Why customers choose the Stem Ecosystem by Shure

Christian Köbke | August 21, 2023 Why customers choose the Stem Ecosystem by Shure

The demand for this type of meeting has risen significantly since the rise of online conferences. Many users have noticed in their daily work that their business partners are better equipped. They wonder how they can keep up with the others with their limited, poorly structured audio and video technology. Lighting in office spaces has always seen improvement over time to improve working conditions – but many discover that the poor audio quality can also cause an uncomfortable workplace environment during meetings. This often causes the demand for AV technology to be improved shortly after a new workplace renovation. Companies who have never used a professional microphone and speaker solution before, for online meetings, often do not have the infrastructure to widly install a new such a system. It may also be undesirable to once again close off meeting rooms following a recent renovation.

The Stem Ecosystem fills a critical gap.

The AV market has grown massively in recent years, going from USB microphones for home offices to UC video bars, to complex audio systems. The Stem Ecosystem by Shure has found its own niche in this market. Stem includes a sound bar with an integrated microphone array (Stem Wall), a desktop speaker phone (Stem Table), a ceiling microphone array (Stem Ceiling) and a conference room speaker (Stem Speaker). There is also a hub and a touchscreen controller. The Stem audio system is flexible and scalable: from a huddle room for four people to a large meeting room with over 24 people. The central aim of the Stem Ecosystem is for all participants in the room to be heard. Having a reliable system enables full focus on the meeting without the distractions of bad audio quality. The distracting concern of words being transmitted properly will be a thing of the past.

Concering budget.

If you look at the application scenarios in more detail, it becomes clear why customers choose the Stem Ecosystem by Shure. The desire to create better experiences for online meetings is always a priority. Typically, the ideal solution for optimally equipping a conference room requires good planning, some technical effort and a large budget. By contrast, The Stem Ecosystem can be set up and operated without planners, in-house technicians or technical support. There is no longer the need for a complicated, expensive set up for small to medium sized rooms. For example, an investment of over £30,000 in conference technology for a single room is out of the question for many companies. With the ability to choose between multiple microphone-speaker units for your audio system, the Stem Ecosystem offers affordable flexibility.

For situations where a single device is not enough.

A standalone video bar is not enough for a 10 x 20 meter room. UC devices are pushed to the limit when multiple speakers are in a larger room and are also moving around or interacting. While all-in-one devices can be expanded with additional desktop microphones, the number is still limited. This is where the Stem Ecosystem comes in. Stem coordinates up to 10 microphones in combination and also enables an array ceiling solution. This means that more complex arrangements can be implemented in the room. In some rooms that are used for other purposes, permanently present desktop microphones are also not a good solution. This can be resolved by an array on the ceiling. Only Stem offers a ceiling microphone within a USB peripheral Ecosystem. This is ideal for rooms with flexible furnishing, or rooms where no desks are provided. At the same time, Stem remains so flexible that the table and speaker can be packed away and moved between rooms. This is a great option for those who do not want to rely on the AV technology of a hotel conference room. Or an affordable option for multi purpose rooms where the seating layout regularly changes. It can also be expanded flexibly, depending on the size of the room and individual requirements.

From an architect's office to a global group:

Easy operation is the deciding factor for the final decision to purchase Stem devices in many companies. This does not only apply to small companies where the office management or purchasing department is ordered to equip a conference room with proper AV technology. Easy purchasing, installation and operation is also one of the main arguments for the decision to equip the room accordingly for major companies that do not have a team of technicians at all sites, but leave it to employees of individual branches on-site. Anyone who knows the size of the room and the desks, and seating positions, can easily configure the necessary Stem equipment for a room with the aid of the Stem Room Designer, with no prior AV knowledge. The tool automatically puts the necessary devices together in one shopping basket, so that these can then be directly ordered from the Shure online store if desired. The technicians can then allow colleagues to set up the Stem devices on-site, and can also comfortably support start-up remotely with the aid of a hub and control if needed. It is critical for these companies that the AV solution can also be scaled, in case demands change, as the result of a move or an enlarged team. Existing rooms which do not benefit from the entire solution are usually upgraded in this case, possibly because only a few AV conferences take place at the site, or the circumstances do not allow for costly construction.

Simple, flexible, cost-effective – and still high-quality

One of the reasons for acquiring the Stem is, as mentioned above, the uncomplicated purchasing process in a specialist store or the Shure online store. Also, neither planners nor AV integrators need to be involved for planning and installation. This favors both spontaneous decision-making and quick implementation. As the products of the Stem Ecosystem were designed for almost any application situation or room type, users can flexible equip and manage their meeting rooms to meet their requirements. This also enables easy compliance with both the budget and the schedule. And they enable teams to have the best possible AV conference experience.

The Stem Ecosystem functions on any platform. In other words, Stem upgrades every existing audio solution, no matter which conferencing platform is being used, whether it is Microsoft Teams, Zoom or similar.

Christian Köbke

Christian is based in Germany as a Senior Manager, Integrated Systems Sales.