Oklahoma City-based 1st Bank of Oklahoma City has satellite offices throughout OK, NV, TX, and CO. The company recently turned to Ford AV to install the new videoconferencing systems in the bank’s upgraded 225,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Lakewood, Colorado. In the executive boardroom, there are multiple tables that seat 104 people for weekly teleconferences with their 30 branch offices. Ford AV installed 104 Earthworks IML12 microphones at each position so they could have increased clarity and high quality audio from each of the participants.
Ed Hyong, Ford AV Senior Account Manager was impressed with “the performance and clarity of the Earthworks IML12 microphones.
“In their previous boardroom, they used a single microphone unit in the center of a table routed through a videoconference codec,” continues Hyong. “Consequently, audio quality at the far ends of the table was not consistent with the audio quality of those sitting closer to the microphone unit. However, when using the Earthworks IML12 microphones at each location, each person was able to experience the same high quality audio. In fact, the audio quality was so good that those participating in the teleconference at remote locations said it sounded like they were actually in the same room with those in the headquarters executive boardroom.”
Ford AV Project Engineer for the installation, Adam Kirson, describes the challenges in microphone selection and performance. “For this install, we needed microphones with capacitive touch light rings. The aesthetics of the light ring on the Earthworks IML12 microphones are excellent. To have over 100 mics in a room like this, we needed very accurate polar response and high rejection of sounds from the rear of the microphone. The accurate polar response and rear rejection was key to having multiple microphones open at the same time. Three ceiling mounted cameras in this room are controlled by the logic technology in the microphones, which enable the cameras to zoom in on each person while they are speaking. Because of this, along with the idea of having multiple open mics simultaneously, we were limited on what gating features we could use on the DSP side. So, we needed microphones with a tight and accurate polar pattern that sounded great, and didn’t cause the participants to have to lean into the microphone to get a good and clear sound feed. The accuracy and consistency of the Earthworks IML12 microphones allowed us to do very minimal EQ on these mics.
Kirson notes that beyond their use for teleconferencing, the IML12 microphones are also utilized for sound reinforcement within the executive boardroom. “It was great to get the SPL up in the room with over 100 pickup patterns and still get a lot of level out of the mics.”
