Zoom noise suppression effect seems to be creating a "lisp" for some users

[345345345345]

We have a couple users for whom auto noise suppression (I would guess) seems to be clipping off the fronts of their sibilant consonants and making them sound like they speak with a lisp. 

It's intermittent. Likely the fix is to "not use auto" gating or suppression for these users, but how to predict what mic models might be suceptible to it. Has anyone else encountered this?

I have noticed it in the past 1-2 months, not prior. Thanks

[RN]

Hey @345345345345 can you please share the current version of Zoom you are using that you've noticed this on as well as the operating system whether it be mobile (android/iOS) or desktop (macOS/Windows)? 

[SN1970]

My colleagues have pointed that out to me as well. I thought it was my new AirPods, but it happens even with an external microphone. Probably going on since at least Jan. 

Version: 5.13.5 (14826) on MacOS

[RimaB]

This has been a huge issue for me. I have been a guest on podcasts and teaching and this is going on. Now I have a large number of important recordings with me sounding like I have a terrible lisp. In a hilarious moment my staff thought I was having a stroke and I even took myself to the emergency to get checked out. The not funny part is that $2500 in medical bills later I discovered it was my zoom! It happens with and without my plug in microphone. 

I have waited entirely too long to address this. I have no idea where to find what Zoom version I am on, but I always update so it should be the latest. I am on a MacOS 

I have changed the "original music sound for musicians" to on so that the noise suppression is disabled. Hopefully this will help.

[345345345345]

An "artificial lisp" sound occurs as a result of the misapplication of a de-esser/desibilizer, which is a special type of noise-suppressing compressor that gets applied to the transient attack portions of sibilant consonants. Sibilants are "s" and "z" mostly--the ones that begin with high frequency wind.

Zoom appears to be de-essing, and it's really over-applied with some mics. I am guessing the top offenders would be mics with either slow compression attacks, lack of windscreens, and/or mics that operate very close to the the mouth, like headsets.

My suggestion to Zoom would be to focus on traditional background noise gating, and stop trying to transient shape the signal.

[chrismerkel]

This is happening to me as well. I recently listened to a recording of a presentation I gave, where two people around me were having loud conversations. I had to say the word SMS (ess em ess) quite a few times and it came out super lispy. In addition, it kept smooshing the ends of my words. Turning off high noise suppression fixed this, but I think you need to add a warning label to these levels so people understand that it could affect call quality.