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Last updated: September 1, 2025
Getting great results often comes down to picking the right engine settings. Use this checklist when configuring an assistant:

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1. Pick a Mode

Want to know more about the differences between the modes? Read the Assistant modes guide.
Experiment with all three modes: record the same scenario in each and compare response time and caller satisfaction.

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2. Choose a Transcriber (Pipeline only)

Tip: Different languages, accents, or background noise can impact each engine differently. Run a quick A/B test and keep the best performer.

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3. Select an LLM Model

If speed is critical, use GPT‑5 Realtime (great for Speech-to-Speech) or Gemini Flash 2.0/2.5 (great with Dualplex). For richer reasoning, use GPT-4o or GPT-5 Mini and offset latency by using filler audios.

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4. Noise Cancellation

If callers are on speaker phone or in a quiet environment, keep noise cancellation ON. If your call volume is low or some words are “clipped,” turn it OFF so the transcriber gets the full waveform.
If your assistant is not hearing you well, you can try to turn off noise cancellation.

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5. Conversation Timers

Test different values in real calls—too low can interrupt, too high leaves awkward gaps.

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6. Initial Message

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7. Ambient sound

Enabled by default, ambient sound is a feature that adds background noise to the assistant’s voice.
If the assistant is not hearing you well, you can try to turn off ambient sound or turn the volume lower.

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8. Endpointing sliders

Control when your assistant starts talking with the endpointing sensitivity slider at the bottom of assistant settings.
Pro tip: If your assistant cuts off callers mid-sentence, increase the sensitivity. If responses feel sluggish, decrease it.

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9. Debug using call transcript

If you are having issues with your assistant, you can use the call transcript to debug the issue.
  1. Go to the Call history page.
  2. Click on the last call you tested
  3. The call transcript will be shown including function calls and its parameters.

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10. Still have questions?

If you have any questions, please contact our support team via the chat widget inside the app.
Test different settings with real calls—the right balance depends on your conversation flow and caller behavior patterns.
Need a complete list of every toggle and slider? See the full Assistant settings reference.