Whether or not you’re overspending to get the audio conferencing performance you want comes down to if you can get that same performance for less than you’re spending now.
By definition, “the performance you want” is subjective. But let’s say we’re looking for “great audio.” By that we mean both remote and in-room participants can speak to and hear each other clearly. In-room participants can move about the space and face in any direction and still be heard by remote participants. The system should be able to “handle” cross talk (when two or more in-room participants talk at once). And a great audio system should also be able to eliminate, or at least significantly mitigate, the effects of unwanted in-room sounds like HVAC and projector fans. Sound good? Or rather, great?
Broadly speaking, there are two approaches to getting great audio for mid-size rooms up to 25′ x 25′ (7.6 x 7.6 m) or large rooms up to 30′ x 50′ (9.1 x 15.2 m).
Customized approach
The first is the traditional, multicomponent approach involving a high level of customization. In this case, skilled technicians learn the needs of the client. (What kind of meetings or classes will be held? Will they be more discussion-oriented or perhaps presentation-oriented?). They assess the characteristics of the room, including furniture configuration and surfaces. With these inputs they then design a system made up of a wide range of components, often mixed and matched from different manufacturers. These can include microphones (ceiling, wall and/or tabletop), speakers, DSPs, switchers, amps, control panels and cables – lots and lots of cables.
Out-of-the-box approach
The second is an out-of-the-box approach available from Nureva. It features a relatively new development in audio conferencing called Microphone Mist™ technology. With it, Nureva has been able to simplify almost every aspect of audio conferencing. For example, just one integrated microphone and speaker bar for a mid-size room, or two for a large room, fills a space with thousands of “virtual microphones” that provide equal or even better microphone coverage and overall audio performance than complicated multicomponent systems. And things like room configuration or style of meeting or class don’t affect performance because Nureva® audio features continuous autocalibration. Microphone Mist technology also enables great performance in handling cross talk and unwanted room sounds.
Similar performance, radically different prices
It is not surprising to learn that the traditional approach is more expensive than Nureva’s virtual microphone approach. But it might surprise you to learn how big the difference is. It is not unusual for design, hardware, installation and setup for a traditional pro AV system to run from US$15,000 up to US$25,000 (or more) per room. Nureva? US$3,599 for the HDL300 for mid-size rooms and US$6,699 for the Dual HDL300 for large rooms. And you can hang each Nureva device on the wall yourself in about 30 minutes to avoid installation and setup charges entirely.
Another nice thing about Nureva? It’s one of the few technology companies to offer a live online demo. You can hear the audio performance of the exact system you’re considering before you buy, which isn’t always possible with traditional systems.
Want more tips on not overspending on audio conferencing? See our articles on installation and management.
