Key Takeaways
- Neat and Shure have partnered to provide integrated audio-video solutions for large, complex meeting spaces.
- The combination of Neat Bar Pro and Shure Microflex Ecosystem offers crystal clear audio and video, suitable for various room sizes and configurations.
- These integrated solutions are easy to install, certified for Zoom Rooms, and designed to simplify IT management while enhancing meeting experiences.
- The partnership aims to address customer demand for high-quality, reliable collaboration solutions in acoustically challenging environments.
Topic Summary
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Neat has partnered with Shure, a leading audio technology provider, to enhance audio quality in large and acoustically challenging meeting spaces. The collaboration integrates Neat’s video meeting bar, Neat Bar Pro, with Shure’s Microflex Ecosystem solutions, offering crystal clear audio and video for all participants, regardless of their position in the room.
The partnership aims to provide simple, reliable, and easy-to-install solutions that can be scaled to various room sizes and types, including large board rooms, conference rooms, auditoriums, and lecture theaters. Neat Bar Pro delivers advanced video capabilities, including auto-framing and zoom features, while Shure’s Microflex Ecosystem solutions ensure high-quality audio coverage throughout the space.
The integrated solution connects Shure products to Neat Bar Pro via a single USB-C port, simplifying installation and reducing cable clutter. This combination is certified for Zoom Rooms and is ideal for enterprise standardization, making it easier for IT personnel to manage while providing an improved meeting experience for employees.
Specific product combinations are recommended for different types of spaces. For large boardrooms, the Shure Microflex Advance MXA902 Integrated Conferencing Ceiling Array and ANIUSB-MATRIX USB Audio Network interface are suggested. For all-hands training rooms and divisible spaces, the Microflex Advance MXA920 Ceiling Array Microphone, IntelliMix® P300 Audio Conferencing Processor, and MXN5W-C Networked Loudspeaker are recommended in combination with Neat Bar Pro.
The article emphasizes that this partnership between Neat and Shure addresses customer demand for better audio experiences in challenging spaces, providing a first-of-its-kind solution for large conferencing environments. It concludes by inviting readers to learn more about the partnership and join a webinar to understand how Shure and Neat devices work together to enhance meeting audio.
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Thoughts and Commentary
Video bars have taken over the lower end of the video conferencing space. And rightly so. Video bars are easy to buy, easy to install, and in general, offer a solid – or even superb – user experience.
However, like any tool, video bars have their limitations — in this case, the effective range of the onboard microphone system.
We should mention that many current generation video bars do an AMAZING job capturing meeting room audio. The audio designers in our industry continue to outdo themselves with their onboard audio systems. But try as they might, these little devices can’t overcome the laws of physics. Due to size, form factor, and cost constraints, video bars can only sport so many mic elements with limited distance between them. This limits their audio pickup range.
That’s where external audio systems come in.
Vendors like Shure (and others) offer external audio systems designed to capture audio in larger spaces. For example, the Shure MXA920 ceiling mic array is a PoE powered device that uses 113 microphone elements to create 8 adjustable coverage “beams.” The MXA920 has a built-in DSP and an effective microphone pickup range of up to 30 feet. Also, unlike the video bar which lives at the front of the room, the MXA920 lives on the ceiling above (and typically closer to) the participants.
With this announcement, Neat and Shure are confirming that Shure’s audio devices can be used to cover spaces extending beyond the Neat Bar Pro’s sweet spot. This combination of products offers a strong video and audio experience without the added cost and complexity of a custom designed, fully integrated AV system.