As a result of the pandemic, many people are working remotely, necessitating the usage of devices that allow them to communicate with colleagues in their different workplaces, as seen in the business process outsourcing environment. This was also true in the educational environment, as students and teachers needed to acclimatize to online classes.
Remote communication tools like Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, and others were born because of such a significant transformation in people’s working habits in 2020. Hence one needs the use of a headset and make it work properly.
It’s natural to think your headset is damaged if you hear your own voice while communicating with pals on these platforms, but most of the time it’s just a glitch that can be quickly rectified once you discover what’s wrong.
One of the most typical things that happen is that you hear yourself when you’re conversing with friends and they’re listening through speakers, and the sound of their speakers gets picked up by the mic, causing you to hear your own voice.
Some reasons behind why you’re hearing yourself in your headset are:
The Receiver’s Speaker
The most basic and most common source of an echo isn’t even your microphone. If the individuals you’re talking to have microphones and are listening to you through speakers, their microphones can pick up the sound from their speakers and broadcast it back to you. A simple test is to ask your buddies to switch off their speakers for a few moments. If your friends’ speakers are the source of the problem, ask them to move away from them, turn down the level, or wear headphones instead.
Other Gadgets Connected
You may have many recording devices turned on. A microphone is built into many laptops and webcams. An echo effect can occur if your computer is simultaneously using your headphones and another recording device. Simply click Start | Control Panel | Hardware and Sound | Sound, then the “Recording” tab in the window that appears to disable other recording devices. Select “Disable” from the pop-up option if any of the devices mentioned are not your headset.
Boost Microphone
Microsoft Boost is a feature from Microsoft windows soundcard which sometimes generates an echo. Return to the Sound window as explained in the last section to disable the setting. Click the “Recording” tab, then right-pick on your headset and choose “Properties.” In the Microphone Properties window, click the “Levels” tab and uncheck the “Microphone Boost” tab. Close the window after clicking “Apply.”
Microphone Monitor
Some headsets intentionally send some of the user’s audio back to the headset to assist users to understand how loud they will sound to others. This is very common in audio monitoring just like in singers like the popular David Guetta. Microphone monitoring is very much needed with them prior to a performance. On the other hand, depending on your Internet connection and the apps you’re using, there may be a short delay between what you say and what you hear. As detailed in the last section, return to the Microphone Properties window for your headset. Make sure the check box next to “Listen to this device” is left blank on the “Listen” tab. If the box is checked, click it once to clear it, then click “Apply” and dismiss the window.
Faulty Speakers or Headphones
Audio connections that are misaligned can cause distortion and feedback in speakers and headphones. Make sure your speaker jack is securely placed into the “Speaker/Headphone” port on your computer. Whether the sound distortion persists, try switching out your headphones or speakers to see if they are the source of the problem. Static feedback in your speakers might be caused by shorts from worn wires. Excessive power can cause your speakers’ delicate vibrating diaphragm to blow out.
Headphones that play back the voice received through the microphone are also available. The signal is usually played back immediately, but there may be some delay. This is similarly simple to resolve; simply go to the microphone properties, listen, and uncheck “listen to this device.”
Active Enhancements
Examine the audio improvement options on your PC. Audio improvements can change the pitch of your computer’s audio, skew its equalization, and distort it with too much reverb. Select the “Sounds” option from the context menu by right-clicking on the “Speakers” icon in your taskbar. In the Sound menu, select your computer’s playback device and then the “Properties” button. To find active audio enhancements, go to the Speaker Properties menu’s “Enhancements” tab. Deselect the boxes next to each enhancement you want to delete or check the “Disable All Sound Effects” box.
Audio Drivers Issue
Latency difficulties in your computer’s audio playback might be caused by an out-of-date or damaged audio driver, causing sounds to skip and lag. Use the Windows Update application to check for an updated version of your sound card’s driver or visit your sound card manufacturer’s help site to find an update or a fix for known playback difficulties. To access the Windows Charms menu, move your cursor to the bottom right corner of your screen and select the “Settings” charm. Select “Control Panel” from the charm’s menu, then select the “Windows Update” icon in the Control Panel.
Microphone Reaction
When a microphone actively receiving input picks up noises from your speakers and your computer sends the microphone’s input back out through your speakers, a feedback loop can occur. Increase the distance between the microphone and the speakers, turn down the speakers, lower the microphone’s sensitivity, or detach the microphone. Select the “Recording Devices” option from the context menu by right-clicking on the “Speakers” icon in your taskbar. In the Sound menu, select your recording device and then the “Properties” button. Adjust the volume of your microphone with the slider under the “Levels” tab or uncheck the option to disable the boost. Use the “Enable Noise Suppression” or “Enable Acoustic Echo Cancellation” options on the “Enhancement” tab.
Other Possibilities
Headphones can occasionally cause serious issues. To be sure it’s not a software issue, try updating the drivers. If the problem persists, there could be a connection problem; clean all ports and connections. To see if the problem is with the connections, try plugging the headset into another computer or laptop. If the problem persists across all devices, you should contact customer service or purchase a new one.