5 Tips to Improve Audio on Large Conference Calls

The success of large conference calls is also highly dependent on overall audio quality. Having multiple participants in different settings may result in many audio difficulties your large conference call may face. To keep the conference line clean, merely talking clearly and intelligibly won’t get the job done. Take some extra steps to avoid audio tragedies by following these 5 tips in improving conference call quality:

1. Call-in from a quiet location

This is a no brainer. Find a location that is both quiet and echo-free. Avoid calling in from windy locations as this can cause noises in the microphone, almost blocking your voice from being understood. Don’t forget to remind your participants beforehand to do the same. Stress how important and crucial it is for them to be in a noiseless location for the call.

2. Avoid making noises

You may think the line is clear but really, maybe you’re the one causing the noise without you knowing. These noises can be from (paper) page-turning and constantly bumping the mic or simply typing on a keyboard. Refrain placing your microphone close to “disturbances” such as tables where you might be constantly moving things around. Noises can also come from your speech where you talk too close to the microphone, causing abrasive sounds. Always be mindful of causing ambient noises to avoid offending your participants’ ears.

3. Make sure you have a sturdy connection

A terrible internet connection diminishes audio quality if you are going to make your conference call via VoiP. Poor service leads to static, making it difficult for people to understand you and vice versa. Landline offers the most consistently reliable connection, so always choose to utilize it if you can. Meanwhile, good cell coverage is variable for many reasons and factors. So, if you found a place with a stable connection, stay there and avoid moving to different locations for a while. Remember, being on mobile makes your line the most vulnerable and prone to dropped calls.

4. Consider your microphone

Avoid using speakerphones at all costs. These lessen audio quality as it softens the speakers’ voices and catches ambient noises more. As much as possible, use a landline when joining large conference calls whether you’re a host or participant, as landlines have better quality mics than mobile phones. Using a boom-mounted headset is also a great option as it cancels out unwanted sounds and reduces background noises.

5. Utilize broadcast mode and self-mute features

Active salespeople tend to be in noisy locations the most and is reasonably hard to avoid as constant traveling is part of their role. As the host/operator, you should be able to control the noise and mute the lines whenever using large-event conferencing features like broadcast mode and self-mute.

Here’s the bottom line: to have an excellent large conference call audio, everyone MUST contribute and follow these guidelines to ensure your conference line is spotless or manageable at the least.