Clear and intelligible audio is needed for productive conference room meetings. Beamforming ceiling array microphones revolutionize how voice pickup and audio clarity are achieved in modern meeting spaces. As a leading AV integrator, Ford AV specializes in designing and deploying audio conferencing solutions to meet your needs.
What Is Beamforming Technology?
Beamforming is an advanced audio processing technique using multiple microphone elements arranged to focus on specific sound sources. Unlike omnidirectional mics that capture all ambient noise, beamforming creates one or more “audio beams” to isolate speech, reducing reverberation, background noise, and echoes for better voice capture.
Key Benefits for Conference Rooms
Audio Clarity & Speech Intelligibility
Leveraging advanced beamforming microphone arrays and onboard digital signal processing (DSP), these ceiling mics capture every word, even in rooms with challenging acoustics or high ambient noise levels.
Noise Reduction & Echo Cancellation
Real‑time noise suppression algorithms eliminate HVAC hum, projector fans, and keyboard clicks. Integrated echo cancellation ensures far‑end participants hear pristine, non‑fatiguing audio.
Room Analytics & Diagnostics
Some systems offer built‑in analytics, like room occupancy sensing, talker localization heatmaps, and audio level trending, so IT teams can monitor usage and AV performance.
Scalable Networked Audio Solution
Support for Dante®, AES67, and PoE allows seamless integration into your enterprise’s networked AV infrastructure, enabling centralized audio management and easy expansion across multiple rooms.
Collaboration Platform Compatibility
Certified for Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco Webex, and other cloud‑based meeting platforms, with visual mute/LED status indicators that sync with soft‑codec controls.
Low‑Profile Installation
Designed to replace a standard ceiling tile or blend into drop‑ceilings, these flush‑mount arrays keep conference tables clutter‑free and maintain clean interior design.
Flexible Mounting
Many beamforming ceiling arrays are plenum‑rated and conform to building codes, allowing installation above drop ceilings, in plenum spaces, or within HVAC ducts.
Speaker Tracking & Steerable Beams
Built‑in automatic speaker tracking dynamically adjusts steerable beams to follow active talkers, perfect for brainstorming sessions and Q&A formats.
How Do Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphones Work?
- Signal Capture: Each microphone element in the ceiling array picks up sound differently due to its spatial placement.
- Delay & Summation: Digital signal processing (DSP) applies precise delays to each channel, aligning desired speech signals while attenuating off‑axis noise.
- Steerable Directivity: Advanced systems can electronically steer the beam in real time, dynamically focusing on active speakers across the room.
Featured Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphones
Each beamforming ceiling array offers distinct advantages in coverage, DSP capabilities, and integration flexibility. Ford AV’s experts can assess your space’s acoustics, recommend the optimal combination of models, and deliver a turnkey installation that ensures crystal‑clear, intelligible audio for every hybrid meeting.
Shure MXA920
The Shure MXA920 uses Automatic Coverage technology to capture up to eight user-defined zones, covering a 30 × 30 ft area without manual aiming, while still offering Steerable Coverage beams for precise lobe placement. The built‑in IntelliMix DSP handles acoustic echo cancellation, noise reduction, and automatic gain control. Its plenum‑rated, tile‑replacement design (square or round) features an LED status bar and delivers precise talker‑localization data for camera tracking. This product is ideal for boardrooms, lecture halls, and multi‑use spaces.
Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2
The Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 features 28 integrated condenser capsules that automatically track active speakers for consistent, high‑quality audio. Its TruVoicelift technology enhances in‑room speech reinforcement, and automatic gain control ensures clear levels across varying talker distances. It integrates easily into both modern and legacy AV systems. Exclusion and priority zones allow for precise control of audio pickup, muting distractions and focusing on key areas. Its low‑profile, tile‑replacement design blends into ceilings and makes it ideal for meeting rooms, lecture halls, and flexible learning spaces.
Biamp Parlé CMS Series
The Biamp Parlé CMS Series includes the CMS 400‑I and CMS 600‑I, featuring 4‑ and 6‑element microphone arrays with autotuning elements and real‑time beamforming for consistent speech pickup. These ceiling mics provide echo cancellation, noise reduction, and automatic gain control for clear, intelligible audio. They connect via Dante and are powered by PoE, streamlining installation and network integration. Certified for Microsoft Teams and Zoom, the CMS Series is ideal for medium‑sized boardrooms and huddle spaces, especially those standardized on the Biamp platform.
Audio-Technica ATND1061
The Audio‑Technica ATND1061 is a compact, ceiling‑mounted beamforming microphone array roughly the size of a wireless access point. It features six output channels configurable with up to 32 user‑defined coverage and priority zones, enabling speech tracking and minimizing background noise. With onboard DSP, the ATND1061 provides automix, acoustic echo cancellation, noise reduction, automatic gain control, and 4‑band EQ, all without external processors. Its voice‑activity detection and zone-based exclusions prevent pickup of non-verbal sounds, and the dual Dante PoE network ports simplify setup. The low‑profile, UL‑2043‑compliant tile‑replacement design includes an IR remote for mute control which is perfect for flexible AV spaces with scalable audio needs.
Yamaha RM‑CG Ceiling Microphone
The Yamaha RM‑CG features an eight‑element array that forms four dynamic auto‑tracking beams, capturing multiple voices simultaneously. Its DSP includes echo cancellation, noise reduction, auto‑gain control, and de‑reverberation, ensuring clean audio. It connects via Dante and AES67 and is powered by PoE+ over a single CAT5e/6 cable for streamlined installation. Yamaha’s Virtual Channel Matrixing enables flexible audio routing and integration with R‑series digital mixers. Available in black or white, the tile‑replacement design fits discreetly into ceilings and makes it ideal for small to medium conference rooms, classrooms, and multi‑zone AV systems.
Design & Deployment Best Practices
Room Acoustic Analysis: Conduct an acoustic survey to identify reverberation times (RT60) and strategically position arrays for optimal coverage.
Array Placement & Overlap: Use overlapping beam coverage zones to eliminate audio dead spots and ensure seamless handoff between arrays.
DSP Tuning & Calibration: Utilize system software to calibrate sensitivity, noise-gate thresholds, and beam-width parameters for each room’s unique characteristics.
Integration with Video Systems: Leverage talker localization data for PTZ camera auto‑tracking, enhancing video focus on active speakers.
Partner with Ford AV
Partner with Ford AV to design and install a next-generation beamforming ceiling microphone system that elevates your hybrid meeting experience. Reach out today to get started!
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