In the May edition of InAVate magazine Anna Mitchell explores microphone product development and enterprise use. In this Q&A we hear Shure’s thoughts on the topic.
Anna Mitchell explores microphone technology developments with Duncan Savage, systems group manager, Shure UK.
AM: Are there any important emerging technologies that will improve the capture and processing of speech in conference environments?
DS: Microphone array technology has significantly changed the way voices are captured during audio and video conferences. As opposed to having one microphone per person, microphone arrays utilise numerous microphone elements to capture multiple participants simultaneously. The result is consistent voice clarity for each person in a meeting, regardless of where they are sitting in the room, which ensures the best possible experience for the person on the far end of the call by providing more engaging and fluid communication. Whether sitting upright, leaning back, using a laptop or talking at the display, they will still be clearly heard and, more importantly, understood.
Poor sound in meetings results in reduced focus on content, lower levels of concentration, listener fatigue and a decrease in overall productivity. Array microphones make communication effortless by requiring less interaction with technology. Shure has been capturing the human voice for over 90 years, and we have made huge innovations in networked microphone array technology with the recent launch of Microflex Advance.
AM: Where have the biggest recent advances been made?
DS: Technologies like Shure’s IntelliMix DSP Suite have delivered some of the biggest advances by providing precise coverage settings, automatic mixing and equalization, and features like echo reduction. This enables the meeting space set up to be configured before the conversation begins so time is not wasted setting up the audio equipment at the start of the meeting. The result is a natural, comfortable and productive meeting environment where effective communication is brought to the forefront and the technology hides in the background.
AM: What advancements have been made in easing the process of set up, correct mic placement and configuration?
DS: The integration of DSP software with advanced microphone array control enables the microphones to be positioned in pick-up areas throughout a room with coverage more precise than shotgun microphones. Uniform speech sound capture is ensured via pick up patterns that can be configured in three dimensions. Array lobes in the Ceiling Array Microphone can be steered toward a participant in the control software for quick audio setup and capture.
AM: Must a compromise be made between good quality audio and maintaining sleek room aesthetics?
DS: Definitely not. Ceiling array microphones like the MXA910 offer new opportunities to easily incorporate unobtrusive AV conferencing technology with modern design aesthetics. Offered in a variety of colours and as a paintable version, it provides fast and easy mounting options that blend in with design aesthetics and offers easy integration into the existing design of almost any AV conferencing environment, while providing premium sound quality for each meeting participant.
It is true that modern conference and boardrooms are have notoriously bad acoustics. We prefer to work in light and open offices, but these spaces are usually replete with highly reflective materials like glass and metal that contribute to the reverberant field of a room though windows, glass partitions, tables, hardwood floors and ceilings that offer little to no absorption of audio waves. However, array microphones can help this by offering discrete listening areas and a number of polar pattern options. Baffles in various shapes, sizes and colours can also be installed and painted to fit room aesthetics.
AM: What maintenance considerations should installers take into account when deploying mics?
DS: Traditional analogue microphone input devices are unable to be tracked by one central management system that provides reports on status performance and faults. Digital microphone systems provide an interface that can report status updates on the operational health that limits downtime and provides remote monitoring of system status. Browser-based control software offers comprehensive remote monitoring and control of all settings and status parameters over the web, a corporate network or an AV local area network. Systems that provide compatibility with third party control and automation systems (AMX, Crestron) enable the creation of custom interfaces on touchscreen panels.
AM: What is the biggest battle for integrators/consultants trying to sell the importance of good quality audio for conferencing (including videoconferencing)?
DS: The biggest battle is the lack of understanding of the importance of audio. We often forget that sound is the most important part of a meeting, and that poor sound quality hinders effective communication, distracts the participants and stops the message from being delivered.
Video conferencing has become an essential tool for business communication, but it’s easy to forget that the majority of the content is actually carried by the audio, not the video. If the camera fails during a video conference, the meeting can go on virtually unimpeded; if the audio fails, the meeting stops. Furthermore, exposure to poor sound quality during a conference call causes listener fatigue, inhibits collaboration and halts productivity.
The level of acceptance for poor sound quality in the work place is too high. If you are communicating as part of a business transaction or charging an hourly rate for your time, effective communication is essential to fostering productivity and efficiency during your meetings and keeping costs to a minimum.
Shure is featured in wider article on microphone technology that you can read now.