Microphone volume too low

Anonymous
2010-01-27T00:46:44+00:00

I just bought a new Toshiba Satellite L500D, with Windows 7, and I'm having a problem with the microphone volume, in that recorded sound is barely audible.

I followed all the suggested steps on this forum topic: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7music/thread/06582922-0014-4dac-9f74-b63f143fbb8e  ...but nothing fixed it.

It's a built-in microphone and the sound driver is Realtek.  I did a driver update check and it has the latest version.  I have all the microphone volume settings set to maximum, and have tried doing test recordings in both Skype and the Windows Sound Recorder.  They record, but it is extremely low volume, even when I lean closer to the mic and speak loudly.  Various Skype call recipients could barely hear me.  The only thing that records loudly is when I run a finger over the matte plastic of the monitor frame -- that records super loud for some reason.

I welcome any suggestions as soon as possible.  I need my microphone to get work done!

I hope the Microsoft people can remedy this situation as soon as possible, because it's crucial to fix!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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Anonymous
2010-02-06T17:44:07+00:00

I had this problem for a few weeks, i recently read a forum post telling me to untick the :allow applications to take exclusive control of device:

Well, I found that setting and changed a couple of others, and I think it's fixed it

I went via Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices to get to the Sound panel.

I then selected Playback > Speakers > Enhancements and made sure everything was un-checked.

I then selected Playback > Speakers > Advanced and un-checked 'Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device'

I went to Recording > Microphone > Listen and ensured 'Listen to this device' was unchecked.

I went to Levels and ensured the Microphone level was at 100% and the Boost was at +10db

I went into Enhancements and ensured everything was un-checked.

I then into Advanced and un-checked 'Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device'

And finally I went into the Communications tab of the Sound panel, and changed 'When windows detects communications activity' to 'Do nothing'

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-10-21T01:37:33+00:00

    I had the problem with my default microphone. I am using Windows 10.

    I got it fixed by

    windows search -> "find and fix audio playback problems" -> "Next" -> "Apply fix"

    (the fix said something: make it the default device. though I tried it before through settings)

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-09-01T22:13:56+00:00

    Problem with laptops is that mic and speaker are very close to each other, so there is a limit, otherwise you have echo or oscillation, so it´s purely a mechanical problem.  Either you plug in external output mini loudspeaker with mini built-in amplifier, and speak close to the upper screen, or you connect an external microphone (with the extra ring jack 3+1 for many modern laptops), or you try to find a mini electret microphone pre-amplifier from the hobby circuit. Depends how serious your needs are, what sort of microphone you use (electret, dynamic)

    If you are a musician, you should work with a pre-amplifier.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-06-26T12:50:46+00:00

    I am having the same issue and I am on WINDOWS 8!!!!!

    However Skype calls work perfectly. Somehow Skype seems to have a built in Amplifier.

    Is there no such thing as Software for Windows?

    Please Help!!!!!

    It is very important for me, because I am Let's Player, and that without microphone is terrible.

    Until now I just boosted my mic 100% and tried to cut out the noise with audacity.

    But that still sounds ugly.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-01-13T00:19:08+00:00

    This really worked for me, was having problems with my headset mic and after removing the 'Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device' tick it became much better.

    Still I do not have this problem in my laptop, only the desktop, but now it's much better.

    Tanks a lot for the tip.

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