Best conference microphones – all types and features

Choosing quality conference microphones is not а straightforward decision. Different conference rooms require different microphone solutions. Picking the right microphone depends on the room space and seating arrangement. 

We will define the main microphone types, their features, and use cases. Anyone considering a microphone purchase can benefit from this guide. 

WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE PURCHASING A MICROPHONE

CHOOSE ACCORDING TO THE ROOM STYLE AND FURNISHING

The conference room audio system is highly dependent on the furniture and room space. So it should be planned together with the rest of the room equipment and not after that. 

 For a huddle room, expensive sound equipment is not necessary. Wireless setup or individual gooseneck mics can still be used, but a simpler setup would work just fine. Since everyone is gathered around one table, a single boundary or ceiling mic will suffice. 

A single microphone on a large conference table would make the participants at the far end sound like a distant echo. Each participant should have an individual gooseneck microphone on such occasions. A special unit with volume and mute controls can be placed in front of the chairman of the meeting. This main control unit can recognize speakers or cut off attendees whose time has expired.

For banquet-style or lecture rooms, on-stage microphones are necessary. Lapel, boundary, or ceiling mics are used to pick up the sounds in a particular area of the room.

CONFERENCE MICROPHONE SPECIFICS 

Beyond the room layout, every company has some specific audio requirements.

Some setups allow users to mute their mics. Others can have one mic, and muting would mean cutting out everyone. 

Wireless and ceiling microphones give the participants the freedom to move around. Such microphones are recommended when furniture rearrangement is necessary for the conference meeting.

The ceiling microphones for larger rooms capture sound reflections. We highly recommend installing wall panels to improve the acoustics.

Cable microphones are cheaper than wireless mics with the same sound quality. They are not an aesthetic solution, as there are too many cables to comply with. 

Table-mounted microphones might require drilling holes in the table for proper installation. 

CONFERENCING MICROPHONE TYPES

Picking the right microphone is the key to receiving high-quality sound. 

High-quality sound during meetings will increase intelligibility and will make them more relaxed.

You can choose between the different types of microphones described in more detail below.

INDIVIDUAL MICROPHONES: 

Individual microphones are the easiest way to get better signals and great audio quality. Their main advantage is they are placed as close to the source of the sound as possible. The closer the microphone, the better the signal. The further the microphone, the more noise it will pick up. 

Individual microphones are also suitable for adding useful features to sound equipment, like voting or translation services.

Microphones used individually can be grouped into three types: the gooseneck, the handheld, and the wearable microphone.

GOOSENECK MICROPHONES

The gooseneck microphone catches only the speaker’s voice and blocks out the background noise. To catch a clear signal, the speaker needs to remain close to the microphone. 

Every participant in the meeting usually needs a personal microphone, so the microphones (and their cables) may take up considerable space on the table. There are wireless options as well. Still, wireless microphones have a limited time of use and need recharging, or batteries change.

Check our in-depth comparison of gooseneck microphones

These microphones are suitable for meetings where each speaker’s voice needs to be heard in full detail. 

Gooseneck mics are also used for public events like press conferences where the speakers are talking in a sitting position in front of an audience, and hearing his speech precisely is essential.

HANDHELD AND WEARABLE MICROPHONES

The handheld and wearable microphones are suitable for presentations with a limited number of participants in front of a large audience. They usually catch clear signals as they are located close to the source of the sound and use a directional microphone pattern. 

The handheld mic is not the right choice for video conferencing. In conference meetings, attendees often need to use their hands to write something or use a laptop. 

The lapel microphone lets the speaker use both of his hands. This allows him to behave more naturally. The placement of the lapel microphone has to be carefully chosen. If it is too close to the source, the sound can be distorted. If it is placed too far, the sound level might be too low. 

Moving with a lapel mic can cause some audio issues. The speaker turning his head left or right will lead to a slight variation in the output level. Garments can also rub the microphone producing unpleasant static.

The ear-worn microphone lacks the above problems. The speaker’s hands remain free. Turning around is no longer an issue as the microphone remains at the same distance, following the source.

SHARED MICROPHONES: 

Shared mics suit meetings where part or all delegates share a microphone. 

Shared microphones catch sound from multiple sources. This limits the control of sound per person.

At the same time, these microphones have the advantage of taking up smaller space. More space remains available for laptops or other types of equipment. They are easier to install and usually, cheaper than equipping the room with a gooseneck microphone per attendee.

Higher noise levels are the main drawback of these microphones. A larger distance between the mic and the sound source causes it. A combination of several microphones for one room is used to overcome these obstacles.

BOUNDARY MICROPHONES

Boundary mics can be directional(cardioid) or omnidirectional. They can be installed on a presentation stage’s table or floor. Some mics are embedded into the table, concealing the cabling. 

Directional (cardioid) mics catch sounds from sources directly in front of them. Their advantage lies in reducing background noises from other directions. These microphones are usually shared between two people.

Omnidirectional mics pick up sound in the 360-degree radius direction. So they can capture the entire conversation in a smaller room.

Conference rooms usually need a smaller number of boundary mics compared to other types of microphone setups.

Check our in-depth boundary microphones guide

Boundary mics require relatively low interaction between the speaker and the microphone. They can be set once and do not require further support. Meetings can be started immediately.

The attendees’ freedom of movement comes at the cost of lower sound quality. The sound and background noise level change if the speaker is too close or too far from the microphone. Obstacles between the speaker and the mic can also lead to a reduction of signal or undesirable noises.

