Choosing the best microphone for a large conference room is an important decision that significantly affects the audio quality of your video-based communication and collaboration setup.
Most video conferencing systems don’t use a traditional singular microphone. Instead, they use a microphone array, which is a group of microphone capsules housed in a self-contained unit. The mics work together to capture audio clearly and consistently throughout the entire room.
There isn’t one perfect microphone configuration. You must consider numerous factors, such as room size and layout, number of participants, user behavior, and compatibility with other video conferencing hardware.
In this guide, we’re going to highlight the industry’s best microphones for large conference rooms, breaking down each array into separate categories based on their ideal use cases. Let’s dive right in!
The Shure MXA920 is our recommended microphone array for a large conference room that requires wide, overhead coverage.
Available in a square shape that looks like a ceiling tile or a round shape that resembles a modern light fixture, this array mounts and blends seamlessly with the ceiling. Further enhancing aesthetic appeal, the array comes in white, black, or aluminum finishes and can be painted.
Beyond its modern style, this unit is the best microphone for a large conference room up to 30 x 30 feet (9 x 9 meters). Furthermore, coverage can be fine-tuned with separate coverage zones through Shure Designer software, allowing for highly flexible custom configurations.
Shure is a very familiar brand among audio enthusiasts. Shure mics are used in the most prestigious recording studios and are widely viewed as the industry standard for speaking and live music presentations. The MXA920 delivers the superb audio quality you expect.
A tabletop microphone array may be preferred in workspaces where ceiling mounting isn’t viable, practical, or necessary. Tabletop mics also allow for hands-on control, and they can be moved from room to room, if needed.
The Shure MXA310 is the best microphone for large conference rooms with ambient overhead noise, such as from a ceiling fan or HVAC system. It uses a toroid polar pattern that facilitates 360° audio capture around the table while rejecting noise from above.
This microphone array is also highly adaptable to different room sizes and layouts. One unit is ideal for small to medium rooms with 7–13 participants, but multiple units can be networked together, allowing the system to scale as needed in larger environments.
Like the MXA920, this array supports custom audio pickup zones for precise coverage and has onboard DSP.
Instead of using an external microphone array, you may want to consider an all-in-one video conferencing bar like the Logitech Rally Bar or Poly Studio X70.
These self-contained units come equipped with integrated microphone arrays as well as cameras, eliminating the need for individual devices. They’re perfect if you need a powerful yet user-friendly “plug-and-play” solution.
We only carry top-of-the-line video conferencing microphones, but what works for one room may not be ideal for the next.
Contact us now for a free consultation with an AV specialist. We’ll be happy to help you choose the right microphone array for a large conference room.
We don’t just sell state-of-the-art video conferencing equipment. Our AV services include design and consulting, installation, and managed services like support and maintenance.
Shop the best microphones for large conference rooms, and partner with Profound Technologies to transform your workspace.