The best ceiling microphone for a conference room is the one that pairs natively with your room system. For a Poly G7500 room that is the Poly IP Ceiling Microphone. For USB and BYOD rooms it is the AVer FONE700, which combines ceiling audio with its own DSP hub. For Logitech Rally rooms, Rally Mic Pods on a pendant mount give you ceiling pickup without a separate audio processor.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Works with | Best for | Needs a separate DSP? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poly IP Ceiling Microphone | Poly G7500 (Teams, Zoom) | Large rooms, boardrooms, classrooms | No, the G7500 handles processing | $1,066.99 |
| AVer FONE700 | Any PC or laptop over USB (Teams, Zoom, Meet, BYOD) | Medium to boardroom spaces | No, DSP hub included | $2,039.99 |
| Logitech Rally Mic Pod + Pendant Mount | Rally Bar, Rally Bar Mini, Rally systems | Rooms with no clear table spot for mics | No | $449.99 + $119.99 |
| Logitech Rally Mic Pod 2 + Mount | Rally Bar 2, Rally Board 65 | Newer Logitech rooms | No | $819 + $79.99 |
Prices can change. Specs are manufacturer-published.
1. Poly IP Ceiling Microphone: best for Poly G7500 rooms
A white 360° ceiling array that connects to the Poly G7500 over the network and takes PoE power. Because the G7500 does the echo cancellation and mixing, you skip the external DSP that most ceiling arrays need. It suits boardrooms and classrooms where the table moves or the room is too deep for a video bar's mics.
2. AVer FONE700: best for USB and BYOD rooms
The FONE700 is a ceiling speakerphone with a DSP hub. It shows up to the room PC or laptop as one USB audio device, so it works with Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and any soft client. You can daisy-chain up to 4 units to cover larger spaces. Pair it with a USB PTZ such as the AVer CAM520 Pro3 for a clean ceiling-and-camera room.
3. Logitech Rally Mic Pods on a pendant: best for Rally rooms
Logitech doesn't make a dedicated ceiling array, but the Mic Pod Pendant Mount hangs a Rally Mic Pod from the ceiling. Use the Rally Mic Pod Hub for hub-and-spoke cabling and the plenum-rated extension cable for runs above the ceiling. Newer Rally Bar 2 and Rally Board 65 rooms use Mic Pod 2 with its own table-or-ceiling mount.
Ceiling mics we don't carry
Pro-AV ceiling arrays such as Shure's MXA series and Sennheiser's TeamConnect Ceiling are common in large rooms. They usually connect over Dante or another audio network and rely on a DSP for echo cancellation, either built in or a separate processor. They deliver excellent coverage but need an integrator to design, tune and program. If you're not planning a full DSP-based system, the picks above are simpler.
How to choose a ceiling microphone
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is the room system? | Native mics (Poly IP, Rally Mic Pod) avoid extra hardware. A USB room PC can use a USB ceiling system like the FONE700. |
| Who handles echo cancellation? | Every ceiling mic needs AEC somewhere: in the codec, a DSP hub or a separate processor. |
| How high is the ceiling? | Most arrays are designed for typical office ceilings around 8-10 ft (2.4-3 m). Higher ceilings mean less pickup per array. |
| How is it powered and cabled? | PoE arrays need a PoE switch port. Runs above a drop ceiling usually need plenum-rated cable. |
| Is it certified? | Teams and Zoom certify complete systems. Check the mic is on the certified list with your codec or bar. |
When a ceiling mic is the right call
- The table is reconfigurable or there is no table.
- You want a clean table with no pucks or cables.
- The room is too deep for a video bar's built-in mics.
- Classrooms and training rooms where people stand and move.
Ceiling mics pick up more of the room than a table mic placed near talkers, so hard, echoey rooms need acoustic treatment first. See conference room acoustics and our full ceiling microphone explainer.
Not sure which ceiling system fits your room? Send us the dimensions, ceiling height and seat count and we'll spec it.
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