SPEAKERPHONES

The speakerphone is essentially a phone with an integrated omnidirectional microphone. Speakerphones are suitable for voice-over IP meetings. Their main advantage is their portability and adaptability to different room spaces so everyone can be properly heard. Speakerphones usually have phone functions limited to receiving and ending calls. They are usually connected via Bluetooth or USB to another device.

Speakerphones with a single microphone are suitable for small meetings of up to 4-5 participants.

Conference phones are another option for telephone conference meetings. They possess standard phone functionalities and a lot of additional options, which can make them an expensive choice.

CEILING MICROPHONES

Ceiling microphones are omnidirectional or cardioid and capture all sounds in the room. They are mounted fixed on the ceiling or hanging to reduce the distance between the speaker and the microphone. For medium and large conference rooms, two or more microphones are necessary. 

The cardioid microphones can be pointed in a particular direction to reduce the noise coming from the rest of the room space. While omnidirectional ceiling microphones catch the sound in all directions.

The cardioid pattern is also quite suitable for hanging microphones pointed directly downward. In this case, they catch sounds below them, usually within a 120-degree range.

WHICH CEILING MICROPHONES DO WE RECOMMEND

Check our dedicated guide to the best ceiling microphones for conference rooms.

Ceiling microphones are a preferred choice when the good look of the room is a priority.

Ceiling microphones are quite easy to use as the talker does not interact directly with the microphone. They are suitable when the speaker moves around the room or uses a monitor to make his presentation. These microphones are an obligatory tool for meetings that require plans, maps or any documents to be spread on the table. 

They are also appropriate for stage presentations when the audience does not take part in the performance. In such cases, cardioid microphones are pointed at the stage so that noise coming from the rest of the room cannot be heard.

These mics usually catch the voice of at least two participants. So sometimes they are preferred as a low-budget solution, instead of buying equipment of twice or three times more gooseneck mics. Keep in mind ceiling microphones at a lower price might not have the desired sound quality, as ceiling microphones usually catch ambient sounds like whispering and sound reflections in the room.

The ceiling array microphones use innovative technologies to handle this drawback. The beamforming array microphones of Sennheiser, Shure, and ClearOne, have quite good audio quality, though at a higher price.

Another way to make the sound quality better is to improve the acoustics in the room. This is achieved by mounting soundproof panels on the walls, usually decorated in an artistic style. Any carpets or textiles that dampen sounds are suitable in such situations. 

A ceiling microphone is not recommended if the conference room has high ceilings, glass walls, or wooden floors. 

ADDITIONAL CONFERENCING MICROPHONE FEATURES: 

USB CONNECTIVITY AND SIZE OF THE MICROPHONE

Mics and devices with USB connectivity can be directly plugged into a computer. They are particularly useful for companies with a BYOD approach.

The size of the microphone is also an important feature in case the mic needs to be portable.

WIRELESS VS WIRED MICROPHONES

 The wireless microphone uses radio-frequency waves to transmit sound signals.

The wired microphone relies on a cable to transmit the sound signal.

 WIRELESS MICROPHONES

The word that best describes wireless microphones is flexibility. 

They are quite suitable for rooms where rearrangement of furniture is often necessary. The speaker is not limited to sitting at the table. Attendees can make their presentations without complying with extra cables around them. 

Sound quality is not an issue with them, as the lack of cable lets them be fixed closer to the speaker. 

The two main concerns when picking a wireless microphone are battery life and charging time. The batteries should last longer than your meetings and charging should not take longer than the time between two conference calls.

Keeping the microphones charged is an obligation that someone needs to attend to. Some models have the option to be plugged into a wall socket, which is quite useful for several consecutive meetings. 

WIRED MICROPHONES

Wired microphones lack all the disadvantages of the wireless microphone. They don’t have to be charged to work. There is no interference between the different microphones.  

Cabling is their main disadvantage, and aesthetics is their downfall. 

They are a reliable and cheaper solution than wireless microphones with the same sound quality.

WHAT IS MICROPHONE DIRECTIONALITY?

Microphone directionality is a feature of every microphone. Directionality determines the microphone’s general pick-up pattern of capturing the surrounding sounds. There are two main types of mics according to their directionality – directional and omnidirectional. 

Microphone directionality is an important indicator of how well the sound signal is “isolated” from ambient noises. Choosing a microphone with the right directionality depends on the room space and furniture arrangement. 

DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONES

Directional microphones capture sound from their front side. 

The cardioid microphone is a directional microphone version largely used in close-up sound capturing (for instance, gooseneck and handheld mics).

Directional mics capture the sound in a particular area. Such mics usually cover an area of one or two seats in front of them. This greatly reduces the undesired background noises from other directions. Fine-tuning is not an issue due to the restricted covered area. Speech sounds can be raised, and the volume of unintended noises can be easily reduced.

OMNIDIRECTIONAL MICS

Omnidirectional mics capture all sounds in their proximity. They pick up sound in full 360 degrees around them. That is why the omnidirectional microphone can catch two to three times more seats than one directional microphone. 

The smaller number of mics means a reduced cost of their total price.

But as the number of microphones gets reduced, the distance between the speaker and the mic increases, and this leads to a higher volume of ambient noises. It becomes harder for programmers to distinguish between the real signal and undesired noises. When the volume of the speaker is increased, the volume of surrounding noises also gets higher.

The sound system is an obligatory component of every conference meeting. Choosing a quality microphone is probably the most valuable part of conference equipment. It will undoubtedly contribute to having smooth and more successful meetings.