The best technology for a professional speaker’s toolbox

Esther Snippe 1 Jul 2019 17 min reads

Best technology for a professional speaker

If you are speaking regularly on stages around the world, investing in your own hardware will ensure you get more consistent results engaging with audiences. Having your own equipment will ensure that you always have a plan B if the conference tech isn't working as it should.

It’s like a marathon runner having specific running shoes. While fundamentally, all running shoes are similar, runners know that pulling out the right shoes can be the difference between struggling to finish and making their best time. Knowing your tools inside and out and having the confidence that you can rely on them, can help you perform to your best.

Additionally, the ability to video record your sessions can help you in a multitude of ways, from rewatching your presentations to see where you can improve, to creating content you can share on your social media or use for next year’s demo reel. Having video recordings of yourself speaking is essential for any pro speaker.

Today, we will be looking at options for the best:

Microphone
Portable speaker
Wireless presentation device
Audience engagement microphone
Video camera
Video editing app
Laptop stand

Without further ado, here are our suggestions for the best technology to add to your professional speaking toolbox.

1. Microphone

Using a wireless microphone can improve the sound quality of nearly any speaking situation you may be in, and relying on the venue’s microphones can have some unwanted consequences.

For example, what if they only have a handheld microphone, yet you need your hands to gesture effectively?

What if their handsfree doesn’t take into account your facial hair, jewellery, or clothing, and the mic ends up scratching along your beard/earrings/collar every time you open your mouth?

What if they only have a microphone on a stand with a short cord, but you are used to pacing around and commanding the stage?

There are many wireless microphone choices, but the two we are choosing to showcase are not only the highest rated, but are well known for both their quality and flexibility.

Our top picks:

Shure BLX14/CVL Lavalier Wireless System with CVL Lavalier Microphone, H10

Price: $299

Rating: 4.3/5

The Shure BLX14 is ideal for presentations where movement is key. The Shure has a wireless operating range of 91m (300 ft.) with QuickScan technology for locating the best open frequency with one touch. Operating on 2 AA batteries, users can expect 14 hours of uninterrupted battery time, with power and battery supply displayed in LED.

This is a complete microphone package, including the BLX14 wireless receiver, CVL lavalier microphone with clip, windscreens, power supply and a BLX1 bodypack transmitter.

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BOYA BY-M1 3.5mm Lavalier Condenser Microphone for Smartphones

Price: $19.90

Rating: 4.4/5

The Boya BY-M1 uses your smartphone as the receiver. With a cable length of 6m, this microphone is suited for video audio recorders and presentations, and is highly rated for use by digital media creators. Features include clip-on condenser microphone, wind screen, LR44 battery and adapter, making it a solid entry-level device.

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2. Portable speaker

For most large conferences you are going to need to rely on the speakers that the venue provides. Still, having a portable speaker on the go can be an asset. If you are doing a breakout session and a lot more people show up than originally expected, being able to whip out your own speaker can be the difference between the audience hearing your insights or half the room wondering what is going on.

Wireless technology allows you to pair a portable powered speaker with your microphone, your tablet, smartphone, or laptop, meaning that whether you are speaking or showing a video, your sound will be top-notch.

There are thousands of portable speakers out there, but many are cheap... and end up sounding cheap. Bad sound, low volume, and reception that cuts in and out can undermine your ability to get your ideas across. If you are going to buy a portable speaker, invest in one that is good quality and reliable.

Our top pick:

JBL Flip 4

Price: $74.95

Rating: 4.5/5

The JBL Flip 4 has been reviewed by multiple tech websites such as soundguys.com. It leads the field in portable Bluetooth speakers at less than $100. The JBL Flip is compact, light, waterproof and Bluetooth compatible. It has a range of 15m (50ft.) and a rechargeable battery that lasts upwards of 12 hours. An interesting feature is the ability to sync two devices to the speaker, allowing users the opportunity to take turns using the speaker through their devices.

Because of its waterproofing, the Flip holds up to rain, water spills, and other mishaps that could occur when travelling with it. Should you need more volume, the Flip also allows you to sync upwards of 100 of these devices together, which could be an interesting feature for presenters. Lastly, built-in noise and echo cancelling technology make this device perfect for conference calls, and it is even Siri and Alexa compatible. Because of its affordability, durability and many features, the JBL Flip is today’s premier portable stereo speaker.

