A practical guide to ceiling mic placement, no acoustics degree required.

Pleneo’s RoomHub and RoomOS automatically tune, optimize, and manage ceiling microphones over time.
But even the smartest system benefits from good physical placement.

Follow these simple guidelines, and Pleneo will handle the rest, automatically adapting to how people actually use the room.

Don’t aim for the geometric center of the space.
Aim for the conversation center, where people actually sit and speak.

If voices move, Pleneo adapts.
If the mic starts in the wrong place, even smart systems are limited.

Always mount the ceiling microphone directly above the table or primary seating area, even if the room itself isn’t symmetrical.

If the table isn’t centered in the room, the microphone shouldn’t be either.

Ceiling microphones hear everything, including what you don’t want.

Keep distance from:

• HVAC vents

• Projectors

• Loud lighting fixtures

• Doorways or corridors

Clean input gives the system better material to work with.

If the microphone has a clear view of the people, it will have a clear sound of them too.

Avoid placing microphones near:

• Beams

• Soffits

• Deep ceiling recesses

Anything that blocks or reflects sound unnaturally reduces consistency.

Below are the simplest and most reliable placement rules when using a single ceiling microphone.

6–10 seats, single table
Placement: Center the microphone above the table, aligned with the table’s long axis.

If the table is off-center, the microphone should be too.

10–16 seats, long table
Placement: Find the midpoint of the seating zone, not the midpoint of the room.
Place the microphone directly above that point.

Wide or boat-shaped executive table
Placement: Center the microphone over the densest seating area, usually the middle third of the table.

If one individual sits farther from center, favor the group, not a single seat.

Participants face inward toward the instructor
Placement: Mount the microphone above the open center of the U, slightly forward toward the instructor.

This balances presenter speech with participant questions.

Rows facing forward
Placement: Position the microphone above the instructor’s teaching zone, typically the front half of the room.

Tiered seating, single presenter
Placement: Install the microphone above the stage or presenter area only.

Audience microphones should be planned separately.

Different ceiling microphones are designed for different room types.
Start with room size and usage, then confirm technical limits.

Best for: Medium meeting rooms with standard ceiling heights

• Coverage: Up to 40 m² (430 ft²)

• Note: Align the 0° mark with the room camera when flush-mounted

Best for: Larger, open rooms with flexible seating

• Coverage: Up to 80 m² (861 ft²)

• Note: Does not support AudioIQ (RoomHub automatic tuning)

Best for: Large or high-ceiling spaces with controlled acoustics

• Coverage: Room-dependent

• Note: Available in round and square formats

Best for: Smaller rooms or defined seating zones

• Coverage: 20 × 20 ft (6.1 × 6.1 m)

• Note: Available in round and square formats

Good ceiling microphone placement doesn’t require complex acoustics knowledge, just a few smart rules:

• Focus on where people sit

• Avoid noise and obstructions

• Mount directly above the conversation zone

Get placement right, and Pleneo takes care of the rest, automatically tuning, optimizing, and maintaining consistent audio performance over time.

That’s how big rooms become easy.