What are some good microphones or speakerphones for large conference calls with Skype

Question

I frequently conduct conference calls with 5–15 people in a large conference room, and 1–5 people on a conference line. Lately, in the summer with the AC blasting, no one can hear anything. I tried Skype and it was promising, I think at least partly because of their noise canceling. However, in a large conference room with 5–15 people, the microphone on my laptop doesn't seem to be sufficient. I'm thinking I need to buy one or more microphones or speakerphone systems to use with Skype. The ClearOne ChatAttach 160 looks promising, but I thought I'd ask here — can anyone recommend any good hardware solutions, either standalone or Mac-compatible?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I ended up buying the Blue Yeti USB mic and using it with Skype — and it worked beautifully. I had 10 people in the room, 4 air conditioners blasting, and people speaking softly — and everyone could hear everyone else. Recommended!

Answer 2

The CHATAttach 160 does look very promising, but you should check reviews on it before you buy.

Using a headset is recommended for Skype as well since it only focuses on your voice (it's the closest sound). I recommend this model: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007SXHP0?ie=UTF8&tag=golfkindaguyvsto&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0007SXHP0

This desk version is also recommended: http://www.logitech.com/products/details/us/en,crid=103,contentid=10013

So just read reviews and you should be fine.