Usb Microphone Too Quiet
Hello all.I've previously come to this forum and found answers for other issues I have been having, but I was unable to find a prior resolution to my current problem.My issue is that I am trying to record sound from my microphone (I can't test Ventrilo or Skype right now due to being stuck on a terrible, terrible Satellite connection) and while the sound quality is good, and everything gets picked up okay, the input is really quiet. I am using a Razer Carcharias (sp?) headset with Realtek HD Audio integrated into my EVGA x58 SLI LE motherboard. I'm afraid I don't know quite what you mean. Audio isn't really my specialty, I'm afraid.My front ports are just normal Mic and Headphones.
That was simple enough, mic plug goes in the mic jack, headphones to the headphones jack. The rear panel has either 6 or 8 plugs, of which two were the traditional green and red plugs for headphones and microphone, so I used those. My Realtek software confirmed those were the correct ports, but if you think it would work better in another port (and not completely destroy my headset or audio card. =P), I'm willing to give it a shot.The audio-out is just fine, by the way. No problems in volume or quality for music or games or anything, and I only run the speaker volume at about 45%.I'm currently testing the microphone on my netbook, which unfortunately also uses Realtek audio (though it has a different version of the software).
I can't find mic boost on my netbook anywhere but in Playback, under microphone. Which is really strange. As a recording device, it doesn't have that option. Though on max volume without mic boost, it's still a bit louder than on my Windows 7 machine with full volume and full mic boost. Not to mention I have my system audio out on my netbook way, way down (less than 10%) because otherwise it blows out my eardrums.
The mic boost in 7 is actually on, and Maxed at 30 DB. It's not a check box, it's a slider (I don't have that 'Custom' tab) on my mic. This is through my front port, not my rear one.I know for sure that I have it plugged into the correct port for Microphone in both cases (front and rear, when I tried rear). Are you suggesting that I shouldn't use the Microphone port, but perhaps another of the 6? If so, could you suggest which one?Thanks.The pic of my mic settings are attached. If this isn't the right screen you wanted to see, just let me know and I'll try and find the one you meant.Thanks guys. A minor addendum, while I was sitting here thinking about it.Some of my initial recordings, I was using Stereomix, which as I mentioned, recorded the game audio (though not the mic for whatever reason).
The game audio was reduced as much as my mic currently is, as far as playback volume in the recording.That seems to imply that it wouldn't be a lack of power to the microphone, or even a faulty microphone as much as it seems like I missed a setting somewhere in my audio configurations, or it's just a bug in the drivers that's not fixed yet.EDIT Tertiary thought: My speakers are actually set at 10%, because that's where music and game audio is comfortable at. Would Windows be basing it's recording or playback on 10% of the projected volume, thus lowering the actual input it receives (or records) by 90%? As I said, I really don't know that much about the audio aspect of computers. Bigger update:Due to having to RMA my motherboard (and PSU to be on the safe side, as I've narrowed the problems down to those two, and the system is already down without the mobo.), I've hooked up my old XP Pro system.
While I have to use Mic boost to get a satisfactory volume level out of the mic, it actually comes through quite loud and clear, so much so I had to dial the volume back (but leave mic boost on).Seems to me the quietness issue must just be the habitially craptastic Realtek 7 drivers.Just figured I'd update in case anyone else out there is having the same problem with the same headset. Similar help and support threadsThreadForumHello!I've looked at all the other 'mic too quiet' threads in the archives but I can't find anything useful.I've always had this problem with my PC, almost every headset/microphone I buy is far too quiet, now I've found my perfect headset but still, the microphone is far too quiet.I.Sound & AudioI just bought a Behringer C1U and i know know why but the first time worked well, but now my microphone is too quiet and every setting from control panel is on Loud. I have Windows XP.Please help. Thank you.:oSound & AudioMicrophone is really too quiet if i'm not REALLY close to it (like touching my mouth). It used to work fine and loud from about 4 - 5 feets away before:S what can i do??Thing I already tried:-Windows volume level at max.-Boost +30dB.-Same in VIA HD Audio Deck (full Vol and amp +30dB).Sound & AudioHi guys, I wonder if you can help me.
