AEC & Ambient Noise Compensator Mic(s) Recommendation

EricM

Does anyone have a recommendation for a ceiling mounted microphone for an AEC and Ambient Noise Compensator setup?

It is for an interior lobby entrance which is about 50ft wide by 16ft deep and 12ft tall. Can I get away with one mic or should I use multiple mics mixed together?

Thanks, Eric

Dan Lynch

For ambient noise compensation, you don't need AEC. If your background music has gaps between songs, use the normal ambient noise compensator. If it doesn't have gaps, then use the non-gap ambient noise compensator.

The Crown PZM-11 has worked great on several projects for me. The fact that it mounts in a standard single-gang box is really convenient. I've never used the PZM-10. It's effectively the same mic, but in a really cool, round form factor so you can just drill a hole in a ceiling tile and mount it with no need for a box. The PZM-10 has an XLR, so you would be terminating an XLR while standing on a ladder.

Using one mic or multiple mics depends on whether or not you expect the area to be uniformly used. The only down side to a single mic is the fact that if you get a group of people clustered at one end of the room, the mic won't be quite as sensitive to the increase in background noise. I doubt it would ever matter much. I'd probably do that room with a single mic. You could always go with two mics if you want, but I wouldn't bother with more than two mics in a room that size.

Make sure that your mic placement doesn't put a mic right next to an air vent. Other than that, just try to get the mic as close as possible to being equally spaced between the two nearest speakers.

Dan

raos440

I have one question on this matter

Can i use the Noise compensator for compensate \"Music Level\" against noise levels. The application is for a Casino where the continue correct level of music is very important, but, they are having problem with \"the human\" operation of these levels.

davidcbradshaw

You certainly could.
I'd use the non gap ambient noise compensater, as this will give you continuous noise monitoring.
Contrary to what is said previously in this post, I would use the noise sensing mic connected to an AEC card or passing through an AEC processing object. Reason being that it will, if programmed correctly, filter out all background music from the noise sensing mics pick up path, leaving just the actual ambient noise levels to drive the ANC.
You can mess around with placement, but if the system is designed correctly, the space is likely evenly covered with multiple speakers, so you are going to pick up BGM wherever you site the mic or mics.

kevinzz

+1 on using AEC for ANC. I have done this in casinos and it works great. IMO you just can't count on gaps in between music. I use the non-gap with the AEC filtering out the music to leave just the ambient.