In-Ceiling Microphones

When discussing microphone types in a conference room, there has been some heated debate in the past about the use of In-Ceiling Microphones. There are those that feel that the quality of sound capture is not as good as pendant or table-mounted microphones. On the other side, there are those that feel the quality is great, as well as the aesthetics of having the microphones completely hidden in the ceiling. On this segment of the Western Audio Visual Blog, we will be discussing the advances in the technology of In-Ceiling Microphones. We will also be referring to the Shure line of Ceiling Microphone Arrays, specifically the MXA910

1.) Quality

When ceiling mounted microphones first hit the scene, they were popular from the concealment standpoint, but the sound capture quality left much to be desired. With Shure’s latest MXA910, the sound capture quality is along the same lines as table-mounted microphones. The MXA910 is also coupled with Shure’s IntelliMix® DSP Suite, which compliments the microphone array quite well.

2.) Room Coverage

The technology of the MXA910, as well as the IntelliMix® DSP Suite, which includes Steerable Coverage™, ensures that the audio capture ability of the MXA910 more than meets any demand that I room may have. Steerable Coverage™ utilizes up to 8 beams to custom guide the areas of audio capture in the room to ensure more than ample room audio capture. While this works great in a conference room, it is also perfect for a multi-purpose room where one day the room is used for training and another day it may be used for a VTC All-Hands Meeting

3.) Programmability

Steerable Coverage™, part of the IntelliMix® DSP Suite, is a great piece of technology that allows for complete digital customization of the rooms audio capture coverage. What is even better about Steerable Coverage™ is the fact that the beams can be programmed under different setting modes that can be easily selected with the press of a button on the rooms programmed control system, such as a Crestron or AMX system. All the end user needs to do upon entering the room and powering the system on is select whatever configuration that has been programmed that meets the needs of the room for the day.

4.) Aesthetics

The MXA910 can be mounted flush with the ceiling tiles, as the array itself appears very similar to a ceiling vent for a HVAC system. In this form factor, the array is only noticeable to a trained eye If desired, the array can also be mounted in a hanging fashion, similar to a pendant speaker. The MXA910 is available in 3 different colors as well. Black, White, and Aluminum are the color choices, with white being the most popular due to the similar color as ceiling tiles and vents.

If you are interested in learning more about the Shure MXA910 Ceiling Microphone Array, please give us a call at (714) 637 – 7272. We are more than happy to assist!

-The AV Archivist