[Jerry[_4_]]

This may be a bit off topic but I am interested if anyone has any
experience/recommendations of a conference type mic for use with
Skype. I periodically attend meetings which attempt to use Skype
(audio only) and the computer mic just doesn't cut it. Anyone have any
suggestions? Price point a few hundred $$.

Thanks in advance,
Jerry

[Scott Dorsey]

Jerry wrote:
This may be a bit off topic but I am interested if anyone has any
experience/recommendations of a conference type mic for use with
Skype. I periodically attend meetings which attempt to use Skype
(audio only) and the computer mic just doesn't cut it. Anyone have any
suggestions? Price point a few hundred $$.

Most of the problem with area-miking conferences has to do with the
room and not the mike.

A few hundred bucks will buy you an M-Audio interface and a used Crown PZM,
though, which is a start. But the mike with the wide pattern will also make
your room problems much, much worse.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Jerry[_4_]]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:19:27 -0400, Jerry wrote:

I neglected to mention that a USB mic would be preferred.

Regards,
Jerry

[Les Cargill[_3_]]

Jerry wrote:
This may be a bit off topic but I am interested if anyone has any
experience/recommendations of a conference type mic for use with
Skype. I periodically attend meetings which attempt to use Skype
(audio only) and the computer mic just doesn't cut it. Anyone have any
suggestions? Price point a few hundred $$.

Thanks in advance,
Jerry

Any cheap condenser will work fine. I've used a
MXL MCA SP1 for VoIP calls:
http://www.pssl.com/!-nQ9Ytd0FL9a7bbvVVE3Vg!/mxl-sp1-condenser-studio-microphone-with-clip

It's a cardioid.

For omni, this'll work:
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/ECM8000.aspx
Subjects need to be some distance from the mic.

You need a mic preamp with phantom for either.


And this being said, a PZM is a good choice for conference
rooms with lousy acoustics.


--
Les Cargill

[hank alrich]

Jerry wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:19:27 -0400, Jerry wrote:

I neglected to mention that a USB mic would be preferred.

Regards,
Jerry

Shure and others offer little plug-into-the-mic gizmos that output to
USB. That help open the range of choices for your application.

--
shut up and play your guitar * http://hankalrich.com/
http://armadillomusicproductions.com/who'slistening.html
http://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShai...withDougHarman

[Scott Dorsey]

Jerry wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:19:27 -0400, Jerry wrote:

I neglected to mention that a USB mic would be preferred.

There is very little out there with a USB interface that is any good,
especially in the far field. But a number of companies including MXL
and Centrance will sell you $50 gadgets that will allow you to plug a regular
microphone into a USB port.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Steve King]

"Richard Webb" wrote in
message ...
| Scott Dorsey writes:
|
| Most of the problem with area-miking conferences has to do with the
| room and not the mike.
|
| Agreed. iF it's a large conference best to have some
| microphones that speakers from the floor can use as well.
|
| A few hundred bucks will buy you an M-Audio interface and a used
| Crown PZM, though, which is a start. But the mike with the wide
| pattern will also make your room problems much, much worse.
|
| Buy the interface, forget the pzm. Get a reasonable
| microphone and a boom pole, have a boom op move the
| microphone to the speaker, use a lav for the conference
| moderator and any major speakers, and a small mixer ahead of the
interface, that is, if you really want to do it right
| and assure the folks listening in on skype that they'll
| actually be able to hear.
|
| This is the same sort of technique you should use if you're
| trying to capture the conference for later transcription,
| etc. BUt is often done on the cheap. I can assure you that
| if I tune into such a conference presented over the internet and can't
hear the speakers adequately I'm going to tune out rather quickly. IF I'm
required to attend because of
| employment obligations I'm going to raise a ruckus with the
| conference sponsors you can bet g.
|

If I understand the OP question correctly, we are not talking about a
one-time thing. Nor are we talking about events with a technical staff. I
aassume that currently one person with a laptop makes the Skype connection
and uses the microphone and speakers in the computer. The OP wants better
intelligibility than that method offers. The solution depends on how many
people are seated at the conference table. If it is a typical 8-10-12 foot
conference table one microphone will not do a good job of picking up
everyone. A USB audio interface with at least two microphone inputs fed by
at least two omni microphones will be an improvement. I work with several
companies that have semi-permanent conference room set-ups with microphones
suspended about every 4 feet. The simplest approach, and one that will be
an improvement over the laptop microphone, might be to put a Bheringer USB
mic in the middle of the table. Most laptops will work with two USB audio
devices, so you could add a second mic. I'm mentioning the Behrenger
because it is cheap and is switchable from omni to cardioid pick-up pattern.
On a smaller conference table back to back cardioids facing the long-way
separated by a foot to two might sound better than omnis. Bad room
accoustics can only be minimized by (either room treatement which is
unlikely to happen or) getting the mic close to the speaker.

