Disclosed are apparatus and techniques for escalating an instant messaging session between two or more users to an audio session so that a communication device that will optimize the audio session is selectively and intelligently utilized. The head 12 is movable between a rest position, in which the head 12 is angularly displaced from the handle 16, and a biased position in which the head 12, handle 16, and wiping blade 14 are in linear relation. A gain value is then chosen that is associated with a scaled coded audio signal resulting in a low error value existing between the input signal and the scaled coded audio signal.