I have a Samsung R710 laptop and I've just updated it from windows XP to Windows 7 64bit. The built in microphone wasn't working (which was previously), so I downloaded the sounds driver from here:Support for NP-R710I've done a test on skype for my.Sound & AudioThis seems to be a problem for a lot of people using Windows 7 and there is no solid solution.I have 32 bit installed on both my laptop and desktop and on both the microphone level is too low despite enabling Boost Gain, tinkering endlessly with the sliders and options (such as CD Quality.Sound & AudioOur SitesSite LinksAbout UsFind Us.
When recording with a on my PC, the recording is barely audiable over the background noise. Here's an Audacity screenshot where in the highlighted part I'm playing an instrument, and in the other part I'm making no noise:I'm playing a foot from the microphone with recording volume set to 95%.
Enabling microphone boost amplifies the background noise too: (I start playing at the vertical line, and the microphone is recording left-only so the bottom waveform is all noise)Why is the microphone input so quiet and how can I improve it, short of buying an expensive microphone? First of all, recording using the sound card on your computer is generally fairly noisy.
Usb Microphone Too Quiet 2
Depending on the quality level you are going for this may be OK. I recorded 2 CD's of piano instrumental music using a keyboard plugged directly into a medium quality sound card and they came out just fine (with just a bit of hiss in the background during the quiet parts).Your microphone is probably OK, but in order to raise the recording level of the microphone you will need some sort of to boost the signal before it reaches the computer.Another solution would be for you to get a for your computer. Many have preamps built in and, for the better interfaces, the sound quality is far superior to your average sound card. If you go this route, you should probably get a mic cable that has XLR connectors on both ends (I have a M-Audio interface that only has a preamp for the ). Are you using the correct input on your sound card? If using an integrated sound card, you will usually have Line Out (speakers), Line In and Mic In. (Delving into signal theory a bit, because it is relevant: the industry reference level is 0.775 Volts, aka 0 dBV; Professional Line level is 1.25 V or +4 dBm; Consumer Line Level is about 0.316 Volts or -10 dBV; Mic level is usually 40 dB quieter than pro level (this can vary though), between -40 to -56 dBm.) If you're using the wrong input you will likely hear nothing (or a remarkably quiet sound, even if you shout at the mic from 2cm away).(dBU = deciBels Unloaded; dBV = deciBel volts; dBm = deciBel milliwatts)Another consideration is your microphone - unfortunately, it's not great.
Hama themselves rate it as '90Hz – 10kHz (frequency response), impedance of 600 Ohm and sensitivity of -76dB'. By contrast, a Shure SM58 Beta goes from 50Hz to 20kHz and generally has a far higher build quality and sensitivity which results in a higher dynamic range in your recordings before you reach the noise floor).I also wonder if (if you're using the wrong input) you may also be encountering an impedance mismatch - the Hama mic is rated at 600 Ohm impedance; your sound card's mic input will be rated at anything between 600 Ohm - 1 kohm and (hopefully) be balanced; the Line In is typically unbalanced and has an impedance of 10 kohm (can be anything up to 1 Megaohm).
If you plug a Low-Z (low impedance) device like a dynamic mic into the Line In socket (which expects a High-Z source) your resulting audio levels will be barely above the noise floor because most of the mismatched impedance signal is 'bounced' back by the audio circuitry - this is what may be happening.Failing that, you may have a physical fault with the connector on the mic, have you tried another mic? I would highly recommend you shop around for a better mic, that Hama has probably outlived its usefulness already (and given its relatively poor tech spec, as they say in audio hardware - Garbage In, Garbage Out. You can only do so much to a low quality signal once it's 'inside the box').Hope I haven't mystified too much with my answer, I had to revise some of what I was writing to make sure I still remembered correctly from my degree!Related reading. One other thing to keep in mind is that dynamic microphone are not always a good choice depending on the instrument. For example, a classic is very good for vocal and the reason why is that the mic is sensible for sound really close at a higher volume and it cut all the sound coming from all around. So that's why this mic is very good in vocal live performance.
Usb Headset Microphone Too Quiet
That why you will see singer that use this mic singing very close to the mic, almost kissing it.In the other hand, a condenser microphone would do a very good job a recording accoustic guitar at 1 feet and it will also record a lot of the ambiant sound (this is often wanted to get a more 'normal' feeling to the song).I never use the mic you a mentionning and I don't know the instrument you are trying to record but if it's specialty is vocal, that may be the reason why it doesn't work well. I would try recording vocal to see if it perform better.The explanation of Friend of George is also very good.