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3. Wireless presentation device

Without a wireless presentation remote control, you either have to run back to your laptop every time you want to change your slide, or you have to rely on someone else to change your slides for you. If you want to have ultimate control and to master your stage presence, a wireless remote control can be a very helpful tool for creating seamless presentations.

Motion creates emotion and being able to perfectly time your slides and movements can help you give smooth, flawless presentations that will impact your audiences.

Here is our top pick for a wireless Bluetooth presentation remote control:

Logitech Spotlight Wireless Presentation Device

Price: $108.34

Rating: 4.3/5

The Logitech Spotlight utilizes an advanced digital pointer and built-in timer to differentiate it from the crowd. This remote control is compatible with projectors, TVs, and LED screens with USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Compatible with both Apple and Windows, the device’s built-in timer will vibrate at self-selected milestones to help your presentation stay on track. With a range of 30m (100ft.) and a 3-hour battery life, the Logitech Spotlight works with all leading presentation software.

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Logitech Wireless Presenter R400

Price: $31.99

Rating: 4.5/5

The R400 is your bread-and-butter wireless presenter. It utilizes a red laser pointer and built-in touch keys for presentation control. With a range of 15m (50ft.), presenters have the freedom to walk around the room; and with no software that needs to be downloaded, users simply need to plug the receiver into the USB port and its ready-to-use.

The R400 comes with its own carrying case and 2 AAA for up to 20 hours of battery life. Notably, this presenter is only compatible with Windows operating systems.

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4. Audience engagement microphone

“Audience engagement” is most certainly a buzz phrase in the speaking industry, and with good reason. Modern audiences want to feel like they are a part of something — that watching you speak live is something they couldn’t get by loading up YouTube and watching your talk from the comfort of their living room. But how do you cultivate engagement and participation?

Instead of a one-way street (you talk, they listen) turn elements of your talk into a conversation by giving them a voice.

There are a number of tools that enable audiences to interact with you during your presentation, but one of the most innovative new pieces of tech are throwable wireless microphones.

When someone has a question, rather than having to either pick your way through the crowd to give them a mic or have a runner to do it for you, simply throw them the mic—it is an effective, high energy way to get them involved quickly — plus, it is loads more fun!

Catchbox Lite

Price: $549

Rating: 5/5

The Chatbox is a throwable microphone encased in a foam cube. To avoid unwanted noise, the Catchbox has integrated auto-mute technology, silencing itself upon detection of movement. Chatbox is encased in a dirt-repellent, anti-bacterial coating, and has replaceable components to create a longer product lifespan.

Notably, the Catchbox utilizes magnetic locking to ensure that internal components stay intact when Catchbox is thrown around. Lastly, Catchbox can easily be printed with company logos and brand names.

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Qball Throwable Microphone

Price: $199

Rating: 3.6/5

Qball is a wireless, throwable microphone encased in durable foam. With a built-in lithium polymer battery, Qball can last up to 10 hours and has a connectivity range of 23m. Qball features built-in muting technology that prevents any unwanted noise from being transmitted.

Qball is compatible with most existing speaker systems, from professional setups to bluetooth speakers. Each Qball comes with microphone, foam enclosure, and receiver. The latter plugs into your existing sound system or computer using the included 3.5mm audio cord. Additionally, the microphone can be removed from the Qball enclosure and worn around the neck for presentations, or on the lapel with a lavalier microphone attachment.

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5. Portable laptop stand

A portable laptop stand will pay for itself over and over, on or off stage. It is a sturdy and easy-to-use tool that will support your tablet or laptop, keeping it at eye level so you can easily see it when you are on stage.

Rain Design 12031 Ilevel 2

Price: $53.91

Rating: 4.3/5

The Rain Design 12031 utilizes a front slider to adjust the height, elevating the screen to your eye level for better posture. Notably, this laptop stand is encased in anodized aluminium to match Apple MacBook products, although it’s compatible with all notebooks. Furthermore, the tilt design alleviates CPU overheating by allowing heat to escape from beneath the notebook.

