listening systems can transmit room audio directly to compatible receivers or personal devices, helping organizations create more accessible meeting rooms, classrooms, public spaces, and government facilities.
Accessibility should not be an afterthought. It should be part of the system design from the beginning.
The Right Audio Solution Depends on the Space
There are more audio options available today than ever before. The challenge is determining which combination of microphones, speakers, processing, acoustics, and control makes sense for a particular environment.
Great audio should not call attention to itself. Everyone should simply be able to hear, speak, and communicate clearly. Talk to ClarkPowell about creating an audio system that delivers clear, consistent communication in every space.
The best microphone captures speech clearly and consistently based on how the space is utilized.
Ceiling microphones can provide a clean, uncluttered room design while giving participants the freedom to speak naturally from different locations. Modern beamforming microphones can automatically focus on whoever is speaking and are increasingly common in conference rooms, classrooms, training spaces, and larger collaboration environments.
Tabletop microphones remain a strong option for boardrooms, conference rooms, council chambers, courtrooms, and other environments where participants have designated seating positions. Depending on the application, microphones can be permanently installed, wireless, or integrated into conferencing systems.
Wireless handheld and lavalier microphones provide flexibility for instructors, presenters, panelists, and audience participation. They are particularly useful in training rooms, lecture halls, auditoriums, event spaces, and multipurpose environments.
Getting the Sound Back Into the Room
Capturing audio is only half of the equation. People in the room also need to hear clearly.
Smaller collaboration spaces may use speakers integrated into a display or video conferencing system. Larger rooms often require strategically placed ceiling or wall-mounted speakers to provide consistent sound throughout the space.
A properly designed distributed audio system helps ensure that someone seated in the back of the room hears the presentation just as clearly as someone sitting near the front.
In larger training or collaboration environments, voice lift can also be used to subtly reinforce a speaker's voice throughout the room. The goal is not to make the presenter sound amplified. It is simply to make their voice easier to hear everywhere in the space and should sound natural.
Audio for Video Conferencing
Hybrid meetings have made audio design even more important. Remote participants need to clearly hear everyone in the room, while people in the room need to hear remote participants without echo, feedback, or distracting background noise. This requires more than simply adding a microphone and speakers.
Digital signal processing, acoustic echo cancellation, automatic microphone mixing, noise reduction, and proper system tuning all work behind the scenes to create a natural conversation between people in the room and participants joining remotely.
When it is designed correctly, users should never have to think about any of it. They should simply be able to talk.
Do Not Forget the Room Itself
Technology can only do so much. Hard surfaces such as glass, concrete, drywall, and exposed ceilings can create reflections and reverberation that make even excellent audio equipment difficult to understand. That is why acoustics should be considered as part of the AV design.
Acoustic panels and other treatments can help control reflected sound, improve speech intelligibility, and make the room more comfortable for both in-person and remote participants.
Accessibility Matters Too
Audio system design should also consider people who may need additional help hearing presentations or conversations. Assisted listening systems can transmit room audio directly to compatible receivers or personal devices, helping organizations create more accessible meeting rooms, classrooms, public spaces, and government facilities.
Accessibility should not be an afterthought. It should be part of the system design from the beginning.
The Right Audio Solution Depends on the Space
There are more audio options available today than ever before. The challenge is determining which combination of microphones, speakers, processing, acoustics, and control makes sense for a particular environment.
Great audio should not call attention to itself. Everyone should simply be able to hear, speak, and communicate clearly. Talk to ClarkPowell about creating an audio system that delivers clear, consistent communication in every space.