How-To Presentation microphones 3: Boundary Microphones

Boundary microphones are suitable for natural sound recordings with little reverberation and echo. Learn more about boundary microphones in meeting rooms.

Have you ever wondered in a meeting whether a single microphone is really sufficient for all participants? Or were you insecure during a video conference whether you had to bend directly over the flat, unobtrusive microphone on the table to be understood well? In part 3 of our series on the most important dos and don'ts for the use of microphones in business and education, we have compiled all the information on boundary microphones for you. 

Optically unobtrusive, but powerful acoustically

Boundary microphones have a flat housing and are very unobtrusive. There is a simple reason for this: they are often used where microphones should not be visible, for example in meeting rooms and theatres. However, the flat design does not only serve to keep the microphone visually unobtrusive in the room design. Above all, it allows the microphone to be placed in an acoustically optimal way on so-called boundary surfaces (tabletops, walls, floors) where sound is reflected. If a microphone is positioned in the immediate vicinity or even within a boundary surface, the so-called boundary surface effect increases the sensitivity of the microphone by 6 dB. Due to their special positioning, boundary microphones produce particularly natural sound recordings with little reverberation and echo. When speakers move within the room, there are no differences in timbre. This is a huge advantage, especially in theatres.

Boundary microphone in the meeting room

In meeting rooms, boundary microphones either lie on the conference table as wireless version or are installed within the tabletop. Their unobtrusive design has the advantage that all meeting participants can look at each other without microphone holders obstructing the view. The SL Boundary 114-S DW is a wireless tabletop boundary microphone with a semi-cardioid characteristic. It is optimized for speech transmission in conference rooms and guarantees best speech intelligibility and user-friendliness for all meeting participants. The SL Boundary 114-S DW offers very flexible application possibilities due to the total absence of cables. It can be charged wirelessly inductively or via USB.

Form follows function

Boundary microphones seem unspectacular at first glance because of their unobtrusive design. Due to their special construction and positioning in or on sound reflecting surfaces, these microphones are particularly powerful. As a meeting participant, you can rest assured: All persons at the conference table are optimally captured acoustically with boundary microphones. Would you like to deepen your knowledge about microphones for speech applications even further? Discover our portfolio of audio solutions for presentations!

Blowing into the microphone is not a function test! Dos and Don'ts in handling microphones

We all know it: the supposedly obligatory blowing into the microphone capsule to test whether a microphone really works. Blowing into the microphone capsule not only hurts the listener's ears, but also damages the delicate technology inside the microphone because moisture can get into the microphone head and damage the diaphragm. The on-site sound engineer makes sure that your microphone works. There are a few principles that every speaker should follow when using microphones.