A Practical Guide to Conference and Venue Sound Reinforcement
Sound systems for conferences, meetings and presentations, including microphones, mixing and recording feeds.
Tomas Lindqvist
Why does it matter?
Audiences forgive weak visuals but not inaudible speakers, and a recording feed is only as good as the room mix.
What are the numbers?
- Feedback microphone and speaker placement controls feedback
- Radio microphones need frequency coordination
- Recording feeds should be taken separately from the room mix
- Room acoustics reverberant halls reduce intelligibility
What should I do?
- Coordinate radio microphone frequencies
- Provide a dedicated feed for recording and streaming
- Run a sound check with the actual speakers
- Have spare microphones ready
- Position speakers to avoid feedback
What should I avoid?
Avoid:
- One handheld microphone for a panel
- Recording taken from a room microphone
- Unchecked frequencies at multi-stage events
- No backup for a keynote microphone
When should I get help?
Short answer Bring in help when events are recorded or streamed.
Where this comes from
- Audio Engineering Society — Educational resources
- Federal Communications Commission — Wireless microphones
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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