Low USB microphone recording volume (AT2020)

Here, read this. Once read please thank Microsoft to give you fake solutions while they know of this problem inside of 8.1. Almost if not all usb microphones are useless with 8.1

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_8-hardware/windows-81-usb-microphone-volume-is-extremely-low/69e3a777-06fe-4096-9eaa-edf953ac9198?page=8

This was very much my experience, I still have my AT2020, but had to go out and buy Scarlet Duo, XLR to USB sound card... its working better, still the mic is on 70 audio level, but it is workable... sadly it still not the audio quality I had in Win 7...

I've been dealing with this problem for over a year now since Windows 8. I recently called Audio-Technica as a last ditch effort as the audio problem with my AT2020 is now affecting my work. According to one of the leads at Audio-Technica, the problem is entirely on Microsoft's end. The developer I talked to specifically stated it had to do with the the way Microsoft hard coded the driver into Windows 8 and that there is nothing they can do to fix it. He also mentioned it has to do with the way the audio device is treated. It apparently treats all USB microphones similarly which screws up the gain and levels of higher quality end microphones. The tech used AT2020, the Blue Yeti, and a few others as examples of a few microphones that are affected but explained that ALL microphones are in this and that it makes most USB audio microphones sound worse than they should.

He explained that all of the higher quality condenser microphones will have low audio volumes along with worse background noise than they should. According to him, Microsoft not only knows of the problem, but admits that there is no way to fix it even on their end. The tech returned my call in a matter of minutes of calling Audio-Technica and knew of the problem immediately. He told me they had back and forth talks with Microsoft over the span of a couple of weeks about it until they stated that nothing could be done.

This problem is pretty easy to see though just using my own AT2020 as an example. In Windows 7, I only had to use a level of 23-27 to produce perfect sound with little to no background noise. Now on Windows 8, I have to use 95-100 to get people to even hear me with a massive amount of background noise. Audio-Technica suggested I try to sell the USB AT2020 on Ebay and buy a mixer along with the XLR version. Audio-Technica doesn't expect a solution to the issue. If Microsoft wasn't such a dominant platform for what I have to do for work, I would consider going to another OS. Instead, I'm out of luck and just have to go out and spend more money on something that will get me a fix rather than MS fixing the problem.

TL;DR: They know about the problem. They can't fix it. Sell your USB Microphone. Buy an XLR version along with a cheap 40-60 dollar mixer to solve the issue.

Hi,

As with all other posters here I have the exact same problem.  I am using an M-Audio M-one USB mic and have not been able to get anything other than whisper quiet recording levels since I installed windows 8.  It's quite ridiculous that nothing has been done about this over more than 1 full year, especially where there are so many people reporting the same problem.

The software I am using is all up-to-date.  Windows is fully updated.  Please don't just brush off this many customers and address the problem in a timely fashion.

James

Hi,

Sorry to know that you are facing this issue.

Please answer these questions to get more clarity on this issue:

• Did you make any changes to the computer prior to this issue?
• Do you have the latest Windows Updates installed on the computer?
• Do you have the latest software installed for the mic?

Reply with more information to help you further.