***Important Question to All Members***

[John PetersKeymaster]

Hello All

In the interest of updating club services, could anyone affected by the PA System say:

1) If you tend to sit near the speaker, is it too loud for your comfort? Or OK as it is?

2) If you tend to sit near the back of the room, how well can you hear those speakers who are not amplified?

Thank you for your responses.

John

 

 

[david eastleyParticipant]

It depends on the speaker.

Having used the mike at the club it is far from ideal and we should invest in a clip on mike rather than the around the ears contraption

[Elaine HigginsParticipant]

Hi John

Answer to question 2

Very difficult to hear the Speaker clearly  when at the middle or back of the room especially when they turn towards the screen.

Also when the Hot Water comes on it is then nigh impossible ! Muttering from nearby people happens about the sound which only makes matters worse !

Elaine

 

[John PetersKeymaster]

Thank you, Elaine. I share your pain.

[John PetersKeymaster]

Thank you, David

We are also thinking of a clip-on and an upgrade for the over-the-head one for those speakers whose clothing wouldn’t be appropriate for the clip-on, or preference.

Cheers

[BRIAN DANDRIDGEParticipant]

I went deaf in my right ear three years ago since when I have found some speakers to be very hard to hear / listen to.  Our last judge was excellent and spoke clearly and at a good volume and i had no difficulty hearing everything he said, but others, especially, I am afraid, the female presenters I find incredibly hard to hear even when I sit near the front.  It is particularly noticeable when they look at the screen and face away from the audience when they speak.  I am afraid this is not limited to the visiting speakers.  When Simon and or Sherry read out the tiltles of images portrayed during competitions I really struggle to hear them as they are facing the front not the audience.  When names are given out for scoring 19s or 20s, again, I often can’t hear what they said.  Last year I stood in for Simon on a number of occasions and you may have noticed I always sat at the end of the table so a) I could see the screen but b) I only had to half turn towards the audience when giving out titles and authors names.

[Stephen EverestParticipant]

Hi John,

I know I only attend via Zoom  owing to my geographical location in Norfolk. Having been the club House Manager for the better part of 27 years, in several different meeting locations for the club, this isn’t the first time this issue has arisen. A few questions.

1. Is the mic connected to the PA system via Bluetooth or radio transmitter? It can make quite a lot of difference.
2. The position of the loud speakers should preferably be at the front and slightly in front of the guest speaker/lecturer. (This should avoid any “feedback” noise. It also projects the sound towards the audience. A speaker unit placed on one side or the other of the audience is almost impossible to get a good sound balance that satisfies all listeners.

3. Some speakers/lecturers will look at the screen instead of the audience while talking. So the position of the mic on their clothing is quite important. Headsets are ok if the person wearing it knows how to wear it and how much vocal volume to use.

4. In my experience a high quantity radio mic beats a Bluetooth mic especially if correctly placed on clothing. The user forgets about it and speaks normally. The only thing you have to do is recover it at the end of the meeting. On more than one occasion I had to chase after a speaker as they were heading for the door…

I hope that helps in some way.

regards

Steve Everest

[Keith LeeModerator]

Just to add my 2d worth…. sitting at the back it very much depends on the speaker whether I can hear them or not. If they speak conistantly in a loudish voice it’s OK even when facing the front to review images. Some speakers with softer voices are harder to hear for obvious reasons. Using the PA can be hit and miss if the mic is not positioned correctly or the signal breaks down for whatever reason as it can sometimes sound like a Norman Collier sketch with lots of words missing….

Also, when we have the zoom meetings it does seem too loud even from the edges where I usually sit so I can only imagine what it sounds like directly in front of it.. would pointing it at the wall to reflect the sound be better?

As for the tea urn kicking in at random moments it oblitorates any chance of hearing the speaker, could it be warmed up while preparing the teas and then off turned off during the time the speaker is talking and fired up again a few minutes before the break?

Keith

[Sherry DavisParticipant]

I agree that the urn does impact on the hearing in the room. Ordinarily I find the speakers to be okay, but there are exceptions and possibly the room speaker would be needed. I agree that the mic system needs updating and that a clip on mic should be considered. Could we not also consider having the speaker (not the judge) at the front of the room facing the audience? Also, on Brian’s suggestion, I do tend to sit to the side when doing the competition nights and when I have asked people if they can hear me, I have been told that it is ok.  As neither Simon nor I are public speakers and we don’t want to shout, we try to speak a little louder than normal. I can’t speak for Simon, but perhaps if it is a problem perhaps we should wear a clip on mic so that our voices are projected better. Perhaps the seating arrangements should be looked at to see if there is a way that can be used so that the sound is better projected?

[Martin BradyParticipant]

I do need to sit near the front to be able to hear unamplified speakers so do prefer them to be miked up.

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