A conferencing endpoint includes a loudspeaker component, a base microphone, and an adaptive volume control module which evaluates near-end audio conditions at a conferencing endpoint and automatically determines whether to change the audio volume at a near-end loudspeaker. The endpoint can, for example, detect that a person speaking into the base microphone has begun to speak more loudly to compensate for nearby background noise. The endpoint can automatically adjust the loudspeaker volume or provide an alert that the loudspeaker will be changed, giving the user the opportunity to accept or decline an increase in speaker volume.