In the bustling world of virtual meetings, it’s not uncommon to find yourself in a Microsoft Teams session where you lose track of who’s speaking. Imagine someone sharing a brilliant idea, but you missed the cue and now hesitate to ask for clarification. Thankfully, this problem could soon be a thing of the past. Microsoft Teams now lets you use spatial audio in meetings so that you can get a clearer idea of who is speaking by the direction that the sound is coming from. Let’s delve into how you can harness the power of spatial audio to enhance your Teams meetings.
Understanding Spatial Audio: A Three-Dimensional Soundscape
Spatial audio introduces a new dimension to your auditory experience. It creates a three-dimensional soundscape that mimics the sensation of sound originating from distinct locations, all without the need for multiple speakers.
Also Read: Microsoft Teams Will Now Let You Attend Video Meetings as a 3D Avatar
With compatible headphones or built-in stereo speakers, spatial audio employs advanced filters to trick your brain into perceiving sound in a three-dimensional space. This technology transcends brands, with various companies offering their own proprietary spatial audio implementations, such as Apple’s Spatial Audio.
Spatial Audio in Microsoft Teams: A Game-Changing Experience
In Microsoft Teams, spatial audio takes center stage by strategically placing voices in your virtual meeting based on each speaker’s on-screen position. This intelligent audio distribution ensures that you perceive sound as if it’s emanating from the speaker’s specific location on your screen.
Picture this: if a participant occupies the far-left corner of your Teams interface, their voice will seem to originate from that very direction. Moreover, the voice of the person positioned to their right will appear to emanate from a slightly closer position to the center.
The primary goal of spatial audio is to enhance conversation comprehension during Teams meetings. Even when visual cues are limited, the spatial distribution of voices helps you seamlessly identify and track speakers, significantly improving your meeting interaction.
Requirements for Utilizing Spatial Audio
To unlock the potential of spatial audio within Microsoft Teams, certain requirements must be met. You will need either a device featuring built-in stereo speakers or opt for wired stereo headphones/speakers. It’s important to note that spatial audio is not currently compatible with Bluetooth devices. Consequently, wireless Bluetooth headphones like Apple AirPods won’t offer support for this feature.
Activating Spatial Audio in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams offers the flexibility to enable spatial audio both before and during a meeting. Depending on your preference, you can configure spatial audio settings in advance or on the fly.
Enabling Spatial Audio Before a Teams Meeting:
1. Launch the Microsoft Teams desktop app on your Windows or macOS system.
2. Access the “Settings” menu.
3. Navigate to “Devices” within the left-hand menu.
4. Under “Audio Devices,” designate a compatible device as the Speaker.
5. Scroll further and activate the “Spatial audio” toggle.
Enabling Spatial Audio During a Teams Meeting:
1. While in a Teams meeting, locate and click on the “Three Dots” icon.
2. From the dropdown, select “Device settings.”
3. Choose a spatial audio-compatible device under the “Speaker” category.
4. Flip the switch to turn on “Spatial audio.”
Deactivating Spatial Audio
Should you wish to disable spatial audio, simply repeat the above steps and toggle off the “Spatial audio” switch.
As you embrace the immersive auditory experience offered by spatial audio in Microsoft Teams, you’ll find yourself better engaged and connected during meetings. By accurately associating voices with on-screen positions, spatial audio empowers you to actively participate in discussions without missing a beat. With this innovative feature, Microsoft Teams continues to evolve and refine the virtual meeting landscape, setting new standards for seamless communication.
