Understanding Transcription Accuracy

TranscribeNext uses state-of-the-art AI to deliver highly accurate transcriptions. However, accuracy depends on several factors you can control.

Expected Accuracy Rates

• **90-95% accuracy** - Clear audio with minimal background noise
• **85-90% accuracy** - Good audio with some background noise
• **75-85% accuracy** - Poor audio quality, heavy accents, or multiple speakers talking over each other
• **Under 75%** - Very poor audio, extreme background noise, or highly specialized terminology

Factors That Affect Accuracy

**Audio Quality:**

• Clear, high-quality recording = better accuracy
• Low bitrate or compressed audio = lower accuracy
• Professional microphones produce best results
• Phone recordings work but may have lower accuracy

**Background Noise:**

• Silent or quiet environments = highest accuracy
• Music, traffic, or crowd noise = reduced accuracy
• Echo or reverb = harder to transcribe
• Wind noise or rustling = significantly impacts results

**Speaker Characteristics:**

• Clear speaking voice = better accuracy
• Strong accents = may reduce accuracy (still good though)
• Mumbling or talking too fast = lower accuracy
• Multiple speakers talking simultaneously = much harder to transcribe

**Content Type:**

• Standard vocabulary = highest accuracy
• Technical jargon = may need manual correction
• Medical or legal terms = specialized models work better
• Names and proper nouns = often need verification

How to Improve Accuracy

1. 1**Use a good microphone** - Built-in laptop mics are okay, but external USB mics are much better
2. 2**Record in a quiet room** - Close windows, turn off fans, silence phones
3. 3**Speak clearly and slowly** - Don't rush, enunciate words properly
4. 4**Keep microphone 6-12 inches from mouth** - Too close = distortion, too far = faint audio
5. 5**Use speaker diarization** - Helps AI understand multiple speakers
6. 6**Select the correct language** - Auto-detect works well, but manual selection is more reliable
7. 7**Upload high-quality files** - WAV or high-bitrate MP3 (256kbps+) is ideal
8. 8**Avoid background music** - Music confuses the AI and reduces accuracy

Tips for Different Use Cases

**Podcasts & Interviews:**

• Enable speaker diarization to identify who is speaking
• Use individual microphones for each person if possible
• Avoid speaking over each other

**Meetings:**

• Use a good conference microphone or meeting recorder bot
• Ask participants to mute when not speaking
• Reduce echo with acoustic panels or soft furnishings

**Lectures & Presentations:**

• Use a lapel mic for the speaker
• Record in a room with good acoustics (not too echoey)
• Minimize audience noise

**Phone Calls:**

• Use a good connection (not speakerphone)
• Record in a quiet environment
• Use call recording apps with high quality settings

What to Do About Errors

• **Edit inline** - Click any word to fix mistakes directly
• **Use find & replace** - Fix repeated errors quickly
• **Add to dictionary** (coming soon) - Train AI on your specialized terms
• **Provide feedback** - Report consistent errors to help us improve