I'm working with a conference room that's about 40 feet long, and we're currently using an Owl camera and mic bar. However, the Owl setup doesn't capture voices well from that distance, and we've had complaints about the audio quality. For now, we've been using a Polycom phone for dialing in, but I'm wondering if there's a wired microphone solution that can work at around 30 feet? I heard that USB mics are typically limited to 15 feet, but I'm willing to connect a mic at 15 feet and then another at another 15 feet if necessary. Any suggestions?
3 Answers
If you're leaning towards a wired mic, consider analog options with built-in amplifiers. They can boost the signal and work perfectly over longer distances without any quality loss.
You can definitely find an active USB extender that reaches those lengths! I’ve got one that works fine at 10 meters (about 33 feet).
40 feet isn't too unusual for conference setups! For a USB mic, consider getting a USB extender that can handle that distance. But if you want a straightforward solution, an analog mic could work well; they easily support distances up to 40 feet. You can connect it to a USB adapter near your PC to bridge that gap if needed.
I’ve read online that the max effective length for PC mics is usually around 10 feet. Stage mics go much longer with XLR cables though.
Does the audio quality hold up at that distance? I thought USB mics maxed out at 15 feet, but I really need something to reach 30 feet.