Sennheiser gets down to business with its audio products

• New wireless conference solution aims to make communications clearer
• Wireless headset looks to block out sound to ensure better focus

GERMAN audio company Sennheiser is normally known for their consumer audio products but this year the company is looking to make a serious push into the business segment with a range of newly introduced solutions.

As businesses are becoming increasingly flexible with their working practices, they need to cater to teams spread across multiple locations and geographies, making online meetings essential.

A recent study by Sennheiser and market research company Millward Brown, found that only a connected team is able to perform to its full potential as strong internal connections and higher frequency of meetings correlate with better productivity.

To facilitate meetings of the modern workforce, Sennheiser has introduced its new TeamConnect Wireless solution.

Touted as the company’s first go-anywhere, it is a portable wireless conferencing solution that is designed with ease of use in mind, the solution comprises of modules shaped with like pills with one master module paired with several other satellite units that automatically turn on the moment they are removed from the case or charging tray.

According to Sennheiser, it will be available in three versions as a Case Set with one master and three satellites; a Tray Set with a master and three satellites or as a Tray-M set a smaller configuration with two modules.

The wirelessly linked modules are connected via Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) connection, a standard primarily used for creating cordless telephone systems.

From then on it is just a simple matter of connecting your conferencing device be it a laptop or smartphone to the module. This can be done easily via a simple tap of the phone via Near Field Communications (NFC) to initiate Bluetooth connectivity or via USB cable.

In addition, Sennheiser says TeamConnect Wireless supports multiple simultaneous audio channels, allowing for additional callers to be added to an ongoing meeting with ease.

The idea is that in a meeting these modules can be spread across the table as each unit has built-in microphones that can pick up to six person’s voices and built-in speakers too so everyone clearly hears what is being said.

Sennheiser says that the system is able to pick up to 24 participants in the same room, making it ideal for businesses seeking a high-quality audio conferencing system in any meeting environment.

Tune out and focus

In the current business environment, office space is a premium that has resulted in many businesses opting for open-plan offices. Though this setup is said to promote greater productivity, the unintended side effect is it is difficult to stay focused.

Sennheiser is stepping in with its MB 660 series headset with active noise cancellation (ANC) technology that is said to be specifically designed for knowledge workers in noisy open offices.

The MB 660 is able to connect wirelessly to mobile phones or via a USB dongle to a PC. An audio cable is also provided to continued usage even if it runs out of battery.

Speaking of battery life, Sennheiser claims the MB 660 is optimised for all-day use with up to 30 hours of usage.

Using the company’s NoiseGard hybrid adaptive ANC feature it monitors the background environment for ambient noises and adapts to the level of noise reduction.

The MB 660 is said to be certified for Skype for Business and features a fully integrated three digital microphone array that uses Sennheiser’s SpeakFocus technology zooms in on a user’s voice and its Advanced Own-Voice-Detector to reduce background noises to deliver clear audio quality when taking calls.

Even though it is MB 660 is made to be effective at keeping noise out, users can easily listen to colleagues or announcements without removing the headset with a simple double tap on the right ear cup to active Sennheiser’s TalkThrough technology that uses the microphone arrays to pick up from around the user.

Apart from that Sennheiser has included a choice of pre-set sound effect modes such as Club, Movie and Speech to optimised the headset for different listening situations.

Sennheiser has not announced the price of availability of the two products. Details to follow.

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