128x MEMS microphone array 1x RJ45 Dante PoE port Supports both sound pickup and local sound reinforcement modes Supports 8x local pickup zones. Supports 8 meters pickup distance
Why Use AI-based Ceiling Microphone in Your Meeting Room?
19
Jan
Contents
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1. What is a ceiling microphone?
Ceiling microphones are primarily used to provide clear, uniform audio coverage in large or minimalist meeting spaces without the clutter of tabletop equipment.
2. Benefits of Ceiling Microphones
- Clutter-Free Environment: Keeps tables clear of cables and hardware, ideal for modern office aesthetics and flexible seating.
- Equitable Audio Coverage: Positioning overhead ensures a similar distance from the mic for all participants, resulting in consistent volume and clarity regardless of where someone sits.
- Reduced Physical Interference: Eliminates sound blockages from laptops or shuffling papers often found with tabletop units.
- Integrated Technology: Most modern units feature beamforming, which dynamically “steers” pickup toward the active speaker while ignoring background noise.
3. 2026 ceiling microphone trends
In 2026, Shure, Sennheiser, and INFOBIT represent the three primary tiers of the ceiling microphone market: high-end ecosystem integration, specialist audio precision, and value-driven standalone performance.
3.1 Shure: The Ecosystem Leader
- Flagship Model: Microflex Advance MXA920
- Best For: Large enterprises requiring sophisticated camera tracking and voice lift in acoustically challenging rooms.
- Key Tech: Automatic Coverage™ Uses over 100 MEMS elements to capture up to 8 zones simultaneously without needing manual “lobe” aiming.
- Onboard DSP: Features IntelliMix®, which provides high-level echo cancellation and noise reduction directly on the device.
3.2 Sennheiser: The Audio Specialist
- Flagship Model: TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC2)
- Best For: Environments prioritising natural voice quality and “TruVoicelift” for in-room amplification.
- Key Tech: Automatic Dynamic Beamforming uses a single, extremely fast-tracking beam that follows a speaker wherever they move in the room (up to 80m² coverage).
- Zones: Allows for 1 Priority Zone and up to 5 Exclusion Zones (to ignore noise from projectors or AC units).
3.3 INFOBIT AV: The Integrated Value
- Flagship Model: iSpeaker CM360
- Best For: Organizations seeking a high-performance Dante microphone that includes an all-in-one AI processor to avoid the cost of an external DSP unit.
- Key Tech: Uses 128 MEMS microphones (the highest density in this group) for an 8-meter pickup range.
- Standout Feature: Unlike its competitors, it often includes a physical IR Remote for quick manual muting and volume control, making it more user-friendly for non-technical staff. In addition, INFOBIT iSpeaker CM360 adopts industry-trending AI technology for noise cancellation and suppression. It also supports Voice-lift technology for up to 8x sound reinforcement regions.
3.4 Technical Comparison (2026)
Note: The estimated price is from the public website and may be changed by the manufacturer. Do NOT use this as any formal quotation.
|
Shure MXA920 |
Sennheiser TCC2 |
|
|
Mic Elements ~113 MEMS |
Mic Elements 28 Electret Capsules |
Mic Elements 128 MEMS |
|
Pickup Tech Multi-zone (8 zones) |
Pickup Tech Single Dynamic Beam |
Pickup Tech Multi-zone (8 zones) |
|
Max Range 9m x 9m (30ft x 30ft) |
Max Range ~5m radius (80m²) |
Max Range 8m radius |
|
DSP Power High (IntelliMix) |
DSP Power Basic (requires external DSP) |
DSP Power High (Standalone AI-DSP) |
|
Outputs Dante / AES67 |
Outputs Dante / Analog |
Outputs Dante / PoE |
|
Est. Price $4,000 – $4,800 |
Est. Price $3,500 – $4,200 |
Est. Price $2,799 – $3,799 |
3.5 Summary Recommendation
- Choose Shure if you have a massive budget and need deep integration with other Shure network components.
- Choose Sennheiser if natural speech clarity for local reinforcement is the #1 priority.
- Choose INFOBIT for the best performance-to-price ratio, especially if you want to avoid buying separate audio processors.
4. INFOBIT iSpeaker CM360 Features
The iSpeaker CM360 is a high-end, AI-powered ceiling microphone.
- 128 MEMS Microphone Array: Provides high-density pickup over an 8-meter (26ft) radius.
- Flexible Zone Management: Supports 8 independent pickup zones, 8 local sound reinforcement zones, and 1 mute zone to block noise from specific areas (e.g., tea break stations).
- Dante & PoE: Uses a single RJ45 port for both digital audio transmission (Dante) and Power over Ethernet (PoE).
- Built-in AI Suite: Includes AI-driven noise reduction, reverberation suppression, feedback suppression, and echo cancellation.
- Sound Reinforcement: Unique ability to support local voice amplification (up to 10dB) without needing an external audio processor. With Voice-lift technology.
- Unlimited Cascading: Supports chaining multiple units via Dante for very large spaces.
5. Why Choose iSpeaker CM360 Over Competitors?
The iSpeaker CM360 stands out for its standalone processing capability. Unlike many competitors that require an external Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for AI functions, the iSpeaker CM360 integrates these directly, reducing total system cost. It also features an IR Remote for immediate manual control (mute/volume), a feature not standard on many high-end network mics.
