Whether it’s a home stereo system or a professional AV system for a corporate setting, the components are pretty much the same. A reliable AV system has to have proper elements for professional, i.e., office or conference settings. They should be connected in a holistic manner so the system can accomplish its goals.
Conference room audio system setups are often left for last, as most of the time and money is spent on the video side of the presentation. But the reality is that lousy audio, and poor sound technology can ruin any conference call or presentation just as quickly as the bad video will. That’s why a lot goes into putting together quality sound tech that customizes the acoustic level according to the size of the space and the crowd present.
The fact of the matter is that room acoustics tend to be very difficult to master. That’s why it is a good idea to talk to the experts over at your AV Rental Company to figure out if they have the experience and expertise to design your conference audio. After all, it’s going to be a vast collaborative space with hundreds, quite possibly, thousands of people in attendance. Setting up a presentation system in such a huge place has unique challenges of its own. But here’s the deal: a collaborative space with poor visuals is almost unheard of, but it is quite common to witness areas that have acoustic challenges plaguing them throughout the event.
Fortunately, audiovisual integrators or your local AV Rental Company has the tools to overcome these issues.
Components of Conference Audio
Every A/V system is made up of a few parts, that are hand-picked by the A/V integrator based on their size, space, number of attendees as well as the seating arrangement. For smaller areas, there may not even be a need for a dedicated sound A/V system, the onboard speakers that come with the display are usually more than enough. A mobile ‘Pod’ can usually supplement the sound enough for everyone to hear. The trouble is handling audio in a space with few hundred attendees. They can see the presentations just fine if there are enough large screens around, but setting up sound in such areas is something of a science. The A/V setup gets seriously complicated for large collaborative spaces. Here’s what you will need to make it work:
- The number of speakers needed depends on the size of space. It is essential to ensure that the speakers are arranged to ensure the optimal dispersion of sound. Speakers in large conference rooms have it tough! They are often left asking, ‘Can everyone hear me fine?’. Don’t let it come to that. The sound solution must be able to cater to all the attendees, whether the presenter is speaking live or addressing via teleconferencing.
- The speakers can be mounted on the walls if aesthetics isn’t an issue. This way you’ll be able to provide a uniform level of sound output throughout the venue, much like the home surround sound system. Also, well-positioned speaker systems can remove the need to increase the volume to the fullest, most uncomfortable levels, making the attendees uneasy and taking away from the message of the speaker.
- The mics should be arranged to ensure the clarity of the voice. These can be kept mobile so the presenter can move around as well. Or the microphones can be installed on a table where they are setting. Whatever the case may be, make sure that in case there are more than two mics on at the same time, they are a few feet away from each other.
- To ensure that the sound inside the venue gets all the attention and there is nothing else to distract the audience, it’s a good idea to invest in sound masking tech for the conference venue. This will help cancel out any noise happening outside of the conference space and keep the conversation inside the place, available to only the attendees.
- Sound processing software and related equipment is also an essential part of the sound set up. This is what brings together the amplifiers, recorders, and other devices and gives cohesion to the entire sound experience in the conference venue. The software also helps with echo cancellation and maintains the clarity of the sound being output. And together all these software hold conference audio systems together.
In Conclusion
Achieving proper audio for a conferencing room may not be easy, but it important to get it right.
Poorly delivered audio can be a major distraction that’ll ruin the mood for the entire conference. That’s why you should bring in an A/V rental services that can demonstrate experience in designing and executing sound solutions that are perfect for all your conference audio needs.
