Your microphone helps you talk hands-free even without using headphones. It also makes the audio crystal clear to everyone listening. While some people still use a regular mic, condenser mics are now more popular among professionals who need to use online meetings to communicate for professional purposes.
Condenser mics are popular among people because of their audio qualities. These mics can record sounds with a larger frequency and maintain the dynamic pitch, making the audio clear and more enjoyable than regular mics.
Even regular mics also do their job quite well. So, whether you are using a condenser mic or a regular mic, you need it to work properly.
But what happens when this mic does not do its job properly?
Imagine a scenario. You are in an important online meeting with your co-workers and your boss. You have already presented your opinions most acceptably. But, you don’t get any feedback or questions. Instead, you see some puzzled and worried faces on your screen. They asked you to repeat your opinion louder because you were quieter than usual.
You know you are using the right voice and pitch. Then the problem lies in the mic of your device. There is nothing more irritating than realizing your mic makes communication difficult for you.
But stop fretting over this issue. If you know the reasons behind this problem, you can definitely fix your mic.
This article offers detailed information on why the mic may not work properly and how to solve the problem at home without much fuss. So, read on to know more!
Reasons for Low Volume in PC Mics
Are you using the mic on your PC? Then there can be different issues that lead the mic to become quiet. It can be a software issue or a hardware malfunction.
To solve the problem, you may think about adjusting the volume and the other advanced audio settings on your PC. But, it will not help in most cases. Here are the potential reasons that make your mic quieter than usual-
1. Low Power Supply to the Mic
If the mic is not getting enough power, it may stop working altogether. These mics often come with a vibrating diaphragm that captures the sound waves and transforms them into electrical signals for communication purposes.
To do this, a mic needs an optimal power supply constantly. Otherwise, it will be quiet and will not offer desired audio results.
2. A Faulty/Damaged Mic
Is your mic damaged? Then it will not work properly. If the mic’s diaphragm is broken or damaged, it will not be able to capture sounds properly. On top of that, the sound output will also be lower than normal.
Similarly, if the connecting wire(for corded mic) or the connecting software system(cordless mic) is damaged, the mic will remain quiet while you are speaking.
3. A low mic level on Windows
Have you checked the windows mic settings? The recent windows versions like Windows 8 and Windows 10 come with different settings. Most of the time, the pre-set mic volume is lower than the optimal level. Hence, it can cause a quieter mic with a lower volume that does not reach the audience.
4. Improper Mic Positioning
Often the mics do not offer desired audio output due to their wrong position. Ideally, the mic must be three to six inches away from your mouth to offer the best output volume. But, most people, especially beginners, do not know that.
They often fail to maintain the optimal gap and speak from more distance, resulting in low sound output.
On top of that, the mic should be facing your mouth to catch the sound waves.
5. The Mic has Already Reached its Limit
Your mic probably is not compatible with the task you are using it. There are mics with different ranges and audio volumes. If you are using a mic with low audio volume, your voice may not reach the others through your PC. In most cases, users with low-quality mics face this problem.
6. The Mic is not Compatible
Mics come in different ranges and with different functions and volume levels. Not all mic supports every possible PC. So, there can be a chance that your mic hardware or software does not support that of your PC.
Ways to Fix a Quiet Mic
So, you have already understood all the possible causes that can make your mic quiet during an important online meeting. Now, let’s move on to the solutions.
1. Check for Loose Connections
As you already know, a loose connection can lead a mic to become quiet. So, if the mic is not offering desired output, start by checking the connections.
If you are using a corded mic, check if the mic is properly connected with your PC or the electric output. For a cordless mic, check out the connection settings as well.
Often re-entering the USB power cable or plugging it into the electric port solves the problem. If you use a mic with Bluetooth connectivity, disconnect and reconnect with your PC.
If that does not work, try using the next hack.
2. Check the Master Volume
Often adjusting the master volume of your PC can resolve the issue of a quieter mic.
You can increase the master volume by left-clicking on the sound icon of the toolbar. If the volume is not at the maximum level, increase it to the maximum. If not, you may need to check out the master volume settings of the app you are using to communicate on your PC.
But, before that, check out the procedure to adjust the master volume of different windows versions-
Windows 10
- First, click on the start button,
- Next, click on the Settings option from the start menu. A new window will appear on your
- In this new window, find the System Option and click on it.
- Now, find the sound and click on it. A new window will appear.
- Here, you will find all the functions related to the sound settings. Now, scroll down to find the sound control panel written in blue. Click on it.
- Wait till the small window pop-ups on your screen and click Recording
- Now, left-click on the microphone It usually appears with a green checkmark.
- From the drop-down menu, click on Alternatively, you can also double-click on the microphone to open Properties.
- After this, click on the Levels tab to open the two slide bars for microphone and microphone Slide both of them to maximum settings.
- Next, click on the Apply button to adjust the settings.
- In the final step, click OK to make the changes permanent.
Windows 7
- First, open the Start
- Next, click on the Control A new window will appear on your screen.
- After this, click on hardware and devices
- Next, click on Sound
- Now, click on Audio devices. Wait for the smaller window to open on the screen.
- In this window, click on A small pop-up will appear.
- After this, left-click on the microphone It usually appears with a green checkmark.
- From the drop-down menu, click on
- Alternatively, you can also double-click on the microphone to open
- After this, click on the Levels tab to open the two slide bars for microphone and microphone Slide both of them to maximum settings.
- Now, click on the Apply button to adjust the settings.
- Finally, click on OK to make the changes permanent.
Mac PC
- The procedure will differ a little for Mac PCs. Here is how to do this for your Mac device-
- First, click on the Apple Icon in your file browser. The pull-down menu will appear.
- Next, choose and click on System preference. A window will open.
- In this window, click on the Sound icon to open the Sound settings window.
- Next, click on Input
- After this, choose the microphone and adjust the volume to take the volume pointer in the exact middle point.
- Next, click on Headphones to open the headphones window.
- Here, slide the volume pointer exactly in the middle similarly.
- Finally, click Apply and then click OK
3. Update the Sound Card Drivers
If adjusting microphone settings does not help, you may need to check out the status of the Sound card drivers in the Control Panel. Often updating the Sound Card drivers solves the issue.
If you are using a windows device, open the control panel and navigate to the sounds section. Here, ch3ck out the status of updates for Sound driver cards. Follow the instructions to update it.
In the case of Mac devices, the Sound Card driver is present in the Sound settings icon tab. Double-click on the sound card tab and update it.
Keep patience till the device installs the needed update. After that, try using the microphone to check if the issue is solved.
4. Try Using a Sound Booster
If you are using a low-quality mic, you may try using a sound boosting device to enhance the audio output and make the mic louder.
5. Try Replacing it
Try replacing the mic with a different model to check the performance. If the mic you are using is incompatible, a new mic will solve the issue.
Conclusion
Often a mic becomes quiet due to software or hardware issues. You can easily solve the problem by adjusting the sound settings on your PC. If that does not offer any solution, probably there is a problem with the mic hardware. It is better to buy a new mic or get a new sound card for your PC to get better sounds in such a situation.
