Carleton University is a 150-acre campus nestled in Ottawa, Canada. Its Senate Room—a 49x33.5-foot room that served as a longtime gathering space for the school's senior academic body, comprised of faculty, students, alumni, and senior administration—was largely untouched since the late 60s. When the university decided to update it, the antiquated audio system was in serious need of an upgrade. The university selected Sennheiser's TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC 2) microphones to create a seamless environment for Senate meetings and conferences. The ceiling microphones’ ease of deployment and ability to capture high-quality audio from anywhere in the room prompted further deployment of 37 TCC 2s across the university to facilitate hybrid learning.
Armand Doucet, AV specialist at the university, was consulted in the complete refresh of AV technology to the space. With a focus on both aesthetics and function, an architect was brought in to retrofit the rough, exposed concrete and dark ceilings with a modern look. Doucet needed a multifunctional space where the school Senate (roughly 60-80 people) could meet and efficiently carry out their governing responsibilities and where students and faculty could reserve a dedicated space throughout the year for various small conferences.
“The guiding principle for the remodel was to have the least invasive technology possible that would pick up conversations anywhere in the room," explained Doucet. "It needed to consistently produce high-quality audio, without needing an AV technician on hand.”
After testing several vendors, Doucet decided the Sennheiser's TCC 2 technology—which picks up all audio in a room and uses digital signal processing to automatically locate and highlight the individual speaking, regardless of where people sit, stand or move—was the ideal fit. The choice came down to several factors, with adaptability and ease of use key because of the university’s small internal staff. “One of the best parts was that the TCC 2s were so easy to deploy," he said. "After installing the tile, we simply needed the two connectors. Then we could open Control Cockpit, and within the hour, we had a functional tool that was easily handling all of the room’s noise.” With limited it was also essential that Sennheiser’s Technical Application Engineers were available at every step of the process. from initial design concepts through installation.
Within a week, Doucet and his team installed six TCC 2s into the Senate Room’s newly designed skylights, which created a beautiful and functional space. With the TCC 2s flexible analog and digital inputs and outputs, Doucet could use the microphones in collaboration with the room’s new QSC digital signal processor (DSP).
Since the rollout of the TCC 2s in the Senate Room, Doucet has received positive feedback from Senate members and conference participants. “I’ve heard nothing but good reviews about the space since the renovation," Doucet said. "The TCC 2s easily cover the whole room. When the Senate meets, and there are people in the back who ask questions, they’re heard. When people are in the front, they’re heard. When they are lecturing to the space, TruVoiceLift ensures they’re being heard. The TCC 2s have finally made the space functional and blend in beautifully with the remodel.”
[AV Technology Manager’s Guide to Hybrid Collaboration]
Following the successful Senate Room installation, Doucet deployed dozens of additional TCC 2s across campus to support labs and seminar rooms. These deployments came at a crucial time as the university needed to quickly adapt to support hybrid learning. With a single TCC 2 able to cover a room fit for 20-100 people, there were 43 microphones installed across five buildings to accommodate flexible seating designs and discussion sessions.
In the future, Doucet plans to continue to grow Carleton University’s setup with Sennheiser. He is eager to utilize the TeamConnect Ceiling Medium (TCC M) and address the unique challenges of properly outfitting lecture halls that seat hundreds of students at a time.
