AV Gear

San Diego State U Upgrades Microphones for Hybrid Learning

• By Rhea Kelly
• 01/21/21

San Diego State University is outfitting nearly 200 classrooms across its main and Imperial Valley campuses with Sony's MAS-A100 beamforming ceiling microphone, to support the hybrid classroom model. The hands-free lecture and presentation solution uses speech reinforcement technology to provide clear audio without the typical constraints of lavalier or handheld microphones.

Features of the technology include:

• Easy installation;
• An Intelligent Feedback Reducer function, to extract speech while suppressing feedback;
• Automatic gain control;
• Ability to record lectures for on-demand purposes;
• Dual-channel output for simultaneous recording of both instructor and student voices;
• Compatibility with third-party Dante mixers, converters and other devices; and
• Power over Ethernet capability.

"As we refreshed the design of our classroom due to the pandemic, we sought a touchless experience to safeguard employees and adhere to health and safety protocols," explained Rudy Arias, associate director for Instructional Technology Services at San Diego State University, in a statement. "We were looking for an audio solution that would be hands-free, easy to implement, cost-effective and offer high-quality sound from any location. When we were introduced to the Sony IP ceiling microphone through a virtual demo, we placed our order within hours. We knew right away that it met our list of requirements and would be a reliable solution for our new hybrid classroom experience. We are currently installing them across our two campuses to make a bigger impact and facilitate a more engaging educational experience for teachers and students alike, and we are actively exploring and testing additional Sony classroom solutions to complement the new microphones and enhance our display capabilities."