VEG Technology Editor Alfred Poor points to a study in which test subjects listened to the same talks by the same experts, but in some cases, the audio quality was degraded. The audience thought that “the talk was worse, the
speaker less intelligent and less likable, and the research less important” when the audio quality was poor.
It’s worth investing in a better microphone than what’s built into your laptop, earbuds, or webcam. You have many good choices for mics that plug directly into your computer’s USB port, so there’s no need for a complex adapter box. Condenser mics such as the Blue Yeti provide excellent sound quality, but they can be sensitive to background noise (which you can often eliminate by using the noise canceling feature in Zoom or other platforms). Some people prefer to use a dynamic mic like the Samsung Q2U. These tend to be good at rejecting other sounds, but you typically need to be closer to the mic than with a condenser mic.
No matter which type of mic you choose, you should consider adding two accessories. A pop filter will prevent loud plosive sounds like “p” and “t” from being too loud. And a shock mount will reduce sounds from vibrations on your desk such as typing. Alfred provides helpful tips like these in his free monthly online demonstration. You can register at Speakers Springboard.
Robin Raskin adds, “As much as I hate to admit it, your accent (regional or foreign) matters too. I was born in the Bronx but became a drama major (not a dwahmahw major) so I had to lose some of the giveaway pronunciations.” These tips work in any
language. |
