@flamenoir4280
There are a lot of things in the game that don't really get utilised much by many of the community, but they bring the world to life. It does concern a lot more of the community than you'd think. Every Windows update has the potential to "break" the audio input (resetting the "Set As Default Communication Device" in sound control panel)... hence why I make sure to check it after every update.
But, even then, I am not 100% sure what SOT is picking up in-game, because there is no way to actually monitor your input other than finding another player and hoping they'll help you. It's a frustrating issue and I see this as a big QOL addition for many.
As for pointing players at it, again there are things that are never explained in-game. But there could be a few ways to guide players to it - such as a loading screen message or a note from Larinna. Or maybe have a nearby NPC give information on it.