SOUND QUALITY: HOW IS IT DEFINED?

What do we understand by sound quality?

When we talk about sound quality, we refer to the ability of a device to accurately capture the sound we want to transmit. We all know how important it is, during a meeting, that the microphone adapts to the environment in which it is going to be used, so that all the information is heard without loss, whether using a speaker or headphones... So continue by reading and you will have all the information you need to choose the sound technology that best suits you.

When we talk about sound technology, we are not just referring to audio quality ( at least not exclusively! ) No, we prefer to take a broader view (because it is good to have an open mind) also encompassing the smart functions that enrich our exchanges. and that today they can be found almost everywhere. If you combine them, you will get the following:

Standard Audio: It is the minimum necessary for video conferencing. Functional for regular use, it quickly becomes limited in terms of sound clarity, mainly due to less accurate signal reception.

High Definition ( HD ) Audio: Twice as good as standard audio, it's a completely different story when it comes to clarity and accuracy. Naturally, better engagement means optimized understanding and communication.

Noise Cancellation: No more distractions. This well-known technology actively eliminates or reduces ambient noise or unwanted sounds during conversations by creating a barrier.

Beamforming: This is the act of capturing and concentrating the sound towards the source of the predominant voice or noise ( precision and immunity to outside noise is gained ).

Omnidirectional audio: This is 360° sound coverage of space! Omnidirectional audio allows you to capture and transmit in all directions. So no matter where you are in relation to the device, you will be heard clearly ( so be careful what you say ).

Bluetooth: Why are we mentioning it here? Well, simply because Bluetooth continues to be a technology ( wireless, too ), which allows you to easily connect to a large number of devices ( through invisible waves ). In addition, today it is the technology that allows mobile professionals to be connected anytime, anywhere.

SOUND QUALITY: THE 6 FACTORS THAT AFFECT IT

Sensitivity: In decibels ( dB ), it measures the output volume relative to a given signal. In French, it captures weak sound signals so that it is not necessary to increase the volume to be heard ( thus avoiding amplifying background noise ).

Frequency response: Refers to the range of frequencies that an audio device is capable of capturing ( mic ) or reproducing ( speaker ). It is optimal when it is flat and balanced, without marked attenuations or highlights.

Distortion: Simply put, it is the measured difference between the incoming signal and the signal output by the audio device ( in decibels ). The lower the distortion, the better ( simply because the reproduced sound will be faithful to the original audio ).

Noise Cancellation: It is essential in noisy environments. We've said it before, but audio needs to focus on the essentials ( we're talking about you ), so we use this technology to eliminate unwanted ambient noise.

Sound recording diagram: Here we are referring to directionality! What is directionality? As we explain on our page about microphones , it is the direction from which the acoustic wave reaches the microphone. And there are 3 ( omnidirectional, bidirectional and unidirectional ).

Signal-to-noise ratio: SNR is expressed in decibels ( dB ) and indicates the ratio between the desired audio signal and the unwanted background noise in an audio recording. The key thing to remember is that the higher the SNR, the more the main signal will stand out from the unwanted noise.

3 TIPS TO OPTIMIZE AUDIO QUALITY

Sound quality is like your internet connection – there are always tips and tricks you can use to improve it! Since we don't want to get too technical or complex, we've chosen to give you our 3 simplest options , which you can find right here: