How do Echoes Occur on Computers?Įchoes can occur on computers, mainly due to audio feedback between microphones and speakers.Īudio feedback is cyclical. Instead, the soundwaves continuously bounce around in the space, piling on top of each other. This is because the delay between the original sound and the echo is too short for the ears to distinguish them.
In contrast, if you try yelling in a smaller space, distinct echoes can’t be heard. This is why recording studios and vocal booths have padded walls – to get a clear, unfiltered sound rather than an echoey, cavernous one. When soundwaves meet softer, more porous surfaces, like foam or fabric, the sound is absorbed.
If you’ve ever stood atop the Grand Canyon, yelled at the top of your lungs, then heard a clear resounding reply, that’s a perfect demonstration of these conditions. It also requires the presence of hard surfaces to allow soundwaves to bounce off more effectively. Software-Related Echo Problems on a PC or MacĪn echo is a delayed repetition of a sound that occurs when sound travels from a source, bounces off a surface, and is reflected back to that source.Īn echo requires space to be perceived clearly – at least 50 feet of distance between the sound source and a surface.Hardware-Related Echo Problems on a PC or Mac.
