Conference Season AV Checklist: Measure Before Delegates Arrive

Pre-Conference Audio Verification

Conference audio has zero tolerance for failure. When a keynote speaker is inaudible, when feedback squeals during a panel discussion, or when HVAC noise drowns out questions from the floor — the reputation damage is immediate and lasting. A structured measurement pass prevents these failures.

Start with the system check workflow at least one day before the event. This gives time to address any issues discovered during testing.

Speech Intelligibility (STI) Verification

Speech clarity is the primary audio requirement for conferences. Measure STI using the STIPA method at five positions: front row, center, back row, under any balcony, and at the furthest breakout seating. Target STI ≥ 0.60 at every measurement point.

Common STI killers in conference venues: excessive RT60 (large atria, marble lobbies), HVAC noise masking speech frequencies, poor speaker coverage leaving dead zones, and time misalignment between ceiling speakers creating comb filtering.

Background Noise Assessment

Measure background noise with the SPL meter configured for A-weighting, slow time constant. Target NC-30 (≈35 dBA) or better. Check with HVAC at normal operating level, AV equipment powered on, and projectors running. The problem detector identifies tonal noise from transformers, dimmers, and equipment fans that may be acceptable in dBA terms but distractingly audible.

Microphone System Testing

Test every microphone channel individually: podium, lavalier, handheld wireless, ceiling microphones for recording, and any audience Q&A microphones. Run the RTA while speaking at normal distance to verify frequency response and look for proximity effect bass boost on close-talking microphones.

For wireless microphones, walk the entire venue to check for dropout zones. The problem detector catches intermittent signal issues that manual listening might miss. Run the feedback elimination workflow with all microphones open simultaneously to identify and notch feedback-prone frequencies.

Coverage Uniformity

Measure SPL at multiple positions across the audience area using the SPL meter. SPL variation should not exceed ±3 dB across the covered area. If ceiling speakers are used, verify that the overlap zones between adjacent speakers do not create destructive interference — the transfer function coherence drops where comb filtering occurs.

Hybrid Meeting Audio

Many conferences now include remote participants. Test the audio chain for online attendees separately: is the room microphone capturing clear audio without excessive room reverb? Is the remote participant audio playing through the room PA at adequate level? The STI measurement from the room speakers carrying remote audio should match the in-room STI.

Documentation and Handover

Create a technical report documenting all measurements. Include system settings (EQ, levels, delays) that produced acceptable results. This report serves as the configuration reference for the AV operator during the event. Save measurements to a venue profile for future conferences at the same location.