Speakerphones

A conference speakerphone is a tabletop device with microphones and a loudspeaker that lets several people join a call from one laptop, phone or tablet. The MAXHUB UC BM35, for example, has 8 microphones with 360° pickup up to 6 m and connects over USB-C or Bluetooth.

Unlike a headset, it serves the whole group at the table, and unlike a video bar, it handles audio only, so it pairs with the computer's own camera or a webcam.

One speakerphone covers one person to a small group, depending on its pickup range. The Logitech BCC950 has an omnidirectional microphone with a 2.4 m range, which suits one to a few people at a desk, while the MAXHUB UC BM35 picks up voices up to 6 m away.

For larger groups, two MAXHUB UC BM35 units can be paired over Bluetooth to double the pickup area, and several MAXHUB UC BM45 units can be daisy-chained over Cat5e cable.

The battery speakerphones in this collection are rated for about a full working day. Logitech rates the P710e for up to 15 hours of talk time between charges, and MAXHUB rates the UC BM35, with its 4400 mAh battery, for up to 15 hours.

Room units such as the MAXHUB UC BM45 run from their USB and network connection instead of a battery, so they suit tables where the device stays in place.

Yes, most portable speakerphones connect to a computer over USB and to a phone over Bluetooth. The MAXHUB UC BM35 offers USB-C, a Bluetooth dongle and NFC pairing, so a phone pairs with a tap.

The Logitech P710e has a built-in stand that holds a phone or tablet upright during a call, which helps when the call runs on a mobile device.

Yes. MAXHUB states that the UC BM35 is certified for Microsoft Teams. It uses an 8-microphone array with 360° pickup up to 6 m, a 4400 mAh battery for up to 15 hours of meetings, and USB-C, Bluetooth and NFC connections.

It also works over plug-and-play USB with other meeting applications on the connected computer. Check the exact model and firmware against Microsoft's device list before standardising on it.

Some can. Several MAXHUB UC BM45 units connect in a daisy chain over Cat5e cable to cover a large meeting table from one connection, and two MAXHUB UC BM35 units pair wirelessly to double their pickup reach.

Where the table is longer than two or three linked units can cover, ceiling microphones or a room kit with expansion microphones are the better choice.

The Logitech BCC950 is a desktop conference camera with a built-in speakerphone for private offices and small groups. Its camera has a 78° diagonal field of view, pans 180° and zooms up to 1.2x in HD, and its omnidirectional microphone covers a 2.4 m range.

A 228 mm extender stem lifts the camera to eye level, and it connects to the computer over USB.

Logitech rates the P710e for adjustable volume up to 85 dBA at 0.5 m, which is loud enough for a small group around a desk or in a hotel room.

For a full meeting room, a room speakerphone or a video bar with larger speakers projects voices more evenly across the table. Place any speakerphone in the centre of the group so everyone hears the remote side at the same level.

Yes, the MAXHUB UC BM45 can. Besides plug-and-play USB, it has a network port that connects to the microphone input of a MAXHUB XBoard V7, so the display uses the speakerphone for room audio.

The BM45 measures 122 mm in diameter and 65 mm in height and uses an 8-beam microphone array with 360° pickup and AI noise suppression.

Place the speakerphone in the centre of the group, so every talker is within its pickup range, such as the 6 m range of the MAXHUB UC BM35. Keep it away from laptop fans, cups and paper that rustles, which its microphones also pick up.

In the meeting application, select the speakerphone as both microphone and speaker, and test with a remote listener before the first important call.