Volume Level - Using a Mixer as a Microphone

[JeffHanner]

We have two different types of meetings.  The first is strictly a meeting over Zoom which we record to a computer and to the cloud.  With Automatically Control Volume checked the volume is always at an even level.  

The second is a Hybrid meeting where some people are in a room and can be heard over microphones going to a mixer.  In turn the mixer output acts as one microphone connected to a computer signed into Zoom.  With Auto-volume also turned on, the recorded volume level is all over the place, just as we hear it in the room.  I don't understand why effectively using an external microphone via USB would change the recording level.

Any suggestions

[Ohkawa]

Hi, @JeffHanner 

Since human speech has inflection, the automatic volume control function of the microphone adjusts the volume by sampling and averaging the volume within a certain time period. This means that if the speaker changes and the volume of the voice changes, the volume adjustment will not be able to keep up immediately.
Therefore, the volume of recorded speech is likely to change as soon as the speaker changes.

I think so.

[JohnB6]

We have a similar problem.  The stereo (Main) out on our Yamaha MG20XU mixer goes to a USB dongle on a desktop computer as MIC input in order to send all MICs connected to the mixer to the Zoom participants.  We then record on another laptop connected to Zoom as host.  The recording has always been good on our old Behringer mixer, but this firs time we used the Yamaha, it came out distorted as though the output is too hot for the zoom input - it sounds like clipping at higher volumes....  Would lowering the volume of the MIC on the computer help?  Live participants said the sound was OK....