Every space has unique properties that contribute to its overall sound. There's no such thing as a "perfect" meeting space, but if you make an effort to tame unflattering frequencies and invest in a quality sound system, you can achieve remarkable results.
In this guide, we've outlined the four most important attributes of an effective meeting space, so you can make educated decisions when shopping for a
conferencing system. Whether you're designing a space from scratch, or optimizing an existing room for meetings, these attributes can make a dramatic difference in the room's sound quality.
1. Acoustics
First, let's start with the most foundational element of any room. Acoustics refer to a room's reflective properties, which color how sound is transmitted and perceived. When we speak, sound waves travel through the air, bouncing off the walls and furniture. These materials have a huge effect on the sound quality. For example, certain building materials (like concrete or glass) are more reflective than others, which can create boomy and noisy acoustics.
This is why it's so important to install acoustic treatment in your meeting space and consider products with echo-cancellation, so that you can reduce unflattering reflections and achieve a more neutral sound.
You can also consider acoustic diffusers which are designed with complex and random patterns (often, different lengths of wood that are glued together) that help to scatter the reflections, so that sound doesn't build up in one section of the room.
With some well-placed acoustic treatment, you can tame a room's unpredictable frequencies and achieve a more neutral sound, so that everyone can be heard clearly during a crucial meeting.
2. Noise
The outside world can easily creep into a meeting space, adding unwanted noise that distracts from your business. Loud noises are more obvious than acoustic reflections, and they can be just as detrimental to a conference. Ambient noises (like a buzzing air conditioner or light fixture) also detract from the meeting space.
When added together, these noisy elements can create an environment that isn't conducive to conversation.
When selecting your conference equipment, it's important to take into account the technologies that can help cancel out these "noises" and focus on voices in the room, such as Yamaha's Human Voice Activity Detection (HVAD) technologies that focuses the microphones on human voice versus the "noise" in the background.
Meanwhile, there are a few smart solutions for reducing noise that you can also do yourself to help with this issue. Placing rugs on reflective floors, hanging thick drapes in windows, and adding more furniture to exposed walls can help dampen sound coming from outside.
3. Sound System
Depending on your room's size and intended use, there are a wide variety of sound systems that can produce spectacular results when conferencing. Ideally, your room should have a system with quality audio reproduction, an intuitive design that anyone can use, and flexibility for various room types.
If you're dealing with a smaller room, we recommend the
Yamaha CS-700 as a highly versatile and compact communication solution. This all-in-one collaboration system offers ultra-wideband audio and wide-angle video in a slim package, which can easily be mounted on a wall. With the CS-700, every person is seen and heard, no matter where they are located in the meeting space. Support for Zoom, Skype for Business, GoToConference, and other popular applications results in a seamless conferencing experience.
Meanwhile, if you're working in a large space, the
YVC-1000MS offers a smart alternative to installed audio systems. The scalable design supports up to five daisy-chained microphones, as well as any external speakers that you want to use. This flexible speakerphone solution can be tailored to your meeting room, so that every participant has a microphone nearby, no matter how the seats are configured.
4. Content
It goes without saying, but content is crucial in a meeting. Your conferencing system should allow participants to speak, listen, and present their ideas without interference. To help optimize your meeting space and showcase the content on display, we recommend investing in a quality system, so that conversation can be as natural and clear as a face-to-face connection.
Ready to experience a truly effective meeting space?
Connect with one of our Yamaha representatives, and learn how all-in-one systems like the CS-700 or YVC-1000 can transform your conference room.
Download Our New E-book!
Every Conference Room Has Its Challenges.
Thankfully, with the right approach and equipment,
you can overcome these and be a real office hero.
In this e-book, we'll outline:
- Common problems that can occur
- Understanding basic audio principles
- Overcoming poor acoustics
- Selecting the right solution