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How To Reduce Feedback in Your Conference Room Calls


As businesses slowly resume regular operations, more people are returning to the office. Even so, some employees are opting to keep working from home. This results in a blended workplace, where some team members are in person, and others are remote. Video conferencing is the solution to keeping everyone engaged, no matter where they work.

One common issue with conference room calls is the potential for echoing and feedback, especially in smaller rooms. Rest assured that the proper setup can minimize background noise so all conference participants can have the best experience. Here’s what you need to know about reducing feedback on conference room calls.

What Causes Microphone Feedback?

Feedback is an annoying humming or squealing sound that microphones are sometimes prone to. The sound can be so distracting that you may be forced to postpone your meeting until you can resolve the issue.

Feedback occurs when a noise coming from a conference room speaker reaches the microphone at a loud enough volume that the mic picks it up, amplifies it, and plays it through the speaker again. This creates a feedback loop that warps the sounds, sometimes resulting in shrill squealing that’s incredibly unpleasant.

How To Reduce Feedback on Conference Room Calls

When designing an audio system for your conference room, it’s vital to balance the needed acoustic gain with the potential gain that could cause audio feedback. Everything from the room’s acoustics to the positioning and direction of the microphones can affect the potential gain.

Follow these best practices to optimize sound system performance and minimize feedback:

  • Minimize the number of open microphones on a call: Every open mic decreases the potential gain needed to cause a feedback loop. To avoid unwanted noises from entering the system, ask each in-person participant to keep their microphone off and muted until it’s their turn to speak.
  • Place a microphone close to each person: Ideally, each participant on a conference room call should have their own microphone, so less gain is required to capture the sound of their voice. Directional microphones also help block out unwanted sound.
  • Distribute speakers properly: Distributing speakers around the room helps people in the back hear just as well as those in the front. This prevents having to crank up the volume, which could cause feedback.
  • Improve the room’s acoustics: The hard walls, floors, and tabletops in your conference room increase reverberation and raise the risk of feedback. Installing sound-absorbing materials reduces the reverb and helps more direct sound reach the audience, allowing you to turn down the volume without making the call difficult to hear.
  • Consider signal processing: Ask your audiovisual installer about signal processing, an optional feature that builds feedback reduction directly into your AV setup. It works by introducing feedback into the system and then applying notches in the equalization to reduce troublesome frequencies.
  • Install a better sound system: High-quality speakers and microphones contain hardware designed to lessen feedback. Software is also available to address feedback susceptibility and improve conference room call quality. Choosing an expert AV team to design and install your audiovisual system is the best way to optimize performance.

Conference Room AV Design & Installation

Whether you’re upgrading your current microphone and speaker setup or building a new one from scratch, the professionals at Corporate Technology Solutions can expertly implement a conference room audiovisual system. We utilize the latest technology to promote fast, efficient communication and minimal feedback. With over 20 years of AV experience, we’re confident we can fulfill your company’s needs and exceed your expectations.

To begin designing an audiovisual system for your conference room in Tucson or Phoenix, please contact Corporate Technology Solutions at 877-685-2626.

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