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Hi there!

I'm writing to ask for recommendations on type and brand of microphone
to buy for a focus group room.

Basically, we're trying to record a free ranging conversation of
several (6-7) people in a room. But we don't want them to be reminded
of the microphones, so we are really interested in some kind of wall
microphone-- if that's possible.

We have some cheap wall microphones (shaped like small speakers) on the
wall, but they are so bad! We are interested in something high
quality-- one person recommended Shure microphones to us, and
recommended that we spend about $400 on the speakers.

I have been checking out speaker sites and the Shure catalog, but I am
really confused as to the different kinds of microphones! What is a
"boundary microphone"? Is that good for our purposes? It looked good
because it looked like a microphone in a nontraditional shape that
could be put off to the side (ie not in people's faces), and that is
one of the things we are looking for... but I don't really know what
boundary microphones are intended to be for.

Does anyone here have any advice on what kind of microphones to buy? I
really appreciate your time- especially if anyone could explain to me
boundary mikes and what they're for. I did check on Wiki beforehand
Couldn't find anything.

Thanks so much!

Best,

Lisa

[Serge Auckland]

wrote:
Hi there!

I'm writing to ask for recommendations on type and brand of microphone
to buy for a focus group room.

Basically, we're trying to record a free ranging conversation of
several (6-7) people in a room. But we don't want them to be reminded
of the microphones, so we are really interested in some kind of wall
microphone-- if that's possible.

We have some cheap wall microphones (shaped like small speakers) on the
wall, but they are so bad! We are interested in something high
quality-- one person recommended Shure microphones to us, and
recommended that we spend about $400 on the speakers.

I have been checking out speaker sites and the Shure catalog, but I am
really confused as to the different kinds of microphones! What is a
"boundary microphone"? Is that good for our purposes? It looked good
because it looked like a microphone in a nontraditional shape that
could be put off to the side (ie not in people's faces), and that is
one of the things we are looking for... but I don't really know what
boundary microphones are intended to be for.

Does anyone here have any advice on what kind of microphones to buy? I
really appreciate your time- especially if anyone could explain to me
boundary mikes and what they're for. I did check on Wiki beforehand
Couldn't find anything.

Thanks so much!

Best,

Lisa


For this application, I would suggest a boundary mic ideally in the
middle of the table, or on the ceiling above the table if you need to be
even more discrete. The boundary principle gives you a hemispherical
pattern, so you will pick up sound in every direction above and around
the microphone.

The Shure MX390 series or Audio Technica U841A would probably suit.

S.

[Richard Crowley]

wrote ...
I'm writing to ask for recommendations on type and brand of microphone
to buy for a focus group room.

Basically, we're trying to record a free ranging conversation of
several (6-7) people in a room. But we don't want them to be reminded
of the microphones, so we are really interested in some kind of wall
microphone-- if that's possible.

The problem with walls is that people may very well be facing
*away* from your microphone. And introducing multiple mics
(to cover opposite directions) adds its own problems. How big
is your room? What is on the surfaces (floor, ceiling, walls, etc.)?
What is the layout/furniture, etc?

Are these people around a table of some kind? Or are they wandering
around a big empty room? A better description of the exact environment
would be very helpful to narrow down the options and select something
optimal for the conditions.

For example, there are several kinds of microphones which can be
built into a table, some of which are barely discernable, depending
on how "covert" you need.

[Harry Lavo]

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
wrote ...
I'm writing to ask for recommendations on type and brand of microphone
to buy for a focus group room.

Basically, we're trying to record a free ranging conversation of
several (6-7) people in a room. But we don't want them to be reminded
of the microphones, so we are really interested in some kind of wall
microphone-- if that's possible.

The problem with walls is that people may very well be facing
*away* from your microphone. And introducing multiple mics
(to cover opposite directions) adds its own problems. How big
is your room? What is on the surfaces (floor, ceiling, walls, etc.)?
What is the layout/furniture, etc?

Are these people around a table of some kind? Or are they wandering
around a big empty room? A better description of the exact environment
would be very helpful to narrow down the options and select something
optimal for the conditions.

For example, there are several kinds of microphones which can be
built into a table, some of which are barely discernable, depending
on how "covert" you need.

People in focus groups generally know (are told) they are being recorded
(but usually not that they are being watched, sometimes filmed, through
one-way mirrors). The standard setup is a round or oblong conference table
that seats eight-twelve people. If round there is usually one mic; if
oblong, two. They are usually just standard conference or PZM type
omni-directional mics.