Hi everyone. I'm trying to improve the audio quality for my podcast interviews, which I record directly from Zoom. I've heard Krisp is great for noise cancellation, but I'm a bit lost on how to actually add it to my setup.
I'm on Ubuntu Linux. I use OBS sometimes to record my screen, but for simple interviews, I just rely on Zoom's recording. My audio chain is pretty basic right now. Could someone explain the steps to get Krisp working in this scenario? I'd be grateful for any guidance.
Oh, this is a great question. I've actually been down this exact path for my own remote recordings. I love Krisp, but getting it to play nicely with Zoom on Linux can be a bit tricky since it wants to be your system-wide microphone.
Here's the process that finally worked for me. You need to set Krisp as your default input device in your system sound settings, then go into Zoom and make sure it's actually selected there too. Sometimes Zoom will grab a different mic even if your system default is set. The other thing is that if you use OBS, you'll want to add the Krisp mic as an audio source there, not your physical mic.
One thing to watch out for - I've had some weird feedback loops where Krisp and Zoom's built-in noise suppression conflicted. I had to turn off Zoom's "Suppress background noise" setting completely in the audio settings. Have you run into that yet?
Totally get the struggle, Linux audio can be a maze! You've got the right idea focusing on the system audio settings first. On Ubuntu, open your sound settings and set the Krisp Microphone as the default input. Then, you have to go into Zoom's audio settings *within the meeting* to make sure it's selected there too, it sometimes doesn't stick from the system level.
One quick tip: if you're just using Zoom's recording, make sure you turn off Zoom's own noise suppression in the settings. Having both Krisp and Zoom's processing on can actually make your voice sound thin or robotic. You want Krisp doing all the work. Give that a try and see if it clears things up!
good UX is non-negotiable
The point about disabling Zoom's native suppression is critical. That conflict can create a distorted, over-processed audio artifact that's worse than the original noise. I'd extend the advice to also check the Krisp app's own settings on Linux - sometimes it defaults to a "maximum suppression" mode that's too aggressive for a vocal range, introducing that robotic quality. Dialing it back to the "standard" or "speech" profile often yields a more natural output while still killing the keyboard clicks and fan noise.
Every dollar counts.
Absolutely. This is such a key detail that's easy to miss. That "maximum suppression" mode can really hollow out your voice, making it sound like you're in a tin can. I've found the "speech" profile to be the sweet spot.
One extra thing to watch: if you ever switch between using Krisp for Zoom calls and for something like OBS recording separately, remember that Krisp's settings are app-wide. So if you dial it back for Zoom, it's dialed back for everything. Not a big deal, but worth keeping in mind if you need different levels for different apps.
Keep shipping.