Zoom is a great way to connect with colleagues or friends who live far away from you. And since it’s free, you don’t have to worry about spending too much money on long-distance calls.
The platform has seen a huge rise in popularity over the past few years and now boasts more than 15 million users worldwide.
One of the main points of discussion that often crops up in regard to Zoom are the audio settings – specifically, how they can be altered to improve the quality of your call.
While there are many ways to do this, we’re going to focus on three specific options: the microphone volume, the speaker volume, and the background noise level.
Let’s take a look at each one, as well as an overview of how Zoom works.
What Is Zoom?
Zoom is an online video conferencing service that allows you to make phone calls with other people using their computers.
It was founded by Erik Yuan in 2011 and features a simple interface that makes it easy for anyone to use.
You simply need to download the Zoom desktop client onto your computer, then open it when you want to start a conference.
Once connected, participants can see each other through a web browser window, and talk via webcam or microphone.
The basic idea behind Zoom is pretty straightforward: you invite someone else into a meeting, and they join you.
How Can I Test Audio Before Zoom Meetings?
Before every Zoom meeting, you should test the computer audio levels. This will help ensure that everyone can hear each other clearly during the meeting. To do this, just follow these steps:
- Open the Zoom app on your computer.
- Click on Settings icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Audio & Video” from the menu that appears.
- In the next section, click on “Microphone Volume”.
- Adjust the slider until you find the perfect balance between loudness and quietness.
- Repeat Steps 1-5 for the “Speaker Volume” setting.
- Finally, adjust the “Background Noise Level” slider until you get the best results.
- Save all changes before starting the meeting!
Alternatively, you can also click on the small arrow on the microphone icon on your Zoom screen, and click on ‘Test Speaker And Microphone’.
To automatically adjust microphone volume and audio preferences, simply tick the box for that option (also see, ‘How To Make Your Mic Sound Better‘).
You can also opt to automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting, as well as activate the option to enable Echo Cancellation.
For musicians, there is an option to enable original sound, which is recommended for studio environments. Simply tick the option in the Audio Profile menu, and Zoom will apply the settings.
What Are The Most Common Audio Issues That Arise With Zoom Meetings?
There are several common issues that arise during Zoom meetings, including:
Poor Sound Quality
If you’ve ever been involved in a Zoom meeting where the audio sounds like it’s coming from a tin can, it could be because the microphones aren’t working properly.
Make sure that both the microphone and speakers are turned on, and that the volume is set correctly.
If you’re having trouble hearing what others say, try adjusting the microphone volume.
Unintelligible Voices
Sometimes, even if you’re speaking loudly enough, you may still not be able to understand what others are saying.
This is usually caused by poor internet connection speeds, which means that the sound quality isn’t very good.
Try switching to another network (if possible) or increasing the speed of your internet connection with boosts or hotspots.
Inconsistent Speakers
Sometimes, the speakers on your computer won’t work properly, causing the audio output to crackle or distort.
If this happens, try restarting your computer and reload the meeting to see if the interference is gone.
Noisy Background Sounds
If you’d like to keep any intermittent background noise out of your Zoom meetings, you can turn off notifications while you’re talking – this will reduce those unwanted beeps and sounds of other things going on in the background of your call.
There is also an echo cancellation feature in the advanced settings, which can help reduce background noise. You can also access this in the ‘Audio’ tab of your Zoom settings.
If you are still having trouble with your sound settings in Zoom, check the settings of your headset or microphone to ensure that it is correctly connected and turned on. You can also try using a USB headset or external speakers instead of the speakers built -into your computer.
Zoom Audio Conferencing Options
One of the major appeals of Zoom as a platform is the ability to unlock audio conferencing options. This includes:
- Screen Sharing Allows users to share their screens with one another.
- Voice Chat – Allows users to speak directly to each other without needing to type anything.
- Desktop Sharing – Allows users to access files and folders on their own computers.
- File Transfer – Allows users to send large files to each other.
- Whiteboard Sharing – Allows users to draw diagrams and write notes on shared whiteboards.
- Video Calling – Allows users to video chat with each other using their webcam.
These Zoom meeting audio settings and visual features make Zoom a very popular option with businesses and individuals alike. It’s also easy to use and has an intuitive interface.
What Are The Advantages of Zoom?
So, why use Zoom client over the range of other video conferencing platforms on the market? There are a number of advantages of using Zoom, and these include:
Easy To Use
Zoom is incredibly simple to use. You simply need to download the app onto your device, connect to the meeting room, and start chatting. No complicated setup is required.
Great For Small Businesses
Small business owners often struggle when trying to find a suitable video conferencing solution.
However, Zoom is perfect for small businesses that want to offer video conferencing services to clients.
It’s Easy To Set Up And Manage
Zoom makes setting up new meetings quick and easy. All you have to do is invite people into a meeting room, select how long they should stay in the room, and then click ‘start’.
From there, you don’t need to worry about any technical issues.
You Can Easily Add More Users
You can easily add more users to a Zoom meeting. Simply go to the ‘add user’ section of the app, enter the email address of the person you wish to add, and hit ‘save’.
They’ll receive an invitation to join the meeting once it starts.
Great For Large Groups
Zoom offers great support for larger groups. With its ability to host multiple simultaneous meetings, you can easily manage large numbers of participants at once.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Zoom is a fantastic tool for both individuals and businesses.
Its ease of use, affordability, and accessibility make it a must-have tool for anyone looking to improve communication within their organization.
While there are, of course, audio issues that arise from time to time, Zoom makes these very easy to fix and manage with minimal stress.
