Audio Mixing Tips for Multi-Speaker Corporate Panels in South Florida
Corporate panels in South Florida—whether at the Broward County Convention Center, Miami Beach hotels, or Palm Beach resorts—are high-stakes. A panel with 4–8 speakers, Q&A from the audience, moderator interruptions, and sometimes simultaneous translation needs audio that is crystal clear, balanced, and professional. One muffled mic or feedback squeal can derail credibility and lose remote viewers.
At All On Stage Productions, we've mixed audio for hundreds of multi-speaker panels across Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Broward, and Palm Beach. These 2026 tips focus on real-world South Florida challenges: humid venues, variable room acoustics, wireless interference from nearby devices, and the need for hybrid streaming. Follow these practices to deliver clean, intelligible sound that makes every speaker sound great and keeps the audience (in-room and virtual) fully engaged.
1. Start with the Right Microphone Choice
Mic selection is 60% of the battle in panel audio.
Lavaliers (preferred for most panels, but hardest to EQ): Countryman B6 or DPA 4060 — small, sweat-resistant, excellent in humidity. Clip high on the lapel (8–10 inches from mouth) to minimize clothing noise.
Headset mics: Shure SM35 or DPA 4066 — best for active speakers who move or gesture a lot.
Handhelds for Q&A: Shure SM58 or Beta 58A — reliable, feedback-resistant.
South Florida tip: Use moisture-resistant capsules (e.g., sweat-proof windshields) — humidity soaks standard foam windscreens fast.
Always have 2–3 spare lavs pre-wired and labeled for quick swaps.
2. Use a Digital Console with Plenty of Channels
Analog mixers struggle with multi-mic panels. Go digital for snapshots, EQ per channel, and remote control.
Recommended:
Yamaha QL1 or CL5 — rock-solid in humid environments, built-in Dante for easy expansion.
Allen & Heath dLive C2500 — great preamps, excellent feedback suppression.
DiGiCo SD11 — if you need 40+ channels for large panels with audience mics.
South Florida hack: Use Dante networking to keep the console cool in a shaded rack—heat + humidity kills analog gear.
3. Gain Staging & Input Levels
Set gains so peaks hit –12 to –6 dBFS on the meters — leave headroom for sudden loud laughs or applause.
Start with lav mics at –20 to –15 dB average speech.
Use compressors on every channel (ratio 4:1, threshold –20 dB, attack 5–10 ms, release 100–200 ms).
Enable high-pass filter (80–120 Hz) on every mic to cut rumble and proximity effect.
Tip: Use auto-gain or Dugan-style auto-mixers (Yamaha has built-in) to duck quieter mics when someone speaks loudly — prevents bleed and mud.
4. Feedback Elimination & Ring Out the System
Feedback is the #1 panel killer. Ring out the room before doors open.
Steps:
Bring all mics up to performance gain.
Use graphic EQ or parametric EQ on main outputs.
Slowly raise gain until feedback — notch the offending frequency (usually 1–4 kHz range).
Repeat for each mic.
South Florida venue tip: In ballrooms with hard surfaces and glass walls, expect 3–6 problem frequencies. Use feedback destroyers like DBX AFS2 as a safety net.
5. Create Clear Speaker Hierarchy in the Mix
Panels have dominant and quieter speakers. Make sure the moderator or lead speaker is always intelligible.
Give the moderator a slight boost (+2–3 dB) over panelists.
Pan panelists slightly left/right for stereo image (even on mono PA).
Use sidechain compression on panel mics triggered by the moderator — ducks others when moderator speaks.
For hybrid: Send a clean mix-minus to the streaming encoder (no audience mics in the stream feed to avoid echo).
6. Manage Audience Q&A Mics
Handheld or floor-standing mics for Q&A create bleed and feedback risks.
Best practice:
Use cardioid or supercardioid mics pointed away from speakers.
Gate them (threshold –40 dB, fast attack) so they only open when someone speaks.
Use an auto-mixer (Dugan Dugan automixer or Yamaha Dugan-style) to duck unused mics.
South Florida tip: In large ballrooms, place Q&A mics on stands with windscreens — humidity + breathing noise = pops.
7. Monitoring for the Panel
Provide clear in-ear monitors or wedges.
In-ears (Shure SE215 or Sennheiser IE 100 Pro) — best for feedback control and mobility.
Give each speaker a personal mix via Aviom or Behringer P16.
Moderator gets a mix with more audience mics for Q&A control.
8. Hybrid Streaming Audio Considerations
Virtual attendees need clean audio without room reverb.
Send a post-fader mix-minus to the streaming encoder (exclude audience mics and any echo).
Add light compression and limiting on the stream feed.
Use a dedicated audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett) for the stream path.
9. South Florida-Specific Hacks
Humidity: Keep consoles in air-conditioned racks; use silica gel packs in mic cases.
Wireless interference: Scan frequencies 1 hour before doors; use digital systems (Shure Axient Digital).
Backup power: UPS for console and critical mics — power flickers are common in older venues.
Heat: Schedule soundcheck in the morning; heat + humidity = faster battery drain.
10. Quick Checklist Before Doors Open
All mics gain-staged and compressed
System rung out, no feedback
In-ear mixes tested
Stream feed checked on mobile device
Backup mics and batteries ready
Crew hydrated and positioned
With these mixing tips, your multi-speaker corporate panel will sound polished, professional, and effortless—even in South Florida’s toughest venues.
Need help mixing your next panel? Contact sales@allonstage.com or 561-750-4070 for a free consultation.