Mic Quiz

Talkuza's accuracy starts at the microphone. Run the in-app Mic Quiz (Settings → Media → Mic Quiz) and it will test your setup and recommend the best input — this page explains what it's checking and why.

What the quiz checks

  1. Input level — speak normally for 5 seconds. The meter should sit in the green, not the red.
  2. Background noise — stay quiet for 3 seconds. The quiz measures room noise and warns if it's too high.
  3. Clarity — read the test sentence. The quiz scores how cleanly the transcription comes back.
  4. Recommendation — it picks the best available input device and tells you if your room needs help.

Microphone comparison

Built-in Mac microphone

Best for: Quiet room, close to the Mac

Fine for short dictation. Struggles with keyboard noise and distance.

Wired headset / earbuds mic

Best for: Most rooms, calls, travel

Best value for money. Close to your mouth, rejects room noise well.

USB condenser mic

Best for: Home office, long sessions

Warm, clear sound. Keep it 15–20 cm away and speak across it, not into it.

Lavalier (clip-on) mic

Best for: Moving around, video calls

Consistent distance = consistent accuracy. Clip 15 cm below your chin.

Room tips that matter more than the mic

  • Close the window and move away from fans and AC vents — steady noise is worse than loud noise.
  • Speak at a normal volume, 15–30 cm from the mic. Shouting distorts; whispering disappears.
  • Hard surfaces echo. A rug, curtain, or bookshelf behind you helps more than a new mic.
  • If the quiz flags echo, try the headset — it removes the room from the equation.

Still poor accuracy?

  • Check Settings → Media — the input device shown there is the one Talkuza uses.
  • Check System Settings → Sound → Input — macOS must be using the same device.
  • Restart Talkuza after plugging in a new mic; macOS sometimes needs a nudge to hand it over.

Still stuck?

Tell us what happened — include your macOS version and Talkuza app version if you can.

Contact support →