Rally Mic Pod 2 Placement Guide - Table and Ceiling Mounting

This guide explains how to optimize the microphone pickup when Rally Mic Pod 2 is used with Logitech Rally Board 65 and Rally Bar 2 in rooms of varying sizes, with different table and ceiling layouts.

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Rally Mic Pod 2 Pickup Range

• Mic Pod 2 pickup radius: 12 ft (3.6 m)

• Mic Pod 2 pickup diameter: 24 ft (7.2 m)

Rally Mic Pod 2 Compatibility

Rally Mic Pod 2 can be used with Rally Board 65 and Rally Bar 2.

Rally Board 65

Up to two Rally Mic Pod 2s can be connected (via daisy chain) to Rally Board 65 (requires CollabOS 2.1+).

Rally Bar 2

Up to four Rally Mic Pod 2s can be connected (via daisy chain) to Rally Bar 2 (requires CollabOS 2.2+).

Cable Requirements

Rally Mic Pod 2 is compatible with shielded Cat5e SF/UTP and shielded Cat6 SF/UTP or higher cable.

CAT5e

• Maximum cable length between Rally Board 65/Rally Bar 2 and the first Rally Mic Pod 2 = 131 ft (40 m)

• Maximum cable length between successive Rally Mic Pod 2s = 33 ft (10 m)

CAT6 

• Maximum cable length between Rally Board 65/Rally Bar 2 and the first Rally Mic Pod 2 = 230 ft (70 m) 

• Maximum cable length between successive Rally Mic Pod 2s = 33 ft (10 m)

Speaker Modes: Speaker Boost Off vs. Speaker Boost On

When external mic pods are connected to Rally Board 65 or Rally Bar 2, the host devices can function in one of two modes:

• Speaker Boost Off (default): the camera’s internal microphones automatically work in concert with external mic pods.

• Speaker Boost On (Requires CollabOS 2.3+): Placement suggestions for Rally Mic Pod 2 will be included when this feature releases in CollabOS version 2.3.

Typical Mic Pod Configurations – with Speaker Boost Off

This section provides examples of mic pod placement when using Rally Board 65 or Rally Bar 2 in a default setup: with Speaker Boost off.

With Speaker Boost off, both external mic pods and internal mics are active. The internal mics pick up voices closer to the video bar, while the mic pods pick up voices that are farther away.

Distance from Host to Rally Mic Pod 2

The diagram below is the most basic configuration for expanding the mic pickup range. The first mic pod should be mounted 15 ft (4.5 m) from the video bar to ensure sufficient mic pod range overlap. Each mic pod has a pickup range of 24 ft (7.2 m) diameter.

• Maximum distance from host to Rally Mic Pod 2: 18 ft (5.5 m)

• Recommended distance from host to Rally Mic Pod 2: 15 ft (4.5 m)

• Minimum supported distance from host to Rally Mic Pod 2: 12 ft (3.6 m), which is the same as the first generation Mic Pod.

Notes: 

• Placing Rally Mic Pod 2 less than the minimum supported distance could impact echo cancelling and mic pod auto-switching. 

• Placing Rally Mic Pod 2 greater and the recommended distance may impact speech pickup quality, depending on the room’s acoustics.

With Speaker Boost off, one Rally Mic Pod 2 can cover a 15 ft x 20 ft (4.5 m x 6 m) room. Minimum Spacing:

With Speaker Boost off, one Rally Mic Pod 2 can cover a 15 ft x 24 ft (4.5 m x 7.3 m) room. Maximum Spacing:

Example of a layout to avoid:

Each additional mic pod should be spaced within the following distances to provide the best overlapping coverage:

Distance between two Mic Pod 2s:

• Maximum: 12 ft (3.6 m)

• Recommended: 10 ft (3.0 m)

• Minimum: 8 ft (2.3 m)

Notes:

• In acoustically challenging spaces, closer Mic Pod 2 spacing is recommended. 8 ft (2.3 m) spacing provides improved audio quality and may also be preferred for premium rooms or boardrooms.

• Rally Mic Pod 2 is also a control device (mute/unmute), and you may opt to include more mic pods in the room for more control points. Keep in mind that the average arm reach over a table is approximately 2.3 ft to 2.6 ft (.7 m to .8 m)

Two Rally Mic Pod 2s in a large room with Speaker Boost off:

With triangular shaped tables, the built-in mics in Rally Board 65 and Rally Bar 2 cover those seated near the camera. An extra mic pod covers those seated at the far end.

One Rally Mic Pod 2 in a medium room with Speaker Boost off:

Maximum Room Coverage Example

With Speaker Boost disabled four Rally Mic Pod 2s can cover a 24 ft x 66 ft room.

Four Rally Mic Pod 2s in an Extra Large Room with Speaker Boost off:

In a U-shaped table configuration, mic pods are biased towards the front of the room to ensure appropriate coverage for those seated nearest the front of the room and facing the camera. 

Two Rally Mic Pod 2s in a large room with Speaker Boost off:

In some deployments, additional Rally Mic Pod 2s may be installed to provide a convenient mute control as well as enhanced audio coverage. 

Three Rally Mic Pod 2s in a large room with Speaker Boost off:

Ceiling Installation

When Rally Mic Pod 2 is installed in the ceiling, pickup can be considered a sphere. Therefore, the most important factor in speech pickup is the direct or straight-line distance measured between two points from the person speaking to the Rally Mic Pod 2. 

There are two ceiling mounts for Rally Mic Pod 2: Rally Mic Pod 2 Mount for mounting directly to drop tile ceilings, and Rally Mic Pod 2 Pendant Mount (coming soon) for mounting in spaces with open or tall ceilings. 

The maximum supported pickup range for Rally Mic Pod 2 is still 12 ft (3.6 m), BUT this needs to be calculated as the straight-line distance measured between the person’s mouth and the bottom of the Rally Mic Pod 2.

For example, with a ceiling height of 10 ft (3 m) and assuming an average sitting person height of 4 ft (1.2 m), the maximum horizontal distance is 10.2 ft (3.1 m).

Below is a series of maximum supported horizontal distances, at expected heights from the finished floor to the bottom of the Rally Mic Pod 2:

Notes:

• For ceiling installation, the official supported maximum pickup range from the mic pod to the person speaking is 12 ft (3.6 m).

• When ceiling mounting Rally Mic Pod 2, you should consider room reverberation and ambient noise levels. It is always recommended to test the room acoustics and audio performance prior to installation. In acoustically challenging environments, we recommend lowering the height of the mic pod.

• We recommend installing mic pods away from noise-generating elements such as HVAC vents, as they can impact speech pickup quality.

• Care should be taken to ensure there is appropriate mic coverage for all locations in the room that are expected to be picked up (e.g., whiteboards at the side of the room).