Mic not loud enough

CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷDer Millionendorf- Icrontian
edited September 2011 in Hardware
So I have this one USB studio mic that I've been using on my desk for a few years, but I got sick of always having to lean forward when using it, since my skype gaming sessions might last for hours.

I got a new headset, and the mic wouldn't pick up, so I traded it in for another. I've now gone through 9 headsets, and the only one that my friends could hear me with was a USB headset, which they tell me makes an intolerable amount of static.

With that many head sets not working properly (I've gone through all the trouble shooting steps I can find on the googles, of course), I'm starting to think it's my PC, not the headsets (well, I started to think that with the second one, but I thought maybe more expensive headsets might have better mics or amps in them).

What can I do here? Do I need to get an in-line amp forthe mic, would that even sound good? Should I get a sound card? I haven't had a daughter board sound device in years, but if that would help...

Any other thoughts?

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Ever tried enabling mic boost?
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Yes, I tried all that Windows can do to help.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    I've never heard of someone having so much trouble with mics. It may very well be your on-board sound, and then the one USB headset you got (which sounds fantastic other than the static) may have been just an unlucky fluke defective.

    I'd say either get a sound card or another USB headset. Bypass the on-board sound.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    For now, I'm returning two more standard (3.5mm) headsets and ordering another one of the one that worked great other than the static as well as another different USB headset to try out.

    Frankly though, even if one of those works, I'm tempted to still just go back to my old set up, and just make my stupid friends deal with me getting a bit quieter when I lean back. Last night, when I was playing Borderlands with The Mitey Worriers, I had to go back to it, since I had already set back the one partly working USB headset, and they said they couldn't even tell when I was leaning back, anyway (even though, before, they would note it just as much as anyone else I skyped with), confusing, but whatever, maybe it's a 'problem' not worth the hassle and expense of 'fixing'.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Let me ask, did you try both of the mic jacks? Did you try the one on the back directly soldiered to the board, and the one that is likely on the front connected by a wire to the board?

    I've seen the fronts fail sometimes, I think they are accessible to allot of unplugging / re plugging and eventually something physically happens to the connector to keep it from sending a solid signal. This is less prevalent on the back of the board, generally when people reach to the back, they just leave it alone after that.

    Another thing, you are unplugging the old desk mic you have from the back before plugging another one in the front right? That could possibly be leading to a conflict?
  • MiracleManSMiracleManS Chambersburg, PA Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    I know that my front mic jack is significantly quieter than my rear one. Freaking Realtek sound junk.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Cliff_Forster wrote:
    Let me ask, did you try both of the mic jacks? Did you try the one on the back directly soldiered to the board, and the one that is likely on the front connected by a wire to the board?

    I've seen the fronts fail sometimes, I think they are accessible to allot of unplugging / re plugging and eventually something physically happens to the connector to keep it from sending a solid signal. This is less prevalent on the back of the board, generally when people reach to the back, they just leave it alone after that.

    Another thing, you are unplugging the old desk mic you have from the back before plugging another one in the front right? That could possibly be leading to a conflict?

    Yes and yes.
  • RyanFodderRyanFodder Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Do you have any sound modifying programs (such as may be installed with your soundcard) running?

    What sound card do you have? Do you have an on-board chip with your motherboard? (I had some serious issues with conflicts in the past..)
  • PirateNinjaPirateNinja Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Have you tested that USB headset outside of Skype? I'm almost wondering if you are using all your bandwidth on Borderlands and leaving Skype no choice but to kill your quality / drop packets.

    Maybe this can be solved with the current usb headset and some network tweaking. I mean if you just use windows wav recorder to record something, does the recording have a lot of static?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    UM. Two things-- the noise cancelling in inexxpensive mics is very limited. If the mic volume is set too high, the mic may generate noise.

    Any gamer headset with noise cancelling has limited cancelling and is fairly easily overloaded. Try turning down the volume in windows. Right-click the speaker in the system tray, choose adjust volume and before you close the volume adjustment click either OK if there is no Apply button or Apply then Ok if there is one. Depending upon the software and driver for your sound chip, you may also have to do a restart forf the settings to take properly.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    CannonFodder wrote:
    Do you have any sound modifying programs (such as may be installed with your soundcard) running?

    What sound card do you have? Do you have an on-board chip with your motherboard? (I had some serious issues with conflicts in the past..)

    No. No sound oriented software came with my motherboard.

    onboard. other specs unknown.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    PirateNinja wrote:
    Have you tested that USB headset outside of Skype? I'm almost wondering if you are using all your bandwidth on Borderlands and leaving Skype no choice but to kill your quality / drop packets.

    Maybe this can be solved with the current usb headset and some network tweaking. I mean if you just use windows wav recorder to record something, does the recording have a lot of static?

    I've tested it with the Skype call testing service, and with recording wave files with nothing else running. still staticy. It's not a digital sound, so I don't think the issue is with anything the PC is doing. With that headset, the problem is the headset.

    Note that my USB studio mic never has this problem.

    Also note that I'm not trying to fix the issue with the USB headset, I already sent it back. I would like to know why I can't use a mic with a regular 3.5mm jack.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Straight_Man wrote:
    UM. Two things-- the noise cancelling in inexxpensive mics is very limited. If the mic volume is set too high, the mic may generate noise.

    Any gamer headset with noise cancelling has limited cancelling and is fairly easily overloaded. Try turning down the volume in windows. Right-click the speaker in the system tray, choose adjust volume and before you close the volume adjustment click either OK if there is no Apply button or Apply then Ok if there is one. Depending upon the software and driver for your sound chip, you may also have to do a restart forf the settings to take properly.

    They are not cheap headsets, I've now tried with headsets which cost as much as $100, and have very good reviews across the webbertubes. (Like the SteelSeries Siberia v2), so it's not a quality of equipment issue.

    All volumes are set as high as possible, and still the signal is faint. I don;t think turning the volume down will help.
  • PirateNinjaPirateNinja Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    primesuspect wrote:
    I'd say either get a sound card or another USB headset. Bypass the on-board sound.

    I think that's the way to go. Logitech makes great USB headsets in the $50 range.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    This is a simple solution. Disable your on board sound, and your in buisness for running a headset and mic at least.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Is it faint in your headset only, or is it something where you are getting complaints from anyone you call through Skype as well? If both, it is either a driver issue or a sound chip or cchipset issue or a running of older version of Skype if it happens with Sype only(possible Skype AND driver) .

    Logitech builds both USB and non-USB headsets that run with windows very well, needing no special drivers.

    Skype relies on windows for volume control usually. If Skype becomes aware of issues with majorly used hardware like Logitech stuff, they put fixes in new versions. They recommend Logitech stuff.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    Well, the new USB headset came today, and it works fine as far as I can tell so far, so I guess that one was defective.

    So, I guess a USB headset is a viable option. Though it still bugs me that the mic jack doesn't work, I guess it doesn't really matter.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited September 2011
    CB wrote:
    So, I guess a USB headset is a viable option. Though it still bugs me that the mic jack doesn't work, I guess it doesn't really matter.

    Ok.
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