I think that was borrowed from 1984, which was published way back in 1949! “Winston turned a switch and the voice sank somewhat, though the words were still di

I think that was borrowed from 1984, which was published way back in 1949! “Winston turned a switch and the voice sank somewhat, though the words were still distinguishable. The instrument (the telescreen, it was called) could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely. [...] Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it.”