Crowd Mics is the future.

Ok, I realize that’s a bit of a bold statement, but hear me out. Since first experiencing this product I’ve been really taken with its features, which have the potential to truly revolutionize how audiences and presenters interact.

Basically, Crowd Mics turns any smartphone into a microphone. By downloading the free app, audience members have the ability share their thoughts and questions with the room without having to pass a mic or awkwardly line up to speak. They can also share these same thoughts and questions via text, allowing those with an aversion to public speaking to still take part in the conversation.

For moderators, Crowd Mics means having complete control over the proceedings. The presenter app not only provides the ability to choose who speaks, but also allows a mic to be turned off at any time. No longer must the room be held hostage by rambling questions or non-sequiturs. Polls can also be created, and the results published to the audience in real-time, creating unparalleled opportunities for feedback in the moment.

To say I’m passionate about Crowd Mics would be a bit of an understatement. Ever since Biamp acquired the technology last year I’ve worked to further optimize it, a process which culminated in the world premiere of the latest iteration of Crowd Mics, held earlier this month at the AV/IT Summit in New York.

I was incredibly excited to see how the attendees reacted; the following are a few key takeaways for our customers from this initial demonstration:

1) Crowd Mics is, first and foremost, a microphone

I love that this product is generating so much excitement among audio technicians and engineers – however, the technology isn’t terribly different than that of a standard microphone. This is important to keep in mind when setting up a room, as it has the same basic EQ requirements. Our customer support team is always happy to help with any installation your IT department undertakes, but I wanted to note that while Crowd Mics allows for new and exciting applications, its foundation should prove familiar.

2) There is opportunity to improve UX optimization

The first time demonstrating a product on a large scale is always a great opportunity to receive genuine feedback. This AV/IT Summit case study for Crowd Mics allowed us to collect valuable real-time user reactions in the exact setting the product is intended for. Overall, our test audience agreed the app was easy to use; but that certainly doesn’t rule out future improvements and added features going forward.

3) The audience found Crowd Mics to be as cool as I do

Presenting new application and microphone technology to a group of highly skilled AV professionals and receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback is very exciting, to say the least. Additionally, on reviewing the case study data for the event, I found that almost everyone in attendance actively used the Crowd Mics app throughout the day, which I’m very pleased with. It’s very rewarding to discover that others share my passion for the amazing interaction that Crowd Mics makes possible.

For more information on Biamp and Crowd Mics, visit us at www.biamp.com.