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6. Best video recorder and recording addon

You are likely taping your talks already, but if you aren’t, you should consider it. Not only do recordings allow you to carefully review your talks and make improvements for the future, but they can be used to capture essential marketing material that you can upload to social media and YouTube, use for your speaker reel, and send to potential clients.

But be aware that a cheap looking video tells an event organizer: “I’m not worth much.” Or it says “I can’t be bothered to do this correctly” and gives the impression that you don’t care. A low quality video makes you look cheap. If you look cheap, the organizer probably won’t take you seriously and will immediately disqualify you from consideration.

And while hiring a film crew for each presentation may not be feasible or affordable, investing in a good video camera is. Here are two great options.

Panasonic HC-V770K

Price: $434.69

Rating: 5/5

The Panasonic HC-V770K is all-round the highest rated camcorder of 2019. It provides the option of pairing to your smartphone for recording dual simultaneous camera angles, providing full HD video and 24 MP stills. The camcorder has a 20x optical zoom lens with 29.5 to 612mm focal length, providing wide-angle recording opportunities.

Additional features include slow-motion recording at 120 fps, and through in-camera interpolation, this can reach up to 240 fps. The bundle includes a 1-year warranty, UV filter, carrying case, cleaning kit, and LCD screen protectors.

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Zoom Q2n

Price: $139

Rating: 3.6/5

For under $200, the Zoom Q2n offers 24-bit (96 kHz) audio recording and full HD 1080p video recording. The Q2n has a 160-degree wide-angle lens with an f/2.0 aperture for clear images, even in low-lighting. Besides the camera’s high audio and video recording capabilities, it can also be used as a webcam for live streaming, making it a flexible device for presentations, public speaking, or digital media creation.

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7. Video editing apps

Once you have the video footage, what do you do with it? Sending the raw footage will look unprofessional, but luckily there are some apps that make editing your own videos to a professional standard, easy. Here are the best two options for iOS and Android.

For iOS

LumaFusion

Price: Basic $20, one time purchase / Deluxe (Storyblocks) $69.99/year; $9.99/month

Apple App Store rating: 4.8/5

Rated even above Apple’s own iMovie, LumaFusion has been highly recommended by reviewers and Redditors alike. LumaFusion requires a one-time purchase of $20, upon which you gain access to the most powerful editor ever created for mobile devices. The product is so highly regarded that it’s used by professional journalists, filmmakers and video producers.

Tutorial videos streamline the learning curve for beginners, opening the door to a variety of editing options. There are dozens of video editing tools and effects available, but of note are the availability of 3 video/audio tracks, dozens of transitions, slow and fast motion support, a range of project aspect ratios and frame rates, drag-and-drop media, and the option to subscribe to Storyblock, LumaFusion’s network of royalty-free sound effects, video, loops, music and more. There are over 50 features, making this the premier option for anyone wanting to create professional quality videos.

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For Android

PowerDirector

Price: Basic Free;

Deluxe $50-$130, depending on weekly discount.

Google Play Store rating: 4.5/5

PowerDirector offers Android users an easy-to-use interface, allowing you to create professional videos within seconds. Similar to LumaFusion, PowerDirector leads beginners through its program with tutorial videos introducing their catalog of 30+ transitions and effects. Notably, PowerDirector leads the pack in its ability to create professional videos using greenscreen backgrounds.

By upgrading to the Deluxe version, users will be able to extract videos in 1080 and 4k resolutions, as well as removing PowerDirector’s watermark from their videos. The cost of PowerDirector’s Deluxe version varies depending on weekday sales, ranging from $50-$130, so users can save quite a bit of money by watching for deals and buying the upgrade when it’s most expedient.

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Wrapping it up

While having a slew of great tech will not automatically turn you into a great speaker, if you are already speaking regularly, these tools can help you up your game and offer more seamless presentations.

Having high-quality tools like a great camera, or high-quality microphone can be the difference between your audience hearing your message or not, or being booked or not, so think about quality before price when deciding on which tools to add to your toolbox.

Please note that while we were unbiased in our choices for each tool, some of the links above are affiliate links.

Special thanks to Chris Hailey, who helped research and edit this article.