Skype video chat has proven to be the best proxy to keep track of distant people.  Its sound quality is superb and its ability to do voice cancellation is stellar, but stopping retransmitted sounds of other types has prove more difficult:

Friend: So how’s Max been?
Me: A red fox had a litter a few years ago and the kits are now old enough to howl.
Friend: Do you have a recording of what it sounds like?
Me: Yes.  But it makes my dog go crazy, I’ll send you a youtube video.
Friend: Wow, that’s loud!  *turns back* Honey, listen to this.

Max heard the noise coming through my speakers having been rebroadcast from his and ran to the door barking and having no idea that his quarry was 1700 miles away in Texas.