Boundary wired microphones sit on tables, podiums, or other surfaces for meetings, presentations, and installed sound, while hanging microphones suspend from ceilings to capture speech, choirs, orchestras, or conference-room conversations. Handheld wired microphones suit presenters, performers, and speakers who need to hold the microphone; lavalier microphones clip to clothing for hands-free speech; and array microphones use multiple capsules or networked elements to cover larger meeting spaces.

In wired microphones, cardioid patterns focus pickup toward the front and reduce sound from the sides and rear, omnidirectional patterns capture sound around the microphone, and beamforming arrays use multiple microphone elements to focus or steer coverage across a room. Directional patterns can help limit unwanted sound and feedback when positioned correctly, while omnidirectional microphones may require more careful placement and system tuning in spaces with higher ambient sound.

When specifying wired microphones, review the connector and cable path, which may include permanently attached cables, XLR connections, or networked connections over Category cable with RJ45 connectors and breakout cables. Check the microphone and system requirements for phantom power, since some condenser microphones require it, while self-contained or dynamic microphones may use different power arrangements.

Plan wired microphone coverage by mapping seating, speaking positions, and room acoustics, then select suitable placements such as boundary microphones for tables, hanging microphones for overhead coverage, or beamforming arrays for conference spaces. Leave capacity in the mixer or digital signal processor, provide accessible cable paths, and choose scalable systems that can accept additional microphones as the room or meeting needs grow.