Have you ever wondered why your microphone sounds so quiet? There are times when your mic just starts being quiet for no reason, and it's very frustrating to try and work out!
Whether you're making music, trying to hold formal and important Zoom Meetings, or playing video games with your friends, it is very important to make sure that your Microphone isn't too quiet.
This is a common problem with many mics, but some things can be done to make sure your mic will always sound great.
In this article, we will show you how to fix the most common problems that people have with their microphones. It should help you get more volume from your microphone, and also help you understand what makes them sound quieter than they are.
Table of Contents
What Is A Microphone?
First, let's consider the most basic question so that we are on the same page when working out how to fix it. What exactly is a microphone?
A microphone is an electronic device that converts sound into electrical signals. How it does this varies depending on the type of microphone. For example, a dynamic microphone has a diaphragm that moves back and forth as air passes over it.
This movement creates changes in pressure inside the microphone, which then causes the microphone to produce an electric signal. However, not all microphones do this, and instead, convert sound waves directly into an electrical signal.
Whatever microphone you have, there are similar problems that we run into. Now that we have an understanding of the basic definition of microphones, we can begin to look at ways to work out why your microphone is so quiet.
Reasons Your Microphone Is Quiet
There are three main reasons that your microphone might start sounding quiet, and some of them are more difficult to fix than others:
1) Poor Quality Audio Cable – If your audio cable is bad quality, then it could cause your microphone to be quiet. Poor-quality cables can even cut off the sound completely.
2) Too Much Noise – Some noise coming from outside the room (such as the TV, radio, etc.) can interfere with the sound coming through your microphone.
3) Low Volume – This might seem like stating the obvious – but we thought we'd include it just in case! If your microphone is set to low volume, then it won't pick up any sound. You need to adjust the level of your microphone to ensure that it picks up enough sound to record properly.
Fixing The Volume Of Your Microphone
Now that we know what these issues are, we can take a look at how to solve each one. We'll go over the best solutions first, and then explain why they work.
Fixing Damaged Audio Cables
Poor quality audio cables can cause your microphone to be silent. They can cut off the sound completely, so if you've got a cheap pair of headphones, it may be worth buying better ones.
If you don't want to spend money on new headphones, then you can use something else to test your audio cables. One option would be to plug your microphone into another source of audio, such as a CD player or computer speakers.
If the audio sounds good, then you know that the issue lies within your audio cables. If not, then you'll need to replace them.
Dealing With External Noise
If you're having trouble hearing your mic because of too much external noise, then you can try using a different source of audio. Try listening to music on your phone or tablet, or play a recording of yourself talking on YouTube.
If you hear no problem with those sources of audio, then it means that the problem lies with the microphone itself.
You should also make sure that your microphone isn't picking up anything else. If you see other people's voices on your screen when you talk into your microphone, then you know that you're picking up their voice along with yours.
To avoid this, you should either turn down the volume on your microphone or move away from the person who is speaking.
Basic Volume Control
The last thing that we'll cover here is adjusting the level of your microphone. We know! This one is so simple, right? That might be the case, but either way, there are some tips to help you with it.
When you first get your microphone, it will usually come with instructions telling you how loud you should speak for optimal results.
These settings aren't always accurate though, so you'll have to experiment until you find out what works best for you.
To do this, you'll need to open up your microphone software, which you can download for free from the Apple App Store. Once you've opened up the app, click on the icon in the top left corner to access the settings menu.
Here, you can choose between two options: Auto Gain Control and Manual Gain Control.
Auto Gain Control
This automatically adjusts the gain (volume) based on the input signal strength. It does this by measuring the amount of power coming through the microphone. If you're getting a lot of background noise, then the software will increase the gain to compensate.
Conversely, if you're getting nothing but silence, then the software will decrease the gain to keep the levels low.
Manual Gain Control
This allows you to manually adjust the gain. You can set it anywhere between 0% and 100%, depending on how quiet or noisy you want your audio to be. The higher the number, the louder the audio will become.
Once you've adjusted the gain, close the settings window and restart the application. Now, whenever you start recording, your audio should be at the correct volume.
What To Do If None Of These Solutions Have Fixed My Microphone Volume?
Well, this is where things get a little more difficult. If none of these are the reason for your microphone not working, then there could be something internal with your microphone that has gone wrong.
Whilst this can be fixed yourself, it can be complex and difficult – especially if you don't know that much about microphones – at this point, we would suggest either replacing your microphone or taking it to a specialist to be fixed!
Final Thoughts
Right, so that's it! Hopefully, by this point, you have identified the source of your Microphone's volume problem. When trying to fix anything, we suggest attention to detail as well as some patience.
Providing you have these two things, you'll likely be able to work out the source of your issue and fix it!
Happy Recording!
