How the audio check works in Interview Signal
On this page
- How do I run the audio check?
- What do the results mean?
- Why does the meter drop between words?
- Why record five seconds when there is already a meter?
- Can I start the interview without hearing everything?
- Can I change the microphone during the test or the call?
- What can the audio check not tell me?
- Questions people ask
The audio check is the first panel on Interview Signal's pre-interview screen, "1. Check your audio", and it is the only required step before an interview. "Test audio" starts live meters for "You" (your microphone) and "Candidate" (your computer's sound), each with a level in dB, and "Record 5 seconds" records both sides, measures what was actually recorded and plays your clip back. It all runs on your computer and uses none of your transcription minutes. This describes version 0.9.10, the current release as of October 2026.
How do I run the audio check?
- Join or open your call first if you can, so there is something to hear on the candidate side.
- Choose your microphone under "Microphone". "Default microphone" uses the system default. On Windows, each physical microphone is listed once, even though Windows reports most of them two or three times.
- Press "Test audio". The button changes to "Starting…" and then "Stop test", and both meters read "listening". On a Mac, if a permission is missing, the error message carries an "Open settings" button that goes to the right pane.
- Speak. The You meter moves and shows your peak level, for example "-24 dB" (an example; your number will differ). The bar turns amber when you are close to full scale and red when the input is clipping.
- Make the candidate side play something. Play audio in the meeting app, or ask the other person to speak. The Candidate meter should move.
- Press "Record 5 seconds". The button counts down "Recording… 5" and then shows "Checking…" while it measures both clips.
- Listen. If your microphone was heard, your clip plays back on its own. Each side has a "Play back" button.
- Press "Start interview". You can leave the test running; the interview takes over the audio when it starts.
What do the results mean?
After "Record 5 seconds", each side gets one line:
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "heard, peak … dB" with "Play back" | The recording contains sound at that level | Nothing. Play it back if you want to hear it. |
| "Too loud — it is distorting. Turn the input level down." | The clip reached full scale | Lower the microphone's input level in your sound settings. |
| "silent" on You | The clip had nothing above the level of a quiet voice | "Check that the right microphone is selected above and that it is not muted in your sound settings." |
| "silent" on Candidate | Nothing came out of the computer during the five seconds | "Play something in your meeting app while it records. Nothing was coming out of this computer." |
| "nothing recorded" on Candidate | The computer's sound could not be captured at all | "System audio is not available on this computer." See audio troubleshooting. |
| "could not be read back" | The clip was recorded but would not decode | Run it again; if it repeats, send diagnostics to support. |
While the test runs, the text beside each meter shows "not started", "listening", a level in dB, "silent", "switching…" or "not available".
Why does the meter drop between words?
Because noise suppression removes room noise from your microphone, so the gaps between words really are quiet. The screen says so: "The meter is quiet between words because noise suppression removes room noise — record five seconds and play it back if you want to be certain." The level number matters more than the bar, because it separates a quiet microphone from a dead one.
Why record five seconds when there is already a meter?
A moving meter is not proof that anything is being recorded. "Record 5 seconds" uses the same recorder the interview will use, then measures the recorded clip itself and plays it back, so what you hear is what the transcription will get. Both sides are recorded over the same five seconds, so you only have to speak once. Like the meters, the clips are measured on your computer, are not sent anywhere, and are discarded when you leave the screen.
Can I start the interview without hearing everything?
Yes, with a warning. The audio step counts as done once a test has run, even if you stop it again. Its status reads "Done", or "Done · not heard you yet" if your microphone has not picked up speech, and the hint by the button says "Ready — but your microphone has not picked you up yet. Say something while the test runs to be sure." When everything is fine it says "Ready. Capture begins when you press Start."
If you press "Start interview" before testing, the audio panel is highlighted and a message says "Before you start: test your audio." If the candidate side was not available, the interview runs on your microphone alone and shows a banner saying the candidate will not be transcribed.
Can I change the microphone during the test or the call?
Yes. Changing "Microphone" while the test runs switches the device on the spot, without restarting the candidate side, and plugging in a headset adds it to the list automatically. When you press "Start interview", the choice is remembered for next time. During the interview, the same list is under "Mic & language" in the top bar, and switching there keeps everything already said.
What can the audio check not tell me?
- How the candidate's own microphone sounds. The Candidate meter measures what your computer plays. A quiet or muffled candidate shows up as a low level, not as a fault on your side.
- Whether other sound will get in. Anything your computer plays during the call is captured as the candidate, so close other audio before you start.
- Whether speakers will echo. If you use speakers, your microphone may hear the candidate. The app removes the duplicate, but headphones avoid it.
Why the app captures audio this way is explained in how Interview Signal records without a bot, and what your computer needs is in the system requirements. To rehearse the whole thing on a fake candidate first, use a practice role from the Try it page. For general tips on getting a clean recording of any interview, see how to transcribe a job interview.
Questions people ask
How do I test my microphone in Interview Signal?
On the pre-interview screen, choose your microphone, press Test audio and speak: the You meter shows your level in dB. Then press Record 5 seconds; the app records five seconds, tells you whether it heard you and plays your clip back.
Why does the Candidate meter in Interview Signal say not available?
The app could not capture your computer’s sound. On a Mac, turn on Screen and System Audio Recording for Interview Signal in System Settings and reopen the app; on Windows it is usually a virtual machine or remote desktop with no audio device passed through. The interview can still run on your microphone alone.
Do I have to run the audio check before every Interview Signal interview?
Yes. Check your audio is the one required step on the pre-interview screen, and Start interview points you to it until a test has run. Starting the test is enough; the five-second recording is optional but recommended.
Does the Interview Signal audio test use my free minutes?
No. The audio test runs entirely on your computer: the meters and the five-second clip are measured locally, nothing is sent for transcription, and the clips are discarded when you leave the screen.