Audio quality is a byproduct of software, hardware, and network conditions. If the component parts of a connection are of good quality, and everything is configured correctly, then audio quality should, therefore, also be of good quality. However, if any component degrades for any reason, audio quality may suffer, and the way in which it suffers may differ depending on the issue at hand.

Audio latency is typically correlated to network packet latency. If audio data takes too long to transmit across the Internet, then it will result in an audio delay at the receiving end. Ensuring low packet latency by enabling UDP throughput, connecting to your nearest Pickle media server, and ensuring sufficient network bandwidth should reduce audio latency. It is also important to avoid VPN routing with Pickle calls.

Muffled and quiet audio throughput may occur for several reasons. The first of these could be an issue with the microphone or speakers used with the device transmitting / receiving the audio. Since audio packets contain whatever audio is captured, issues with the audio devices themselves could be the cause of such problems.

Another cause of muffled or quiet audio throughput is related to packet loss on the network. Unreliable network conditions result in the audio decoders rebuilding lost audio data which may sound incoherent to the listener. See our documentation on packet loss for solutions to this issue.

Additional audio processing may also be a cause for muffled or quiet audio transmission. Some audio equipment drivers intercept audio throughput and apply for additional processing passes before the data is dispatched or played back to the listener. Reconfiguring or disabling such processing software may improve overall audio quality experiences.

Audio stuttering is typically a product of high jitter or packet loss. Improving your network quality can reduce buffering and packet loss, resulting in interruption-free, continuous audio playback.