Podium and Lectern Buyers Guide

Choosing a Podium or LecternMaterial / Finish / Color / Trim
IntroductionThe appearance of your lectern is greatly
When giving a professional presentation at work,determined by the type of materials from which
school, or an organization, podiums and lecternsit is constructed, the style of the finish, the color,
help speakers stay organized and reach audiencesand the trim. Different materials have different
effectively. The first step in finding the rightproperties. Wood lecterns are very professional
podium or lectern is to learn the terminology forlooking and durable, but can be quite heavy. For
the various product options. 'Lectern', 'Podium',lecterns with audio built in, wood is often the best
'Pulpit' and 'Rostrum' are used interchangeably, andchoice. Most wood lecterns are made out of
the word choice depends more on the userwood composite, however some of the high-end
application than the actual product. For themodels are constructed entirely out of solid
purposes of this guide, we will refer to thesehardwood. Acrylic or plastic lecterns are
products as podiums or lecterns, since they arelight-weight, sleek in design, but do not offer all
the most commonly used terms.the amenities of their wood counterparts. They
There are many styles of podiums and lecterns,also do not look as classical as wood designs.
and with so many varieties on the market, it canMetal lecterns share many of the same properties
be difficult to choose the podium or lectern whichas acrylic, but often come with wood surfaces,
best suits your needs. Projector Screen featuresallowing users to enjoy the best qualities of
an easy to use selection wizard which allowssimplicity and elegant designs. One final
users to sort through top brands to find the rightconstruction material is durable plastic, which is
podium or lectern for any application. Below is theoften used as a hard case for tabletop audio
buyers guide compiled by the presentationlecterns. These are very sturdy, yet more
experts at Projector Screen Each of the majorutilitarian in appearance.
search criteria are outlined and explained. TheseProjector Screen also allows you to choose by
criteria correspond to choices on the selectionfinish. The finish refers to the layer of material
wizard at Projector Screen Store.com, and makeplaced on top of the basic structure. For example,
choosing a podium or lectern an easy process.you can have a wood lectern with a veneer or
Brandlaminate finish. Veneer finishes are made or real
Projector Screen offers a wide variety of choiceswood whereas laminates are synthetic. Some
among top brands of podiums and lecterns. Belowlecterns are available with a carpet finish, where a
are quick descriptions of the manufacturers forthin layer of carpet is placed over the wooden
your reference.base.
Anchor - For 30 years Anchor Audio's intelligible,Solid hardwood podiums and lecterns come with a
reliable, and easy to use products have filled thenatural finish, and acrylic, metal and durable plastic
world with sound.podiums and lecterns have no finish at all.
Balt - Balt has made a name for itself byLecterns come in many colors, all depending upon
providing durable, quality Podiums & Lecterns atthe style. Acrylic lecterns are clear in color.
very affordable prices. From the simple T-Style toCarpeted lecterns are available in either black or
Sophisticated Multimedia capabilities, Balt has a fullgrey. The largest variety of choice comes with
product line for all applications.wood colors. Lecterns come in a variety of
Da-Lite - From simple, affordable Lecterns tooptions, including cherry, oak, mahogany and
Elegant Multimedia Podiums; Da-Lite has a hugewalnut colors. Keep in mind that if you choose a
spectrum of products to suit every need.veneer finish, the wood is real, and the color
Hamilton - Hamilton has been producing rugged,depends on the natural qualities of the piece of
durable Podiums and Lecterns designed for thewood used.
Education Market since 1933. These Lecterns &Many models of podiums and lecterns come with
Podiums are designed to stand up to the rigors oftrim options. Trim refers to decorative strips
every day institutional use.which line the corners and borders of the outer
Luxor - Luxor manufactures a wide variety ofsurfaces. The most common trim options are
school and office audio visual furniture, Lecternseither metallic (brass or bronze), or wooden (oak
and Podiums. All of Luxor's durable podiums &is the most common).
lecterns are covered by the manufacturer'sAudio
Lifetime Warranty.One of the key considerations in choosing a
Oklahoma Sound - An extremely robust selectionpodium or lectern is whether you want a
of some of popular Podiums and Lecterns.fully-integrated audio system built in. If you will be
Oklahoma Sound specializes in Podiums andusing the lectern in a large or otherwise noisy
lecterns with Multimedia capabilities.room, and you do not have an existing
Paso - Paso offers a wide variety of top qualityamplification system, then it is advisable to
lecterns and podiums with fully integrated audiopurchase a lectern with audio built in. There are
systems.several key specifications which qualify audio
Pricelecterns. A brief description of each is given below.
The price of your podium or lectern will dependAmplifier/Wattage - This refers to the number of
on a few criteria. First is the type of the unit. Freewatts of output from the speakers. A 40-watt
standing floor units tend to be more expensiveamplifier is adequate for an audience of up to
than tabletop units. More information on the2,000 people, and a 50-watt amplifier works well
different types of units is provided below. Second,for an audience up to 3,000 people.
if you are looking for a podium or lectern with aWired or Wireless - Many lecterns on the market
fully integrated audio system, this will dramaticallyhave both wired and wireless capability. Wireless
increase the price. And finally, certain constructionmicrophones allow the speaker to move freely
materials, finishes and customizations can increaseduring their presentation.
the price. Projector Screen offers a wide varietySpeakers - When looking at speakers built into the
of lecterns in all price ranges, including 30 forlectern, be sure to find out how many speakers
under US $150. The most advanced models canthere are, and the diameter size (in inches).
cost up to several thousand dollars.Microphones - Audio lecterns will come with
Podium or Lectern Type: Floor, Stacking, or Tablemicrophones, often a few different varieties to
Floor podiums or lecterns are free-standing unitsuse depending on the situation. Common
which speakers stand behind to give theirmicrophone types include handheld and tie-clip.
presentation. They are available in a wide varietyInputs/outputs - Inputs may be used for
of styles and prices from the most basic stand tomicrophones or other audio components such as
a fully integrated audio podium or lectern.cassette, CD, or MP3 players. Outputs may be
Stacking Lecterns are floor lecterns with aused for additional speakers or recording devices.
removable top which may be placed on aControls - Controls may include volume, tone,
tabletop. These models offer maximum flexibilitybass/treble and also an on/off switch.
in choosing how to position a speaker for aPower supply - Most lecterns plug directly into an
presentation. Stacking models with audio have theoutlet, and many come with optional rechargeable
components built into the tabletop portion. Thisbatteries.
allows speakers to use the audio system whetherMisc
the lectern is in stand-alone mode, or placed on aWhen choosing the right podium or lectern for
tabletop.your needs, there are many other features which
Table Lecterns, or tabletop lecterns are placed onyou may find helpful. Some of the most common
a table and are useful for panel presentationfeatures include lockable wheels or casters,
where one speaker is placed beside otheradjustable light, adjustable height, built-in clock, and
panelists. As with all other styles, these areinternal shelving. Be sure to note the dimensions
available in a number of finishes, and with manyof the podium or lectern to make sure it fits your
different audio options.space requirements.