Pikka Speech
Audio setup

Input hardware guide

Give every word a clean path into the room.

A quick, practical setup guide for microphones, interpreter consoles, mixers, and app audio. Complete the Audio Check before the audience joins.

Why 3.5 mm console-out into a MacBook combo jack is unreliable

MacBook 3.5 mm combo jacks are designed for headset-level microphones, while interpreter consoles and mixers typically output a much hotter line-level signal. The converter can hard-clip before the browser receives the audio, destroying consonant detail that speech recognition needs. Software cannot recover information already lost at the input.

Recommended chain

Best option

USB audio interface with line-level input

Suitable examples include the Behringer UCA202, Focusrite Scarlett Solo or 2i2, and MOTU M2. Choose according to the venue's connector, channel, reliability, and headroom requirements.

Console balanced output → audio interface line input → laptop USB

Budget fallback

Passive attenuator cable

A 20–40 dB 3.5 mm line-to-mic pad can reduce line level enough for a combo jack. It is less predictable, lacks balanced-pair hum rejection, and varies in quality, so always run Audio Check at the venue.

On-site checklist

  1. 1Connect the source through a USB interface or an attenuator cable.
  2. 2In the speaker page, choose the correct device under Input device.
  3. 3For a console or mixer, ask the room administrator to select the Line / Console input profile.
  4. 4Select Check audio (5s), then speak at the same level you will use during the event.
  5. 5Adjust the source until Audio Check reports a clean signal.
  6. 6Start broadcasting and watch the live warning banner during the event.

Read the Audio Check verdict

Clean
Ready to broadcast.
Signal clipping
Reduce the mixer or source output level.
Signal too quiet
Raise the source output or ask the administrator to adjust makeup gain.
No signal detected
Check the cable, unmute the source, and confirm the selected device.

Profile quick reference

ProfileIntended forProcessing
MicrophoneBuilt-in laptop mic, lapel mic, or headsetStandard microphone capture
Line / ConsoleInterpreter console, audio mixer, or professional PA feed80 Hz high-pass filter, soft limiter, and adjustable makeup gain
System audioZoom, Teams, a browser tab, or another appDirect app-audio capture