Sennheiser TeamConnect Bar M

Vega Global has been delivering AV solutions across New Zealand for more than 20 years, evolving from its early days as Tranzscript Limited, into the globally respected brand it is today. Our longstanding partnership supporting key government agencies and corporates nationwide, highlights the scale and reliability of our work. While our origins are in central government AV, we’ve since expanded into the commercial sector, bringing the same standard of excellence to a wider client base.

Today, corporate communications and modern AV environments are central to our work, and that’s where the Sennheiser TC Bar M has really proven its value.

I first discovered the TeamConnect Bar M at the Integrate Expo two years ago. Even as a standalone unit, it immediately stood out. It’s ideal for BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting) environments. My first project specifying these units involved a local council, and since then, they’ve embraced it as a standardised solution across their meeting spaces. There is also a smaller model – the TeamConnect Bar S – but the M was the perfect fit for this application.

As a client, they needed a BYOM system to use in both small and medium-sized multi-purpose rooms. The TC Bar meets all video conferencing requirements and performs well for audio playback. It’s a big ask for a single device, but the TeamConnect Bar M delivers great sound, reliable microphone coverage, and a responsive tracking camera.

But the biggest selling point for me as a systems integrator is its compatibility with Sennheiser’s TeamConnect Ceiling Medium. You can connect both units directly and the system intelligently switches to whichever mic captures the best signal. That level of seamless interoperability is unmatched.

Thanks to the onboard DSP, the devices work together to prioritise the microphone delivering the clearest input. With most other brands, connecting a ceiling mic disables the bar’s front mics. Sennheiser is the only one I’ve used where both work together seamlessly. That should be the benchmark for conferencing bars.

This entire setup connects via one USB-C cable (or USB-A, or HDMI – we have a hub in-line) to the participant’s device, making it ideal for walk-in, user-friendly spaces. These particular council rooms are used by both staff and are open to members of the public.

Between council employees and community users, no-one’s had an issue. They walk in, plug in, and it all just works, whether for conferencing or just playing music.

Ease of Install

At Vega, we’re lucky to have some outstanding technicians, and they’ve all said installing the TeamConnect Bar M “is brilliant, easy, and straightforward”. They’ve been especially pleased with how hassle-free the council installations have been. The council has now standardised them, with another four more rooms already underway.

Camera

The TC Bar supports auto framing and person tiling perfectly. The camera’s intelligent tracking is more than capable, though personally, I tend to prefer a static shot over the dynamic zooming and framing. That said, it’s valuable to have the option available.

Remote Control and Monitoring

In this instance, Vega deployed a software platform to create a dashboard that pulls in data from across the installation. Sennheiser has done a great job to ensure that products in the TeamConnect family integrate smoothly with third-party platforms.

Service and Support

Sennheiser New Zealand has been responsive and easy to work with. We haven’t needed much direct support, thanks to our experienced team, but it’s good to know help is available when needed.

The Verdict, and The Future

In addition to the TC Bars, Sennheiser has recently released the square TeamConnect Ceiling Medium Ceiling Tile; that’s going to be great for aesthetics in setups that combine the TC Bar and TCC M. In an ideal setup, I’d like to integrate Dante loudspeakers in the middle or rear of the room via a single cable run. That would distribute audio more evenly without routing everything back to a rack or involving DSPs.

Ultimately, it’s the TeamConnect family’s interoperability that wins us over. Our customers appreciate how intuitive it is, and we’re happy to standardise on something that scales so easily. As their needs grow and they move into larger spaces, the TeamConnect system will be able to grow with them.

Product Info: www.sennheiser.com/tcbars

Distributor Australia:

www.sennheiser.com/en-au 02 9910 6700

Distributor New Zealand:

www.sennheiser.com/en-au 09 580 0489

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The Specs

Connectivity

• Bluetooth 5.1
• HDMI out 1: HDMI 2.0
• HDMI out 2: HDMI 2.0
• USB-C: USB 3.1 (Gen 1) power output 5V, max. 900mA
• USB-A: USB 3.1 (Gen1) power output 5V, max. 900mA
• Ethernet: 2 x 1000/100/10 Mbit/s (RJ45)

Loudspeaker

• 4 full range 50mm (2”) loudspeakers with dual passive radiators
• Frequency response 100Hz – 18kHz THD at max. output <5%
• Amplifier Class-D
• Max. SPL (output) 84dB SPL

Microphones

• Transducer principle: MEMS
• Pick-up pattern: beamforming array Number of microphone capsules: 6 Frequency range 100Hz to 14.5kHz Pickup range 4.5m
• Dynamic range 69dB (A)

Camera

• Resolution: UHD 2160p (4K), 1080p, 720p, 960×480, 848×480, 640×480, 640×360, 432×240
• Camera Zoom:
  • Certified 1.5x digital (Microsoft Teams)
  • Optional 5x digital Technology: ePTZ Diagonal field of view 120° Horizontal field of view 115°

Dimensions

• (L x W x H) 750 x 71 x 95mm, weight 2.5kg

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Technology Consultant Brett Minnie has worked in AV for a decade, starting out in wireless presentation in his native country, South Africa, before moving into roles in integration and distribution. Now based in Christchurch, New Zealand, he works for the New Zealand division of Vega Global, the largest AV/UC solutions provider in the Asia Pacific region, supporting central and local government agencies as well as the public and tertiary education sectors.