You listen back to your first test recording and notice that the audio is not up there. It doesn't sound right, is distorted or is out of sync. Try to follow these steps.
1. Update the browser
Make sure your browser is always up-to-date. This might sound trivial, but it can make a world of difference. We’re using WebRTC for which new developments are released constantly. Developers for browsers are hard at work to improve streaming experiences for all, so it’s essential to keep updating your browser whenever a new version is released.
Google Chrome
Open the menu by clicking on the three dots at the top right of your browser and click 'Settings'
Then select ‘About Google Chrome’ and choose ‘Update’, or type ‘chrome://settings/help’ in your address bar and select ‘Update’.
Microsoft Edge
Open the menu by clicking on the three dots at the top right of your browser and click 'Settings'
Then select 'About Microsoft Edge' and choose 'Update', or type 'edge://settings/help' in your address bar and select 'Update'.
Mozilla Firefox
Open the menu by clicking on the three lines at the top right of your browser and choose 'Help'
Then select 'About Firefox'. Any available update will be installed automatically.
2. Turn off all sound
Turn off all speakers and sound sources where possible. Environmental sounds and computer sounds can influence microphones and the quality thereof (think about automatically muting your sound when another sound is audible). If you need to use speakers, consider the use of a headset or earbuds.
3. Using Windows 10?
A mechanical sound or distorted voice is a well-known problem in some versions of Windows 10. Here’s what you can do about it:
Deactivate all your audio devices except for your microphone and speakers (in 'Sound Settings').
Go to the 'Communications' (final) tab, and choose 'Do nothing' (last option) when choosing if Windows needs to adapt your sound automatically when you hear sound.
Update your microphone drivers.
Update Windows 10 to the latest version.
4. Using a Mac from 2018 with a USB microphone?
Make sure your Mac is updated to the latest version. Devices from 2018, in some cases, will have what Apple describes as "serious audio issues", for which updates have been (partially) released. These still don’t solve all problems, so you might want to contact Apple. More info here.
5. Check your cables
Test your microphone in another device and make sure your cables aren’t the problem. You can also try using another USB port where possible.
6. Consider/test a new microphone
Some microphones will have a lot of options to process your voice correctly, sometimes these options will collide with the standard options in browsers to process your voice. Test with another microphone and see if the same problems persist. For external microphones, we have good experiences with Blue Yeti microphones.
7. Don't use wireless microphones (such as AirPods)
Wireless microphone signals have a small delay to your computer, not noticeable right away but for longer recordings where your voice needs to match your video, the voice can get out of sync due to this small delay. We advise you to use wired microphones to prevent this from happening and in general for better quality.
8. Avoid distortion on the line
Microphones are sensitive for not just voice sounds but also for other types of "sound waves". Think about your smartphone that’s getting a call, the interference can be picked up by a microphone. Use your microphone a bit further away from your computer, check (other) wireless devices/connections, and try to sit in another location for a future test.
9. Check your computer’s performance
Especially webinars with multiple hosts demand more from your computer than usual tasks, especially from your processor. Make sure all other software is closed down where possible. Still, experiencing problems? Test without other hosts and/or using another computer to find out where the problem originates from. Consider the use of a (more) modern computer for your webinar.
10. Check your external equipment for issues with input.
If you have your camera input separate from your sound (not a webcam/mic on the same computer), you have to control the sync between these two yourself.
In this case, the problem lies in the source. The solution is to put a "delay" on your equipment, either on the video or audio.
11. Contact your hardware producer/system admin
It can be helpful to contact the producer of your microphone and/or computer to mention your microphone having a problem or mechanical distortion when using a browser.
If the steps listed above have not solved the issue, please feel free to contact us via the live chat.