Is this thing on?? Getting your a/v right on Zoom and beyond
You’ve probably been meeting, presenting, and hanging out on video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Teams, and FaceTime just about every day for the past couple of years. Professional-quality video conferencing is now ubiquitous, but many of us are still using crummy earbuds, built-in cameras and mics, and other tools that treat sound and video quality as an afterthought.
I invited audio engineer Marcus dePaula to join me for a workshop in April 2022 designed to kick up my video conferencing game.
Marcus shared insights on how audio quality actually impacts your brand, tons of tips, tools, and ideas, and an equipment list suitable for a range of budgets.
Here are my biggest takeaways.
First, this stuff really matters. Research shows that information presented with poor audio quality negatively impacts an audience member’s perception of the speaker.
If you only do one thing, use headphones. Using headphones avoids the mic picking up (and trying to deal with) additional noise in the room (which is actually just your meeting).
Tweak your environment and mic to sound better
The microphone in Apple AirPods sound terrible. In fact, the internal mic on your laptop or computer, assuming it’s not a total dinosaur, probably sounds better to others on Zoom than your airpods. Please don’t use your AirPods as a microphone.
If you use a wired headset or lapel mic, try to keep the mic in a fixed position and close to your mouth— but not so close that your breathing gets picked up. Breathing sounds, especially when the mic is too close, are very distracting.
Don’t buy cheap mics. Amazon and others sell a few options for ~$15. Once again, your computer’s internal mic is probably better.
Want a better microphone? Marcus recommends the Samson Q2U, which costs about $60. Bonus points: get a stand so you can position it well.
Activate the “original sound” feature in your Zoom audio settings– and keep it in the “on” mode. That will create a purer, more unadulterated sound.
Working in a space with carpeting or a rug, curtains, couches, bookshelves, and other soft and sound-absorbing materials really helps, too. Hard surfaces = bad acoustics. Sit facing something that absorbs sound, if possible. Felt or fabric panels work best.
Put yourself in their shoes- or perhaps in their ears?
Most people won’t want to tell you if they can hear your breath or there’s a lot of ambient sound, so don’t assume you sound good because nobody has complained. Test out your equipment to find out for sure. Here are three easy ways to do it:
Host a practice Zoom, Teams, Webex, etc meeting with a good friend, family member, or colleague who’ll tell you honestly how you look and sound.
Make a QuickTime audio recording on your Mac. Here’s how to do that.
Make a Zoom recording and listen to it. Remember that the recording quality on Zoom degrades quality too. If it sounds good in the recording, you’re probably good.
Light up your face
Overhead lighting and lights or windows behind you are less flattering and make it harder to see your gorgeous gob. Marcus recommends the Lumecube Edge LED, which doubles as a desk lamp and costs about $120 bucks. If possible, keep your light source angled up and to the side of your face.
Thinking about your camera? The better the lens, the better the image quality. If you’re using your computer’s built-in camera, expect the color to be a bit off, and keep it up as high as possible: no cameras on the desk, please. Marcus recommends Elgato’s FaceCam if you are looking for something for less than $200. Want to get fancy? Check out some of the options Marcus suggests here.
Want to watch the video? Check it out here.
