The Complete Buying Guide for Meeting Room Audio: Make Every Conversation Flow Smoothly
Investment in meeting room technology becomes worthless the moment the most fundamental element of all, the "audio," fails.
An investment in meeting room technology, whether a large display or a cutting-edge video conference system, becomes worthless the moment the most fundamental element of all, the "audio," fails. A meeting with dropouts, echo that makes speech unintelligible, or annoying microphone feedback not only causes frustration but also undermines an organization's professionalism and communication effectiveness.
More than a box: what does "system" really mean?
Many people think that meeting room audio consists of just speakers and microphones, but in reality it is a "system" made up of multiple components that work together in perfect harmony.
Pillar 1: Audio Capture, the microphone
This is the first gateway for sound. Choosing the right type of microphone for the application is the most important step.
Pillar 2: Audio Processing, the mixer and DSP
This device gathers and fine-tunes the audio signals from every source.
Pillar 3: Amplification, the power amplifier
This amplifies the signal that has been processed by the mixer to a level powerful enough to drive the speakers at full efficiency.
Connecting to modern collaboration platforms
In the era of hybrid work, good meeting room audio must integrate seamlessly with platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet.
Frequently asked questions
Is meeting room audio just speakers and microphones?
No. Many people think so, but in reality it is a system of multiple components working together: audio capture by the microphones; audio processing by the mixer and DSP, which gather and fine-tune the signals from every source; and amplification by the power amplifier, which drives the speakers.
What do the mixer and DSP do in a meeting room?
They are the audio processing stage, gathering and fine-tuning the audio signals from every source before passing them to the power amplifier, which raises the signal to a level powerful enough to drive the speakers at full efficiency.
Does meeting room audio need to support Teams or Zoom?
In the era of hybrid work, good meeting room audio must integrate seamlessly with platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet.