If you use a microphone with a physical button, check if it’s working as expected. If it is loose, chances are the mic is unmuting itself when you accidentally move it or when something around ...

However, on MacBook Pros made in 2017 or earlier, the single built-in mic is outside the speaker, and located on the left ...

On Amazon Echo, when you press the microphone button, the external ring glows red (Lord of the Rings metaphor?) and the device is not capable of listening (or at least that’s what we think).