Choosing the best VoIP conference phones is a key piece of the puzzle for making efficient conference calls. It’s one of the best next steps you can take once you decide you’re going the VoIP route.
The problem is you’re a busy person and you don’t have the time— or the energy— to sift through hundreds of conference phone options that often come with hidden costs and sub-par features.
Your search ends here. I will guide you through a highly researched list of some of the best VoIP conference phones available.
The Top 7 Best VoIP Conference Phones
- Nextiva — Best selection of options
- Yamaha YVC-330 — Best portable Bluetooth conference phone
- Poly SoundStation IP 6000 — Best for standard conference calling
- Skywin Wireless — Best for small conference rooms
- Poly RealPresence Trio 8500 — Best touchscreen phone
- eMacros Wireless Speakerphone — Best wide range speakerphone
- Meeting Owl Pro — Best smart video conference phone
Join me below as we review the best conference phones according to your specific conference calling needs.
#1 – Nextiva Conference Phones – Best Selection of Options
- Five models to choose from
- Phones from Poly, Snom, & Cisco
- All under $600
- Expansion speakers available
If you’re using one of the top names in VoIP, why not get the conference phones they recommend? Nextiva offers five stout conference phone options that work for a variety of needs.
The entry level Snom C520 is adaptable enough to work for most people’s situations. It can handle large rooms with its powerful built-in speaker, noise reduction, and feedback control. It also comes with two wireless microphones so large groups can make sure everyone is heard.
You can also add expansion speakers for the C520 as well. Nextiva offers the Snom C52-SP that will allow you to set up connected speakers for massive or separate rooms to all be on the same call.
Nextiva also offers three VoIP conference phones from one of the leading names in the business, Poly. The Trio series is well-represented, with Nextiva selling the 8300, 8500, and 8800.
All three offer superb audio quality and an LCD touch screen for easy connectivity and customization. Your best bet depends on the size of your rooms—the Trio 8300 has a 12-foot vocal pickup range, while the 8500 and 8800 can handle speakers from as far as 14 feet and 20 feet away, respectively.
If you want the best in speaker audio quality, go with the Cisco CP 8832. It’s ideal for small and medium rooms with its 10-foot pickup range, but it sports a full-range speaker that provides studio-level audio quality. You can also connect separate 8832 units with one another, allowing one call to happen simultaneously in multiple rooms.
Best of all, Nextiva sells all these models at below market price, so you can get a deal. For the time being, you can get the Snom C520 for under $300 and the Cisco SP8832 for $549.99.
If you’re using Nextiva One, go with their recommendations and get a VoIP conference phone from Nextiva today.
#2 – Yamaha YVC-330 – Best Portable Bluetooth Conference Phone
- Cancels background noise over 3 feet away
- Three separate microphones
- Automatic mute
- Start using in minutes
The Yamaha YVC-300 conference phone is excellent for on-the-go conferencing for teams and managers that tend to travel. The Yamaha conference phone is keen on canceling background noise outside of a 3 feet radius.
What’s more, the built-in omnidirectional microphone doesn’t only do a great job of picking up crisp and clear audio of the conference but it also has the ability to self-mute when meeting participants aren’t speaking.
The Yamaha comes with three microphones at each corner and is equipped to handle a five-to-eight-person meeting. The Bluetooth-enabled conferencing solution makes it easy to have conference meetings in the office, while working at home, or in open spaces because of its noise-canceling capabilities.
Advanced conferencing solutions like these are extremely easy to set up and start using in minutes anywhere you have access to a phone-enabled device like a laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone. The Bluetooth conference phone also comes with a 6 foot long USB cable.
#3 – Poly SoundStation IP 6000 — Best For Standard Conference Calling
- Reliable voice, video, & messaging
- Additional mic configurations
- HD voice audio
- 12-key keypad and LED display
The Poly SoundStation IP 6000 is a great standard piece of hardware that gets the job done. It shines in its reliability as a conference phone with HD voice audio. It includes easy-to-use voice, video, and messaging applications.
This conferencing phone is built to make it sound like the person is right there in the room with you as opposed to talking to you through a VoIP voice call. It comes with the classic phone set up of a 12-key keypad and an LED display.
If the phone looks familiar, it’s because it’s a classic in the conference phone space as being a reliable solution for standard conference calls that works well for small businesses and executive offices.
If you do get the Poly SoundStation, keep in mind you can also configure it with additional expansion microphones if needed. Though those would have to be purchased separately.
#4 – Skywin Wireless — Best For Small Conference Rooms
- Portable and cable-free
- Weighs just 1 lb.
- Up to five hours of talk time
- Echo & noise cancellation
The Skywin Wireless makes for a great addition to a smaller conference room that isn’t in need of big and expensive hardware, but rather something that works for the space it’s in.
Its streamlined and easy-to-use design makes for a no-nonsense solution conference calling solution that is capable of up to five hours of talk time on a rechargeable battery.
Not only that, but it’s also portable, omnidirectional, and built-in noise cancellation. It’s easy to use and can connect with a phone or a PC through its Bluetooth functionality—no messy array of cables necessary.
The speaker weighs in at a little over a pound and it’s powered by one lithium battery, which is included in the price. Talking about price, it’s an affordable solution for businesses on a budget.
#5 – Poly RealPresence Trio 8500 — Best Touchscreen Conference Phone
- Touch screen interface
- 14-foot radius mic pickup
- One-touch Bluetooth connection
- Content sharing available
Looking for a modern solution to conference calling? Look no further than the Poly RealPresence Trio 8500. You can liken using the Poly conference phone to navigating through your touch screen smartphone as it’s set up with an easy dashboard with accessible navigation.
