How to Fix Your Poor Conference Room Audio

Conference rooms are an essential element of any successful business. While the nature of how we work has changed in recent times, face-to-face collaboration is still the most effective method of generating innovation.

A dedicated space where onsite teams can meet or connect with remote staff requires practical tools of communication. Audio is the most critical component of your conference room equipment. Studies have shown that participants will tolerate lesser-quality video but become disengaged when the sound is unintelligible.

If you want to improve the productivity and creativity of your meetings in San Jose, CA, you’ll need a quality audio solution. Read on for key conference room audio tips from our A/V experts.

SEE ALSO: 3 Ways Integrated AV Takes Pressure Off Tech Managers

The Right Microphones

Being heard clearly takes more than a few microphones scattered about on a table. An effective meeting allows for those at remote locations to hear the presenter and other onsite participants no matter where they are in the room.

Recent advances in elements and processing technologies now allow you to minimize the appearance of microphones and improve intelligibility. Modular array systems offer complete coverage of every person in the room while also reducing the effects of ambient noise.

In addition, the processors eliminate distractions such as individuals shuffling papers or typing on their keyboards. The result is detailed audio that increases the clarity of the speaker(s) and gives them a more authoritative presence.

The Right Speakers

According to advice columns, the key to a better relationship is to listen more than you talk. This philosophy is also true in business; you learn a lot from actively listening to others explain their ideas, vision, and plans.

Your remote employees can have top-quality microphones on their end, but you won't have the patience to hear them through if you listen on poor or too few conference room speakers.

A properly designed conference room sound system emphasizes the frequencies of the human voice while effortlessly reproducing the dynamic range of a presentation's music and video elements. Creative collaboration among team members is a critical event; the speakers you use should enable everyone in the room to hear remote participants with clarity and crispness.

Consider professional-grade in-ceiling speakers that offer wide and even sound dispersal so everyone in the room can hear clearly. These speakers also blend into the room, with recessed drivers that sit behind flush-mounted grills. Plus, these grills can be painted to match the precise color of your ceiling.

A Room Tuned to You

Conference rooms are no longer stuffy windowless boxes that are closed off from the rest of an office. Today, the spaces are full of natural light, flexible furniture arrangements, and décor designed to relax and inspire.

The change in design also means that materials used to construct it reflect sound in ways that can degrade audio performance in the room. To create the best working environment and maximize communication, your conference room will need to be tuned and treated to eliminate unwanted echoes, muddied sound, and other audio issues.

Solid walls and ceilings can be treated with materials that modify the space for optimal acoustics, dampening sound where needed, and brightening areas where sound is dull. Additionally, today’s smart speaker systems utilize auto-calibration techniques to read a room and adjust power output and frequency response depending on occupancy, noise, etc.

Make Meetings Matter More

Regardless of the type of business you manage, it runs on effective communication to promote innovation and increase revenue. A well-designed audio system ensures everyone is heard. Are you ready to make your meetings matter more? Call us at 650-665-6304 or fill out our online contact form to start the conversation and set up a free consultation.