Microphones are the input side of every recording, call, and announcement, and the right one is defined by the job in front of it. This selection covers desktop and USB microphones for calls and dictation, handheld and lavalier microphones for events and instruction, boundary and gooseneck models for conference tables and podiums, and the wireless systems that free a presenter from the cable.
Choose by pickup pattern and connection before anything else. A microphone that hears the whole room suits a conference table and betrays a noisy office, while a directional pattern isolates one voice at the cost of forgiving placement. Then confirm what the microphone plugs into - USB models go straight to a computer, while analog and wireless systems assume a mixer, amplifier, or receiver on the other end. For rooms and events, plan the microphone with the audio system it feeds rather than as an accessory. COLAMCO quotes microphones and supporting audio equipment for business, government, and education rooms and programs.