Help & Guide

Everything you need to get the best out of Vox5000.

⚠ Browser recommendation: Use Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop for the most reliable experience. Mobile Safari on iPhone and iPad has limited Web Audio API support and may not record or upload reliably.

✅ Before every recording

Use wired headphones or earphones — Bluetooth adds latency and dropouts
Select your external mic from the dropdown — not the built-in laptop mic
Do a 5 second mic test and listen back before starting
Keep levels peaking around –12 dB — never hitting 0 dB red
Use Chrome on desktop for the most reliable experience

🎙 Solo recording

  • Click "Start solo recording" on the home page
  • Select your microphone and format (MP3 or WAV)
  • Do a 5s mic test to check your levels
  • Hit Record — the same button stops recording
  • Your file downloads automatically when you stop
  • Nothing is sent to any server — files stay on your device

🎧 Hosting an interview

  • Click "Create interview room" and name the room
  • Copy the invite link — send via WhatsApp or email
  • Admit guests from the waiting queue
  • See consent status for each guest: consented or observer
  • Hit Record — 5 second countdown on all screens
  • Stop recording — guest tracks upload to you automatically
  • Download separate WAV files labelled by name
  • Download the consent log for your records

🙋 Joining as a guest

  • Click the link the host sent you — no app install needed
  • Put wired headphones on before entering
  • Enter your name — it will label your audio track
  • Tick the consent checkbox to be recorded, or join as an Observer (mic off, listen only)
  • Wait for the host to admit you
  • You'll see a countdown when recording starts
  • Keep the page open until you see the green Done message

🎚 Audio quality checklist

  • External USB or XLR interface mic — not laptop built-in
  • Wired headphones — not Bluetooth
  • Quiet room — close doors, turn off air conditioning
  • Levels peaking at –12 dB — not 0 dB
  • WAV 48kHz 24-bit for broadcast masters
  • MP3 320kbps for delivery and sharing
  • Chrome on desktop for interviews

💾 Downloads & file formats

  • MP3 — compressed, smaller files, great for sharing and delivery
  • WAV — lossless, broadcast master quality, larger files
  • 320 kbps MP3 is the standard for radio delivery
  • 48kHz / 24-bit WAV is the broadcast master standard
  • Guest tracks are named with the guest's name and a timestamp
  • Marker log downloads as a .txt file alongside audio
  • Files go to your Downloads folder — Ctrl+J / Cmd+J to find them

🔧 Troubleshooting

🚫 My microphone is not showing up
Make sure your mic is plugged in before loading the page. Check it appears in your computer's sound settings. Refresh the page after plugging it in. On Windows, check Chrome has mic permission in Windows Settings → Privacy → Microphone.
🔒 I clicked Deny on the microphone permission
Click the padlock or microphone icon in Chrome's address bar → Site settings → Microphone → Allow. Then refresh the page.
🔊 I can hear myself echoing
You or your guest is not using headphones. Speakers pick up the call audio and feed it back into the mic. Everyone in an interview room must use headphones or earphones.
📊 The recording is too quiet or distorted
Too quiet — increase Input Gain until peaks hit around –12 dB. Distorted (red on waveform) — decrease Input Gain immediately. Target –24 to –6 dB.
👥 Guests are not appearing in my waiting queue
Make sure you sent the correct link containing your room code. Both you and the guest need to have the page open at the same time. Ask them to refresh and try again. Both should use Chrome on desktop if possible.
📤 The guest upload is stuck or not progressing
Both host and guest must keep their page open and not lock their screen. If upload stalls, ask the guest to download their recording and send it via WeTransfer or Google Drive as a fallback.
📱 I'm on an iPhone and recording isn't working
Safari on iOS has limited Web Audio API support. Use Chrome on iOS instead. For the most reliable experience, join from a desktop or laptop. Do not lock your screen or switch apps during recording on mobile.
💾 I can't find my downloaded file
Check your Downloads folder. In Chrome press Ctrl+J (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+J (Mac) to see recent downloads. Files are named with your name and a timestamp, e.g. Ian_HOST_2026-06-20.wav
🏠 My rooms have disappeared
Rooms are stored in your browser's local storage. They can be lost if you clear browser data, use private/incognito mode, or switch to a different browser or device.