When the use of video conferencing technologies went through the roof at the beginning of 2022, a large amount of goodwill and empathy was shared online as workplaces across the world struggled with numerous technical and productivity problems while adjusting to new digital work environments.

As workers slowly return to their workplaces, organizations wishing to present a professional image are rightly investing in reliable video conferencing and collaboration technology. Dedicated audiovisual systems that produce crisp audio and sharp video have never been better and easier to use. Professional audio companies are producing business-oriented hardware and software perfect for small and medium-sized businesses. If you’re keen to give your employees, clients, and the outside world the best possible AV (audiovisual) experiences when working with and within your organisation, then read on.

 Many businesses face an uphill challenge when setting up dedicated video conferencing solutions as it usually comes as an afterthought for most IT teams. The average company boardroom might only feature an old desktop PC, a last-generation webcam and a “flying saucer” style desk phone. This type of equipment might have been adequate for occasional use before the events of 2020. But today, most people grow quickly tired of latecomers struggling to join virtual meetups, tinny audio, and blurred video (if video works at all). Most IT teams don’t have the staff to hand-nurture video conferencing solutions for every meeting, and few teams have an audiovisual expert on hand to fine-tune the available equipment.

Luckily it is a relatively simple matter to create AV installations in multiple sites around a business, from small breakout rooms right up to large conference rooms that seat dozens. With modular hardware, installations can be as simple or as intricate and exacting as required. In some cases, solution costs are low enough for small businesses to set up several spaces permanently for the same money as a single, specialist installation.

The Stem Ecosystem of audiovisual equipment comes from audio specialist Shure, designed for exacting AV standards at very attractive price points. The Stem Ecosystem provides the type of audio excellence you might expect from a market leader, with hardware designed to be installed on walls, ceilings, and tabletops.

What puts the Stem Ecosystem in the category of AV excellence is, of course, its usability. Expensive solutions are rarely used if they come without an easy-to-use user interface — it’s just too difficult for the average person. However, the Shure Stem Ecosystem is accessed through the Stem Control, a single powerful tabletop touchscreen device about the size of an iPad. It controls the audio system and the software operating behind the scenes. The Stem Control works in conjunction with the optional Stem Hub, enabling multiple audio units in a space to function as one.

The Stem Control gives all users real-time control over the software used to set up and maintain virtual meetings (like Zoom, for example) and optional access to the company’s VOIP system. Furthermore, the device acts as a central controller for administrators over all connected Stem audio devices across the organisation.

There are two multifunction units in the Stem range, the Stem Table and Stem Wall. Each uses real beamforming microphone “tunnels” that intelligently focus audio reception onto whoever is speaking, wherever they are in the room. Built-in speakers reproduce incoming audio with all the clarity you’d expect from a market-leading audio company, easily filling smaller spaces with crystal clear sound.

The Stem Table has a USB 2.0 port to connect to those coworkers who want to use their own laptop and video conferencing software in a meeting room but extend the native hardware’s capabilities with pro-quality audio.

The Stem Speaker gives companies options for where it’s mounted: wall, ceiling, or tabletop. Subtle LED lighting around the circumference shows when the device is active or whether audio is muted. Cabling is simple too, with power-over-Ethernet technology meaning only one wire is needed for full connectivity.

Microphone technologies can be pushed to the limit for meeting and conference rooms where many voices can be heard at once. The Stem Ceiling microphone array gives companies full-room coverage via mic “tunnels” that focus audio reception on whoever happens to be speaking at any one time. Multiple microphone beam settings give companies ultimate control over their meeting spaces and ensure that wherever in the room the speaker might be, everyone at the meeting is given the best quality audio reception.

For larger rooms where more than one device is required, it’s wise to include the Stem Hub in plans. It extends interconnection options for the AV system, including enabling access to the company’s VOIP system thanks to its extensible interfaces.

The Stem Ecosystem innately connects with all common conferencing and meeting software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Hangouts. Whether your setup is a single small, breakout-style room or many larger conference rooms, the Shure Stem range offers options that will be the perfect fit.

Each room’s setup, large or small, can be automatically “tuned” for optimum acoustics. This process takes seconds but ensures that the sound output and input consider a space’s natural acoustics. Cameras can be mounted where needed (onto the Stem Wall bar speaker/mic combo, for example), and with an optional dedicated mini-PC, the pro-level AV solution is ready to go.

There’s a centralised dashboard for systems administrators in the IT team and the audio specialist tasked with managing multiple AV setups to control and track all the available, interconnected equipment. Right from the Stem Control, there are options to configure rooms, experiment with equipment placements, see call log files, get equipment’s current network status, and much, much more.

To learn more about how Shure equips those with exacting audio standards, reach out to the official Australian distributor of the Shure Stem Ecosystem range of audiovisual business solutions, Jands. Jands has a range of AV specialists and installation experts who will be delighted to assist you with your next AV project.

Hear the difference for yourself.