The StarLink Edge Table Microphone uses an eight-microphone array laid out in a circle to locate whoever is talking and shape a focused pickup beam in that direction. By measuring the tiny timing and level differences between the microphones, the unit pinpoints speech and locks on within a few hundred milliseconds. That focus follows the talker even if they lean back, stand up or shift seats, so conversation stays locked in.

Edge AI then refines the signal by classifying speech versus clatter and nudging the beam only when a genuine change of speaker occurs. Because the algorithm knows the acoustic signatures of voices, it ignores clinking cutlery or a chair scrape that would otherwise cause distracting jumps. The result is a clean, steady voice feed that maintains a healthier signal-to-noise ratio and lowers listening effort for the wearer.

Importantly, everything happens without needing to touch the device or app once it is on the table. A wearer can sit naturally, keep eye contact and still hear as if every person around the table had a personal lapel mic. Firmware updates delivered through the My Starkey app will continue to refine the tracking engine, so performance can improve over time without new hardware.

Manual Mode lets the user steer the microphone’s attention by simply tapping the lit segment that faces the people they want to hear. Up to eight zones can be selected, and each tap either adds or removes a segment, giving fine-grained control without digging into a phone. The tactile action feels more like nudging a coaster than operating a gadget, so it does not draw awkward attention during meetings.

This hands-on control shines when a discussion splinters into side chats. A wearer can quickly narrow focus to the two colleagues opposite, or open a second segment toward someone who has started contributing. Because the capacitive surface is moisture-sealed, taps register reliably even with cold fingers or a bit of condensation from a coffee cup.

To prevent accidental changes, the accelerometer disables touch input while the microphone is being moved. Once the unit is placed back on the table it re-enables taps, and the LED ring shows the active sectors at a glance. These thoughtful touches mean users feel confident experimenting with focus, which in turn leads to better real-world outcomes.

Surround Mode opens all eight microphones equally to give a natural, room-filling pickup when background noise is low. Rather than steering a tight beam, the device blends inputs to preserve the spatial cues that help the brain locate voices, making group chats feel more relaxed and less artificial. It is ideal for a family dinner or a small seminar where everyone is at roughly the same distance.

Behind the scenes, the microphones combine in a circular cardioid pattern that minimises their own circuit noise and balances gain around the table. Automatic gain control keeps softer contributors audible without letting louder voices dominate, so people no longer need to lean in or raise their volume to be heard.

The mode changes automatically if the built-in noise detector senses the environment becoming busier, or can be toggled in the app with one tap. Even when all microphones are live, Bluetooth LE Audio keeps latency low and battery use modest, delivering up to ten hours of true 360-degree listening on a single charge.

When you flip the StarLink Edge Table Microphone upright and clip on the supplied lanyard, it automatically switches to a remote-mic profile that uses the top element as a focussed cardioid pickup. An internal accelerometer and gyroscope recognise the change in orientation within a second, so there are no switches to flick or modes to hunt for in the app. The unit also drops its LED ring to a single status dot, keeping it discreet on a lapel or shirt pocket.

In this configuration the microphone transmits a cleaner, tightly framed signal that suppresses room echo and clothing rustle. Adaptive gain control levels out speech whether the wearer is addressing a classroom at two metres or chatting to a tour group across a courtyard. Range in line-of-sight conditions is up to twenty metres, so a teacher can pace the room, turn to the whiteboard and still be heard clearly through the student’s hearing aids.

Because the device and the aids share Starkey’s encrypted LE Audio link, latency remains low enough that lips match words even at distance. A long press on the side button mutes the mic for private aside comments, and the presenter can check status with a quick glance at the LED. The result is a single accessory that moves effortlessly from boardroom table to podium without the need for a second gadget.

Starkey’s adoption of Bluetooth LE Audio means the Table Microphone streams with the new LC3 codec, which delivers higher speech fidelity at roughly half the power draw of classic Bluetooth. Lower bit-rate overhead leaves headroom for the Edge AI processing to run its beamforming maths without draining the battery, and latency under twenty milliseconds keeps conversations in natural sync. The link is bidirectional, so acknowledgements from the hearing aids help the mic recover gracefully if interference appears.

Under the aluminium shell sits a 750-mAh lithium-polymer cell managed by a smart charge controller that balances quick-charge convenience with long-term health. Ten hours of continuous use on a single charge is realistic even in busy acoustic scenes, and a fifteen-minute top-up in the USB-C dock nets roughly two more hours of runtime. Thermal sensors throttle current if the unit is left on a sunny dash, so battery ageing is slowed and safety is never compromised.

Firmware updates delivered through the My Starkey app will unlock forthcoming LE Audio features such as Auracast broadcast streams, ensuring the accessory stays relevant for venue-based audio. Auto-reconnect logic stores the last four paired aid sets, so couples sharing a device can swap ownership without re-pairing. All of this happens invisibly to the user, letting them focus on the meeting, the lecture or the family dinner rather than the technology on the table.