Shure Launches Microflex Advance

Shure has announced it will use ISE 2016 to launch its new conferencing audio solution, Microflex Advance.

It comprises of high-quality networked ceiling and table array microphones, audio interfaces, intelligent mixing DSP and browser-based control software.

"We are extremely proud of the engineering and design of Microflex Advance, but this isn't just about selling clever technology," said Peter James, Managing Director Shure Distribution UK. "Bad sound in the workplace is both frustrating and a hindrance to productivity. Videoconferencing is a great invention, but you can't be understood if you can't be heard properly, and that's an issue for management and employees alike. Make the sound better, and not only will the quality of your conferences improve, your internal communications will be generally better, and your organisation more productive."

It has often been said that noisy workplaces are detrimental to conversation and concentration. If communication is taking place via microphones and loudspeakers, the words spoken are more susceptible to misunderstanding if the environment at either end is noisy. As refined as modern microphone technology has become, it cannot distinguish between wanted audio – such as a person speaking – and unwanted noise – such as fans, air conditioning, printers, etc. – and will reproduce everything indiscriminately, to the detriment of intelligibility.

Microflex Advance addresses these issues with new technology, including software control of the array microphones' pickup patterns to optimise audio capture from speakers and presenters – Shure's proprietary Steerable Coverage technology. The Microflex Advance ceiling array offers an adjustable pickup pattern with eight lobes that can be defined in three dimensions, and can be flush-mounted with ceiling tiles or suspended to avoid fans or ceiling-mount projectors. The table array microphone captures up to four channels of audio from around a desk or conference table and offers a new 'toroid' or ring-shaped pickup pattern to reject unwanted sound from overhead, such as ceiling fan or air conditioning noise. Signals from the array microphones are auto-mixed by the built-in Shure proprietary IntelliMix DSP, providing seamless activation of the best microphone while attenuating microphones that are not being addressed. In addition, the audio signals can be interfaced with a Dante audio network via a single standard Ethernet cable connection. Browser-based software controls connectivity and monitoring, while preset configurations are included for typical operations. The system is designed to integrate with third-party audio control systems, such as those from Crestron, AMX or QSC.

"The perfect conferencing solution is a balance," added Peter James. "It has to produce high-quality sound, irrespective of how the presenters are using it or bad room acoustics, in addition to being user friendly and integrating perfectly with architectural aesthetics and your network infrastructure. Microflex Advance successfully achieves all of these things. Integrators can have the system on the network and up and running quickly, anyone can operate the system once installed, and the technical innovations we've incorporated in the design of the mic arrays and pickup patterns increase productivity and minimise downtime by ensuring consistent sound quality from any location within your meeting space."

"Microflex Advance is unique because it combines the deep roots of expertise Shure has demonstrated in both the acoustic and digital signal processing domains," commented Rob Klegon, Associate Manager, Global Product Management at Shure Inc. "However, in building this system we knew we had to go beyond pure technical innovation to meet the needs of today's corporate environments. As a result, each feature of Microflex Advance is engineered to provide best-in-class performance, from the acoustics and digital signal processing, to the usability and aesthetic design."

Microflex Advance will be available in Summer 2016.

www.shure.com

www.shure.eu

(JP/LM)