You can launch your VoIP conference calls with a single touch through Bluetooth functionality. The conferencing phone doesn’t just go off a modern interface, it also offers excellent crisp audio so you’re sure to pick up on anything being conveyed over every call.
The Poly phone makes it possible to collaborate over voice, audio, or content sharing modes for a varied and rich approach to communication. It comes with a nice 14 feet pickup range which makes it a great option for small to midsize conference teams.
#6 – eMacros Wireless Speakerphone — Best wide range speakerphone
- Use anywhere with WiFi access
- 10-foot speaker range
- Omnidirectional audio pickup
- Voice assistant feature included
The eMacros Wireless Speakerphone is a perfectly compact yet powerful speakerphone with a wide range of as much as 10 feet. It’s built for omnidirectional audio pickup and unwanted noise cancellation and it is ideal for about an eight-person conference team.
You can take the speaker anywhere you can have access to wireless internet connectivity for convenient conferencing on the go in wide-open spaces as well as large conference rooms or in a work-from-home environment.
When paired with a cellphone, the voice assistant feature can help you access and wake up your phone for faster calling experiences. It comes with a travel case and USB cable for additional portability and wide-reaching range no matter where you take it. Best of all, it’s at an affordable price point so you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice cost for better features.
#7 – Meeting Owl Pro — Best Smart Video Conference Phone
- 360-degree video conference camera
- Auto-amplify individual call participants
- Easy USB setup
- Fully VoIP-compatible
You haven’t yet had an awe-inspiring conference calling experience unless you’ve tried the Meeting Owl Pro smart conference phone. “Phone” is probably too limiting of a word for describing exactly what this dynamic smart calling solution is capable of.
As you walk into a conference room, the Meeting Owl Pro ensures you’re immersed in a 360 degree 1080p video conference camera. So it isn’t about crisp and clear phone calls anymore. With it, you can not only clearly hear the inflections in the speaker’s voice, but you can also read their face and body language.
As each person in the room takes turns speaking up, the Meeting Owl Pro has the ability to zero in on their voice and amplify it. Powerfully loud sound and top-notch video quality make it a conference solution worthy of enterprise-level conference calls that need and want all the bells and whistles they can get for an improved and up-to-date experience.
Only because it comes with so many powerful features doesn’t mean it’s a hard setup either. The Meeting Owl Pro can get up and running seamlessly in medium and large-sized rooms with a USB plugin. Best of all, you don’t need to download any extra apps or install anything— you can simply connect it to your preferred calling solution, so it’s VoIP compatible.
How to Find The Best VoIP Conference Phone For You
Deciding on the conference calling features of a VoIP phone that matters most to your business is a good starting point. The features that’ll be non-negotiables to you are determined by a few key factors, including:
- The need for any recording features
- The size of your conference team
- Additional accessories
- Audio quality
- Budget
- Long term growth goals
Each of these factors will steer you closer to a solution that makes the most sense for your business and how you deal with conferences.
Let’s dive into a few additional features I considered when creating this guide that’ll help you make your own decision on a reliable conferencing solution.
Conference size
A team that needs a conference phone for a large group, for instance, isn’t going to need the same conference calling solution as a smaller team that tends to travel who would do better with a more compact solution.
Your conference size can largely determine the type of VoIP conference phone you end up finding the most useful. Some conference phones are only built to accommodate a smaller group of 5-8, while others come with omnidirectional functionality that can accommodate a larger room. Take stock of the average size of your conference group before making a final decision on a conference phone.
Communication styles
Video, audio, and content sharing are some of the more advanced features a conference phone can offer modern teams as yet another powerful collaborative tool. Due to timely advances in accessibility, you don’t have to be stuck to only communicating through voice.
You can also communicate through built-in video conferencing features that enable you to experience a closer and more communicative interaction with whoever is speaking. Keep in mind that premium features like these can come at an increased price point. So if these are non-negotiable must-haves for you, be ready to make an investment in the right solution.
Adaptability
Some conferencing phones are specially designed to travel, for example. While some are better left as stationary solutions.
While you’re thinking of the features you’re looking for in a VoIP conference phone solution, consider how adaptable you’ll need it to be and the settings in which you’ll be taking calls.
Features like noise-canceling, auto muting, or even voice controls can make the conference experience easier for you. Moreover, some conference phones have the ability to integrate additional microphones and speakers if needed.
Summary
If you really want the best solution for a reasonable price, finding the best VoIP conference phone can be a slow and time-consuming process.
To help you out, here’s a quick recap of each conference phone I reviewed and recommend.
If you’re already using Nextiva One for your VoIP calling and communications, go with their selection of conference phones. With options from Poly, Cisco, and Snom, there’s a powerful yet reasonably priced solution for everybody.
A conference phone that’s reliable and portable? The Yamaha YVC-330 delivers that double win with its sleekly designed Bluetooth conference model. The Poly SoundStation is a classic and reliable conference phone that gets the job done. It makes it feel like the person on the other end of the line is having a face-to-face conversation with you.
The Skywin Wireless is small but mighty, and a great option for a smaller conference team that wants a budget-friendly and reliable solution. It does exactly what it says it does.
If you’re looking to step it up a notch and go for a touchscreen conference experience with video and content sharing, consider the Poly RealPresence Trio 8500.
The eMacros Wireless Speakerphone is a conference phone with a hefty range, 10 feet to be exact. It will pick up conferencing sound in crisp definition, giving everyone on the call an immersive experience.
And last but not least, the Meeting Owl Pro is a dynamic enterprise-level solution. It gives medium to large conference teams an immersive calling experience with both audio and video capabilities.
I recommend you read through the reviews for each device to learn more about what it’s like to use it in different situations. This is true even if your conference phone of choice boasts a stellar four- or five-star review, as is the case with all the models I recommend here.
from Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/2S6TegM
via IFTTT