Microphone/sound card issues. Help please.

If you can solve this for me, I would be so friggin' grateful.

The microphones on my headsets (I have two) work, but only slightly. That is, they pick up my voice but barely transfer it. It is soooo quiet. *STOP RIGHT THERE*, before you say, "is your volume turned up?". I swear, trying to find answers to this issue online has been annoying because the only answer anyone seems to give to microphone issues is, "make sure your volume/mic isn't muted and turned up." So...

- In Sound and Audio Devices, ALL volumes are up and nothing is muted.
- I've had this issue with the onboard audio and a cheap sound card (bought just to test this issue).
- I've had this issue with two seperate microphones (that I know work).
- I've tried both mics in the rear and front mic jacks.
- I've made sure the device is set up properly in Device Manager (no yellow exclamation points/question marks).
- As far as I know, all of my drivers, bios, chipset, etc. are up to date.

I just have this feeling that I'm overlooking something simple. If any of you have any suggestions what so ever (except, "is it muted") I would be excited to hear them. I'm just getting tired of people that I'm talking to online saying, "I can barely hear you, turn up your mic."

Thanks in advance!!

Let me know if you need any more info. My rig is in my sig.

Start > Run > mmsys.cpl > ok
Advanced Tab
Advanced button (under Mic Volume )
Tick: Boost
Close Close ok

Done

kimsland said:

Start > Run > rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl @1 > ok
Advanced Tab
Advanced button (under Mic Volume )
Tick: Boost
Close Close ok

Done

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply kimsland, however, I've tried this and when I turn on the 20db boost, the sound (including audio, Windows Media Player, etc.) gets really fuzzy/crackly. It doesn't bring up the microphones output, but just makes it garbled.

Thanks though.

Brett_md said:

Thanks for the reply kimsland, however, I've tried this and when I turn on the 20db boost, the sound (including audio, Windows Media Player, etc.) gets really fuzzy/crackly. It doesn't bring up the microphones output, but just makes it garbled.

Thanks though.

Click to expand...

Correction:

It DOES bring the overall mic volume up some, but it is really fuzzy and distorted/crackly.

Sorry and thanks.

Note: Instead of replying to yourself (if your post is still the last post in the thread) use the "edit" button, located at the bottom of your last post.

Anyway, the reason for garbled is because all your volumes are up too high

kimsland said:

Note: Instead of replying to yourself (if your post is still the last post in the thread) use the "edit" button, located at the bottom of your last post.

Anyway, the reason for garbled is because all your volumes are up too high

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm aware of the "edit" button. Thanks.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I turn on the 20db boost but then lower my volumes, wouldn't that just be undoing the boost? I mean, what's the point in raising the audio level (boost) just to lower it (volume)?

And, I tried lowering my volume, while leaving boost on, and it's still fuzzy. Boost makes it fuzzy regardless of where the volume is set. Like, if I'm playing music in Media Player and turn the volume all the way down, I can't hear the music any longer, but I can still hear the fuzzy/distortion. As soon as I turn off boost, the fuzziness goes away. By the way, why would microphone boost affect Media Player, etc.?

Think of the boost as being more sensitive
Therefore the boost can be on and volume down (on other things too, like speaker so foth)

There is another area that you can adjust audio though (no not all the individual areas in Device manager audio devices (there's lots in there as well)
Its in your settings application that came with your audio driver
If you cannot find this application (usually in one of the Control panel icons)
You can just re-download your Audio driver and set it up again
Upon restart you should see it near the clock

kimsland said:

Think of the boost as being more sensitive
Therefore the boost can be on and volume down (on other things too, like speaker so foth)

There is another area that you can adjust audio though (no not all the individual areas in Device manager audio devices (there's lots in there as well)
Its in your settings application that came with your audio driver
If you cannot find this application (usually in one of the Control panel icons)
You can just re-download your Audio driver and set it up again
Upon restart you should see it near the clock

Click to expand...

Checked and then rechecked. Nothing in my audio deck application helped. Thanks.

Do you have it plugged in all the way in the back? <<< had to ask I have done that once or twice. You could check out http://www.drivershq.com/. To make sure all yuor system drivers are up to date.

Drewat17 said:

Do you have it plugged in all the way in the back? <<< had to ask I have done that once or twice. You could check out http://www.drivershq.com/. To make sure all yuor system drivers are up to date.

Click to expand...

It's plugged in all the way.

Is it REALLY worth $30 to use that program? Do you have experience with it? Has it fixed all of your issues? Can anyone else confirm this program?

Thanks!

I would say no
Drivers are free, and they come from the manufacturer
If the manufacturer gets it wrong, then they update them

You may need to try another mic or sound card

kimsland said:

I would say no
Drivers are free, and they come from the manufacturer
If the manufacturer gets it wrong, then they update them

You may need to try another mic or sound card

Click to expand...

I've tried two mics on two sound cards. Plus, I've mentioned that the mics work. Oh well. Thanks anyway everyone.