Windows 8.1 USB microphone volume is extremely low

Anonymous
2014-03-14T02:41:12+00:00

I have a Samson C01U USB mic. It is a plug-and-play microphone. There are no drivers for it. There is no firmware for it. You just plug it in, and it works.

This mic has always worked perfectly. When I used Windows 7, I set the volume level of it to about 40-50% and everything sounded crisp, clear, and loud. On Windows 8, it is inaudible unless I set the volume to 90% but even at that point it is not loud enough. Setting it to 100% results in a lot of noise in the background.

This is not the first time someone has brought this issue up as it is extremely common to everyone owning a USB plug-and-play mic:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1323451/windows-8-mic-issue

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/2da97f80-f58b-4635-acbf-9dd7292ed752/microphone-very-low-volume?forum=w8itprohardware

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_8-hardware/low-usb-microphone-recording-volume-at2020/9528f797-65c8-4033-a4d6-39995cd0d074

Has there ever been a fix for this issue?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2014-07-31T00:46:56+00:00

Hi,

Thank you for the reply.

As you have mentioned that you have checked the issue with other microphone but you still face this issue. We have already tried to uninstall and reinstall the drivers. I suspect this issue to be a hardware issue. Check the issue with a local technician.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-11-30T18:18:08+00:00

    I just got sick of waiting for Microsoft to fix this.

    I've dropped USB plug and play entirely and switched to XLR microphone. Used to have AT2020 USB just got the AT2020 XLR version + consumer grade audio interface. It is not only louder but clearer. I don't have to spend as much time cleaning up my audio like I did with the USB + Windows 8 setup.

    Also NOT A FIX, and don't switch unless you can afford to obviously. I really couldn't but that's what credit cards are for.

    Anyway hope everyone here has a merry Christmas, a happy Hanuka...etc. Except Microsoft... f**k those guys.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-11-30T16:23:05+00:00

    Hi, I have also had this problem with:

    • Blue yeti
    • Samson CO1U
    • AT2020 USB+

    This is not a fix but I think something that may help towards fixing it possibly or show what the microphone should actually sound like?

    Right click the speaker icon in the taskbar and select 'Playback Devices'. Left click the default device once to highlight it ( it's usually 'speakers & headphones' ) then click the Properties button. Click the Enhancements tab and put a tick in the box next to 'Loudness Equalization'.

    Listen to your microphone with that now enabled...and it is much louder and actually acts like windows 7, can anyone else also verify? This is NOT a fix as it does not change the actual input strength of the microphone.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-11-20T13:09:16+00:00

    Same problem here - far to low level when i try to record sound with the Samson CO1U. Windows 8.1

    The Microphone works fine when running Ubuntu on the same machine?

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-11-14T21:21:20+00:00

    I hear what you are saying.  I have been trying to fix my mic levels for ages.  I have an sm57 connected to an alesis multimix 4 USB mixer, using mdr-7506 headset, connected to my windows 8.1 machine and even though I can get sound I have to have the mic inside my mouth to do it, or really really close to the mic cover.  This really is a pain in my ****.  Microsoft REALLY needs to step up and fix this issue with windows 8.1 as I do not have this issue on windows 7 pro laptop.  This is just a windows driver, mic configuration, level problem of some type.  Any further adjustments as stated by others to increase the input level is basically met with tons of background noise. 

    WE NEED A FIX and not some stupid answer on how to potentially fix something.  We are not a bunch of newbies. 

    Give us a real fix!

    Kind regards,

    Stephen

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