What is AEC and why do I need it?

Edited

Overview

If you hear your own voice coming back a moment later, that’s echo.

It happens when sound from the speakers reaches the microphone and loops back into the call. Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) removes that echo automatically, before anyone notices.

The result is simple: only your voice is sent.
Clear, natural, and easy to listen to.


How AEC Works

Every call has two sounds:

  • Far-end audio - voices coming from the speakers

  • Near-end audio - your voice picked up by the microphone

In a real room, speaker audio reflects off walls and surfaces before reaching the microphone. Those reflections create echo.

AEC continuously:

  • Listens to what the speakers are playing

  • Predicts how that sound will return to the microphone

  • Subtracts it from the mic signal in real time

Your voice stays intact. The echo disappears.


Adapts in Real Time

Rooms change. People move. Conversations overlap.

AEC adjusts automatically:

  • Handles people speaking at the same time

  • Adapts as speakers move or volume changes

  • Compensates for small changes in speakers and microphones

This keeps speech clear without cutting words or sounding artificial.


In Practice

With AEC working properly:

  • Remote participants don’t hear themselves

  • Conversations feel natural and uninterrupted

  • There’s no feedback or distraction

You don’t need to manage it. It runs continuously in the background.


Why It Matters

Without AEC, calls become tiring and confusing.
Echo slows conversation and breaks focus.

With AEC:

  • Voices are clean and consistent

  • Everyone hears only what’s intended

  • Conversations flow naturally


In Summary

Acoustic Echo Cancellation removes speaker echo before it reaches the call.

Key points:

  • Prevents voice loopback

  • Adapts automatically as the room changes

  • Keeps speech natural and clear

If calls sound clean and echo-free, AEC is doing its job.