MXL, 1 USB Microphone, Black (MXLAC404)
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We have had great success with the MXL AC404. It's used in a conference room with a capacity of 12 people. The person seated farthest from the microphone (at one end of the room) can be clearly heard by the other video conference participant. The mic can pick up sounds from outside the room as well, but I'm not sure how effective it will be in a room with 30 people. For that, you'll probably need a few microphones.
I connect mine to a computer via a USB hub. I use a Mac mini, which only has two USB ports, so we set up an 8-port hub on the conference table and plugged the mic into it.
External powered speakers can be connected to the headphone jack. If the speaker is not powered, you must first connect it to an amplifier.
Anything is possible; all you have to do is learn how to do it. You'll need a powered hub to begin with. And a good one at that. There have been reports that these mics dislike hubs, but this is likely due to people attempting to use cheap unpowered hubs rather than the hub itself. Second, Skype/Teams/Zoom will ask you to choose an audio source because they lack a built-in mixer. To fix this, you'd have to trick the software into thinking it's just one mic. You could use obs (open broadcaster) and its built-in mixer, then output to teams/Skype/zoom using ndi. Although it would be counterintuitive, it would work. br>Another option, which may be easier to understand, is to purchase the xlr versions of this mic, plug them into a hardware usb mixer (such as the yamaha mg10xu or the behringer flow 8, both of which have four xlr inputs for four separate mics), and then plug the mixer into the computer as your audio source. br>The software version is free but less intuitive, while the hardware version is simpler but more expensive. Essentially, you're doing the same thing either way; the difference is that one is done in software and the other is done in hardware.
Selected User Reviews For MXL, 1 USB Microphone, Black (MXLAC404)
I have to say, the clarity and sensitivity of this microphone is far superior to most, and it is the best microphone I've used thus far. This is the clear winner for our company's 8-person conference rooms. a group of ten people In my opinion, it ranks as follows: br>br>
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There are advantages and disadvantages to each of the 1000 options. Both produced better sound than my Jabra Speak 410/510 USB speaker/mic, despite the fact that neither has a speaker or Bluetooth capabilities. I'd also recommend the Samson GoMic, which (while not a boundary mic) sounds great, is very versatile, and is less expensive. br>br>The MXL isn't truly omnidirectional; Maybe the three capsule design has something to do with it? (See attached photo). In any case, mine is a cardioid pattern mic (the slanted part is the front), and I had good results with it. The sound was several decibels lower and more distant at 90 degrees off axis, and it was even worse at 180 degrees. SoundTech's CM-100 is a compact, high-quality sound system. The 1000 was omnidirectional, and while it had a few dB more noise and didn't sound as good on axis as the MXL, it performed better off axis. As a result, the MXL wins in a small room with only a few people or for further away pickup, but the SoundTech wins at a small round conference table. br>br>With the SoundTech, you can daisy chain additional microphones for better pickup at larger tables or rooms. This is not the case with the MXL. Adding a second microphone, on the other hand, increased room noise by 6 decibels. Though it provided more uniform pickup, the background noise in my room (which was noisy due to an old A/C system) rendered this setup useless. This could be a good solution in quieter rooms, but I'd make sure it works in yours first.
I've been doing a lot of video calls in the living room with my family, and the webcam's built-in microphone wasn't cutting it. This was recommended to me by a website I trust, and it did not disappoint. br>br>The sound quality is excellent, with crisper reproduction and minimal echo. The room's range and coverage are sufficient - Even from 14 feet away, there was clear sound from all points in the room. If anything, the mic is a little too sensitive, allowing you to hear background noise. Enabling background noise filtering in Zoom settings, on the other hand, completely removed the problem. br>br>I deducted a star for the "always" clause. using a red LED It's off- The case is visually odd because the center is in the middle. It's also on even when my computer is turned off, and there's no way to turn it off other than unplugging the microphone. I'd rather have no LED, or a switch to turn the mic or LED on/off, or, in the worst-case scenario, have the LED in the mic case rather than behind the mic screen, where it could be covered with electrical tape. a workaround When I'm not using it, I just cover it with the provided cleaning cloth. Next, I'm going to look for a USB cable with an integrated switch so that I can turn it off at the hardware level when not in use. br>br>Overall, I'm pleased, as are the other participants in my conference calls.
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