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

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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
    2015-03-10T15:12:33+00:00

    Amit,

    There are other responses above to another support agent's questions, but they've not had responses.  Could you look at these also?

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-03-10T14:29:56+00:00

    Hello Andrei,

    Thank you for keeping us updated on the status of the issue.

    Before we proceed I would require some more information to assist you better.

    1. Did this problem recently begin? If so, do you remember making any changes to the system prior to this issue?
    2. What is the make and model of the computer?

    Please reply with the required information, in order to help you fix the issue.

    Thank you

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-03-06T14:01:05+00:00

    Hello. I've read through the whole thread but I couldn't find a solution for me. I have Windows 8.1 and a USB headset with microphone and the level from setup, i.e. the tri-color with yellow-green-red is 90% empty even when I shout!

    Come on Microsoft, you have a lot of brainiacs in there, you can do it just release a patch or something. One to allow microphone boost. Why have you discontinued it in the first place?

    I want to mention that Windows 8 has updated itself without my consent. It notified me to allow but I didn't. Yet it started updating on its own right after a restart. But I said OK what could I do? And I said it's for the best. But now? What am I suppose to do with the microphone?

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-03-05T05:01:35+00:00

    I'm struggling with the low output as well, and I am wondering if this has been fixed in Windows 10?

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