> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://blackbox.dasha.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add Realistic Background Sounds to Conversations

> Add realistic background sounds to your Dasha BlackBox voice agent. Make conversations more natural with office, cafe, or custom ambient noise that eliminates uncanny silence.

Make conversations feel more natural. Add subtle background sounds (office, cafe, custom) that eliminate uncanny silence and increase caller trust.

**What you'll learn:** Noise level configuration, predefined sound options, custom sound upload, and best practices for authenticity.

## Why Use Ambient Noise?

### Increases Perceived Authenticity

Complete silence can trigger the "uncanny valley" effect, where conversations feel almost-but-not-quite human. Subtle background noise makes agents sound like they're calling from a real location, increasing trust and engagement.

### Reduces Caller Discomfort

Many callers find perfectly silent backgrounds unsettling. Natural ambient noise creates a more comfortable conversation environment and reduces suspicion that they're speaking with an AI system.

### Enhances Brand Professionalism

Choose background sounds that match your brand context:

* **Office sounds** for professional business calls
* **Cafe ambiance** for casual, friendly interactions
* **Custom sounds** for specific brand environments

## How to Configure Ambient Noise

### Step 1: Enable Ambient Noise

1. Open your agent's configuration
2. Navigate to the **Features** tab
3. Find **Ambient Noise** and toggle it on

### Step 2: Adjust Noise Level

Use the **Ambient Noise Level** slider to control how prominent background sounds are:

* **0.0 (Silent)**: No ambient noise
* **0.3-0.5 (Subtle)**: Barely noticeable, professional background
* **0.6-0.8 (Moderate)**: Clearly present but not distracting
* **1.0 (Prominent)**: Loud background, use sparingly

**Recommended starting point:** 0.4 for most professional applications

### Step 3: Select Background Sound

Choose from predefined ambient sounds or upload your own:

#### Predefined Options

* **Office Environment**: Keyboard typing, distant conversations, office equipment
* **Cafe Ambiance**: Background chatter, coffee machine, dishes
* **Street Sounds**: Light traffic, pedestrian activity
* **Quiet Room**: Subtle air conditioning, very minimal noise

#### Custom Sounds

Upload and use custom ambient noise files from your media library:

1. First, upload audio files to the **Media** tab in Dasha BlackBox
2. In Ambient Noise settings, select from your uploaded custom sounds
3. Recommended: Loop-friendly audio, 30-60 seconds duration
4. Audio should be subtle and not contain distinct voices or identifiable sounds

**Best practices for custom sounds:**

* Use seamless loops that don't have obvious start/end points
* Keep volume consistent throughout the audio
* Avoid sounds with recognizable patterns that repeat noticeably
* Test at different volume levels before using in production
* Upload media files (MP3, WAV, OGG supported) to the Media tab before using in Ambient Noise

### Step 4: Test and Refine

Before deploying to production:

1. Make test calls with ambient noise enabled
2. Ask colleagues to evaluate naturalness
3. Adjust volume if background sounds are too prominent or too subtle
4. Ensure ambient noise doesn't interfere with speech clarity

## Configuration Examples

<Accordion title="Example: Professional Customer Support">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ambientNoise": "enabled",
    "noiseLevel": 0.4,
    "backgroundSound": "Office Environment"
  }
  ```

  **Result:** Agent sounds like they're calling from a professional call center with subtle office background.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Example: Friendly Sales Outreach">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ambientNoise": "enabled",
    "noiseLevel": 0.5,
    "backgroundSound": "Cafe Ambiance"
  }
  ```

  **Result:** Agent sounds more approachable and casual, suitable for informal sales conversations.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Example: Subtle Enhancement">
  ```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
  {
    "ambientNoise": "enabled",
    "noiseLevel": 0.3,
    "backgroundSound": "Quiet Room"
  }
  ```

  **Result:** Barely noticeable background that eliminates complete silence without drawing attention.
</Accordion>

## Common Use Cases

### Customer Service Centers

* **Configuration:** Office environment at 0.4-0.5 level
* **Why:** Sounds like a professional call center, establishes credibility

### Healthcare Appointment Reminders

* **Configuration:** Quiet room at 0.3 level
* **Why:** Professional but not distracting; calm and focused tone

### Real Estate Follow-ups

* **Configuration:** Office environment or quiet room at 0.4 level
* **Why:** Professional context for high-value conversations

### Survey and Research

* **Configuration:** Quiet room at 0.3 level
* **Why:** Minimal distraction while still eliminating artificial silence

## Technical Considerations

### Audio Quality

Ambient noise is mixed with agent speech at the configured level. Higher quality background sounds produce better results:

* **Sample rate**: 44.1kHz or 48kHz recommended
* **Bit depth**: 16-bit minimum, 24-bit preferred
* **Format**: MP3, WAV, or OGG supported

### Performance Impact

Ambient noise has minimal impact on call quality or latency. The background audio is mixed server-side and does not affect speech processing.

### Compatibility

Ambient noise works across all call types:

* ✅ Outbound phone calls
* ✅ Inbound phone calls
* ✅ Web-based voice calls
* ✅ WebSocket sessions

## Troubleshooting

### Problem: Background Noise Too Loud

**Solution:** Reduce the Ambient Noise Level slider to 0.3-0.4. Background should enhance, not overpower speech.

### Problem: Background Noise Sounds Repetitive

**Solution:** Use longer audio loops (60+ seconds) or switch to different background sound. Ensure custom audio has seamless loop points.

### Problem: Callers Mention Background Noise

**Solution:** If callers specifically comment on background sounds, reduce level to 0.3 or lower. The goal is subtle enhancement, not obvious noise.

### Problem: Speech Clarity Affected

**Solution:** Lower ambient noise level or switch to "Quiet Room" option. Speech clarity should never be compromised.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Fillers" icon="hourglass-half" href="/docs/advanced-features/fillers">
    Add verbal hesitations during processing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Backchannel" icon="ear-listen" href="/docs/advanced-features/backchannel">
    Include active listening cues
  </Card>

  <Card title="Talk First" icon="message" href="/docs/advanced-features/talk-first">
    Control opening greetings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Voice & Speech" icon="microphone" href="/docs/create/voice-and-speech">
    Configure voice settings
  </Card>
</CardGroup>