What the readings mean
- Peak level — how loud your voice gets. Too low and callers say you sound far away; near 0 dBFS and your voice distorts.
- Noise floor — background hiss and room noise while you're quiet. High noise floors usually mean a cheap built-in mic, a fan nearby, or electrical interference on an analog headset.
- Echo test — records 5 seconds and plays it back so you hear your own mic. Try it with the browser's echo cancellation on and off.
Fixing common headset complaints
| Complaint | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "You sound far away" | Mic boom too far from mouth, wrong input device, laptop mic in use | Boom two finger-widths from the corner of the mouth; select the headset as input |
| They hear an echo of themselves | Speakerphone or open speakers feeding back into the mic | Use a headset; lower speaker volume; check echo cancellation |
| Hum or buzz | Ground loop or interference on analog headset | Use a USB or DECT headset; reroute cables away from power |
| Cutting in and out on a wireless headset | Bluetooth range or interference | Stay within range; prefer DECT for office headsets |
Privacy: the microphone test runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is recorded to a server.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my headset microphone online?
Press Test microphone above and allow microphone access. Speak normally and watch the level meter: green is good, red means clipping. Then press Record 5-second echo test to hear exactly how your microphone sounds.
Why do callers say I sound far away?
Usually the computer is using the built-in laptop microphone instead of the headset, or the headset boom is too far from your mouth. Select the headset as the input device in the softphone and the operating system, and position the boom close to the corner of your mouth.
Why do people hear an echo on my calls?
Acoustic echo happens when your speakers or speakerphone feed the other person's voice back into your microphone. A headset usually stops it. Echo can also come from analog phone line equipment on the far end, which your headset can't fix.
Are USB headsets better than Bluetooth for VoIP?
For office calling, wired USB and DECT wireless headsets are usually more reliable than Bluetooth, which has shorter range, more interference and often switches to a lower-quality audio mode during calls.
What is a good microphone level in dB?
For speech, peaks around −20 to −6 dBFS are a healthy target, average speech well below that, and the quiet-room noise floor below about −60 dBFS. 0 dBFS is the digital maximum — reaching it means the audio is clipping and distorted.
Why can't the test find my microphone?
The browser needs permission and a secure (HTTPS) page. Check the browser's site permissions, make sure no other app has exclusive control of the headset, and confirm the headset is selected as the default input device in the operating system.
Sources & references
Written by Eric · Reviewed November 2026