Homeoffice / RemoteWork Setup 2023 (EN)

It’s been over a year and a half since I wrote the first versions of my Homeoffice / RemoteWork setup. In the meantime, a lot has happened and things are still changing. Still, colleagues and clients keep asking me about the choice of microphones and lighting when I’m in meetings. So I would like to give a little insight about the current setup here. What I don’t do here is insert affiliate links (i.e. advertising links) to the products. I always order microphones and good audio equipment from specialty stores (unpaid attribution).

I would give the current setup version 2.1, since the earlier ones were already at version number 2 😉

Version 2.1

This is what my work desk looks like:

Work desk

To see (in parts) is a height-adjustable desk. This is still from the time in Frankfurt, where we lived in a small apartment and therefore had little space. The desk has the dimensions width / depth: 110cm x 60cm. It is adjustable from 76cm to 116cm height with a motor and can remember 4 different heights. In the next few months there will be a larger desk, also height adjustable, the comfort is unbeatable. Also because I can then connect 1-2 monitors. Last year, my old external Montior broke and ended up on the scrap.

Currently everything is very „squeezed“ and cramped. I’m trying to adopt the „clean desk policy“ from the office, which actually works almost well 😉 .

In addition to small elevations on which two notebooks fit (private and professional) I have a Logitech keyboard and mouse (USB wifi wireless), connected via an AirCover USB C hub. The mouse pad has a handy palm protector. On the right side in the background is a power distributor for 8 places (wide and narrow) with a toggle switch and a Hama mounting bracket. The advantage here: all plugs are within reach and with the toggle switch I turn off the power when not in use (evenings and weekends for example) and save power there as well.

Audio / Microfone

For me the most important point (and for many others as well) is the voice quality. In meetings and earlier in conference calls, the voice was and is decisive, not so much the quality whether the video is good or not. Of course, a stable internet connection is a basic requirement in today’s digital working world. Over the last few years I have had and tried different combinations of audio settings, both in test meetings and directly in production, i.e. with clients.

I used to have an XLR microphone connected to the computer via a USB mixer, and I could already do more than just adjust the volume there, but I was looking more and more like a radio host. Especially with a big plop guard on the mic, it was clearly in the way and my face was somewhat obscured. But at least, the speech was easy to understand and that’s what I mostly got as feedback.

I have been using the Rode NT-USB Mini for some time, in earlier times on a floor stand, but now via a slim and well-fitting microphone arm stand (from Neewer). The advantage with the Rode NT-USB Mini is that it can also be mounted on the mic arm stand and easily dismounted (if necessary). It is a USB condenser microphone, has integrated pop protection and with the headphone output (3.5mm stereo jack) I can connect prima my Superlux headphones.

By the way, from @jke I got the tip with the headphones. 😄 The headphones are only attached for the photo, otherwise they are well within reach on the right side by means of a headphone holder.

Light

I used to experiment with the light and put an LED ring light or external very bright LED spotlights. This has not harmonized well in the long run, because I was quickly blinded by the light and the expenditure for this was less than 50 euros. In addition, the cables and tripods were trip hazards in the cramped space (at that time) and also occupied several socket places that I had to swap again and again with other current collectors. Not really ideal for agile work and I did not feel comfortable either.

So I searched longer and then bought an Elgato Key Light Air. It is the best purchase in terms of lighting and a second variant will follow soon, so that I do not always have a half-shadow in the face. Operation works via app both on the phone and via the Mac.

Overall, I’m still setting up my study, possibly small shelves on the wall or diffusers to break the sound, it still reverberates a little in the room. So far times from me to the current status.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)