Good luck,

Steve King

[Ty Ford]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:31:56 -0400, Scott Dorsey wrote
(in article ):

Jerry wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:19:27 -0400, Jerry wrote:

I neglected to mention that a USB mic would be preferred.

There is very little out there with a USB interface that is any good,
especially in the far field. But a number of companies including MXL
and Centrance will sell you $50 gadgets that will allow you to plug a regular
microphone into a USB port.
--scott


The AT2020USB mic will work nicely for that.

Regards,

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

[Richard Webb[_3_]]

Scott Dorsey writes:

Most of the problem with area-miking conferences has to do with the
room and not the mike.

Agreed. iF it's a large conference best to have some
microphones that speakers from the floor can use as well.

A few hundred bucks will buy you an M-Audio interface and a used
Crown PZM, though, which is a start. But the mike with the wide
pattern will also make your room problems much, much worse.

Buy the interface, forget the pzm. Get a reasonable
microphone and a boom pole, have a boom op move the
microphone to the speaker, use a lav for the conference
moderator and any major speakers, and a small mixer ahead of the interface, that is, if you really want to do it right
and assure the folks listening in on skype that they'll
actually be able to hear.

This is the same sort of technique you should use if you're
trying to capture the conference for later transcription,
etc. BUt is often done on the cheap. I can assure you that
if I tune into such a conference presented over the internet and can't hear the speakers adequately I'm going to tune out rather quickly. IF I'm required to attend because of
employment obligations I'm going to raise a ruckus with the
conference sponsors you can bet g.


Regards,
Richard
.... Remote audio in the southland: See www.gatasound.com
--
| Remove .my.foot for email
| via Waldo's Place USA Fidonet-Internet Gateway Site
| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.

[Richard Webb[_3_]]

STeve King writes:
If I understand the OP question correctly, we are not talking about
a one-time thing. Nor are we talking about events with a technical
staff. I aassume that currently one person with a laptop makes the
Skype connection and uses the microphone and speakers in the
computer. The OP wants better intelligibility than that method
offers. The solution depends on how many people are seated at the
conference table. If it is a typical 8-10-12 foot conference table
one microphone will not do a good job of picking up everyone. A
USB audio interface with at least two microphone inputs fed by at
least two omni microphones will be an improvement. I work with
several companies that have semi-permanent conference room set-ups
with microphones suspended about every 4 feet. The simplest
approach, and one that will be an improvement over the laptop
microphone, might be to put a Bheringer USB mic in the middle of
the table. Most laptops will work with two USB audio devices, so
you could add a second mic. I'm mentioning the Behrenger because
it is cheap and is switchable from omni to cardioid pick-up pattern.

True, I was thinking ,more of a conference which consists of folks, often seated theater style, might or might not have
tables in front of them, i.e. more of a convention,
something such as National Hurricane conference etc. But
for an actual conference with a conference table etc. your
solutions are right on the money, have done that sort of
thing myself in those situations. If it's a larger
conference with folks seated theater style the op is going
to need to be his own boom op, or have one available
methinks.

Bad room accoustics can only be minimized by (either room
treatement which is unlikely to happen or) getting the mic close to
the speaker.


true which is why for the larger conference the conference
organizers either need to provide microphones for
"comments/questions from the floor" and strongly encourage
their use, or the sound op doing the cpature needs to
provide a method of getting the microphone closer to the
speaker. But, doing it on the cheap and improerly proves
out the adage
"great audio is never herad by the average person, but bad
audio is heard by everyone." OR in this case, not heard
where one can gather intelligence.


Regards,
Richard
.... Remote audio in the southland: See www.gatasound.com
--
| Remove .my.foot for email
| via Waldo's Place USA Fidonet-Internet Gateway Site
| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.

[Steve King]

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
| Jerry wrote:
| On Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:19:27 -0400, Jerry wrote:
|
| I neglected to mention that a USB mic would be preferred.
|
| There is very little out there with a USB interface that is any good,
| especially in the far field. But a number of companies including MXL
| and Centrance will sell you $50 gadgets that will allow you to plug a
regular
| microphone into a USB port.
| --scott
| --
| "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

I'm a big fan of the Centrance unit. I have one and have borrowed one from
a friend for stereo gigs with excellent results. The guy who owns Centrance
is an ex-Shure design engineer. The company does a lot of development work
for other audio manufacturers including some high end stuff. Very nice
fellow. Easy to work with.

Steve King