Did you know that room size is an important aspect when buying a conference phone? Room size can impact the success of a conference call, especially the audio quality. Therefore, it is important to know which product is right for you and your company and if you need to buy additional accessories. Conferencing is becoming more and more popular amongst businesses due to its many benefits. It can also help with plans for growing your business further. For example, it can help improve efficiency and productivity; thus ensuring better communication between employees and employers. The information below offers advice about conferencing based on different room sizes, complete with recommendations for each size room.
Small rooms
Up to 4 people
Room size (approx.): 12′ × 10′
Recommended microphone coverage: 5-7 feet
This room could be a home office, a small work office or small conference room. Due to the small size of the room, the participants are close to the microphones and also the loudspeaker. Therefore, this ensures excellent sound quality for both parties. In addition, the small size and furniture in the room limits the possibility of echo noise.
Recommended products:
1) Polycom VoiceStation 300 Analogue
The Polycom Voicestation 300 is a small analogue conference phone perfect for use on desktops and in smaller rooms, for meetings of up to 4 people.
Polycom Acoustic Clarity technology with 3 integrated microphones for 360 degree
room coverage- Connects into any analogue phone jack
- Microphone range of up to 7ft away
2) Polycom Soundstation 2 NE (Non-Expandable)
The Polycom Soundstation 2 is an analogue phone for professional call quality in small to medium-size conferences of up to 10 participants.
- LCD display and built-in telephone keypad
- Full Duplex
- Intelligent microphone system
3) Konftel 220
The Konftel 220 is the perfect solution for offices and small meeting rooms.
Easy-to-use analogue conference phone- 360-degree omnidirectional microphone
- Non-expandable
Medium rooms
Up to 12 people
Room size (approx.): 12′ × 15′
Recommended microphone coverage: 10-12 feet
This is a standard conference room or larger office. Because of the bigger room size, there will be more challenges to achieving successful conference calls. These include; more participants, echo noise and air vents. Therefore, expansion microphones are recommended to ensure that everyone in the room can be heard to the best quality possible.
Recommended products:
1) Polycom Soundstation IP 5000 PoE
This compact and stylish model is ideal for use in rooms, such as offices or meeting rooms with up to 6 participants.
- HD Voice technology provides clear conference calls
- 2m microphone pick up range
- Full Duplex
2) Polycom SoundStation 2 EX Expandable with Display
An advanced expandable device for small to medium-size conferences of up to 10 participants.
Expandable phone for meetings of up to 30 people (with additional microphones)- Full Duplex
- Intelligent microphone system
3) Konftel 250 Expandable
A simple but sophisticated analogue conference phone which provides crystal clear sound for meetings of up to 8 people.
- Record meetings on an SD memory card
- Plug and Play connectivity
- Can be expanded with additional microphones
Large rooms/Boardrooms
Greater than 12 people
Room size (approx.): 20′ × 15′
Recommended microphone coverage: 12 feet + (and additional audio systems)
Due to the bigger room size, there are additional challenges such as large open spaces, echo, furniture and surfaces, which need to be taken into consideration. For this reason, expansion microphones are essential so that everyone can be heard. Additionally, other audio systems can be used to improve clarity and sound performance.
Recommended products:
1) Polycom Soundstation IP 6000 PoE
An advanced IP conference phone offering superior performance with a 12ft (3.65m) microphone pickup.
- Polycom HD Voice technology
- Full Duplex
- Polycom Acoustic Clarity Technology
2) Konftel 300Wx Wireless
A versatile wireless conference phone for diverse conferencing possibilities in rooms of up to 30m².
- Conference phone for wireless meetings via DECT, VoIP or mobile connection
- Up to 60 hours of talk time (works with rechargeable battery)
- Supports expansion microphones for larger meetings
3) Phoenix Spider MT502 USB and Analogue
A conference phone that offers a dynamic fully-duplex conferencing solution for boardrooms and conference rooms.
- Compatible with PC via USB
3-way calling- 4 microphones
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