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
    2014-08-04T17:41:28+00:00

    This is pathetic.

    Why do you even bother posting? You are not providing any solution to the problem. Microsoft support at its best. And you wonder why people say win8 sucks

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-07-13T10:23:34+00:00

    Hi Marc,

    Thank you for the reply.

    If you are talking about the default drivers then I would like to inform you that Windows already comes with the default drivers. If you are talking about the Windows 7 drivers which are developed by the manufacturer of the device then you have to install the driver in compatibility mode.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-07-11T07:41:34+00:00

    Hi Marc,

    Yes you can install Windows 7 drivers on Windows 8 in compatibility mode. You can follow the steps given in the link below.

    Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/older-programs-compatible-version-windows

    I don't think you understand.  It's not an application, it's the default Windows 8 DRIVER.  I want to install the Windows 7 default windows driver to control the mic.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-07-10T23:36:41+00:00

    Hi Marc,

    Yes you can install Windows 7 drivers on Windows 8 in compatibility mode. You can follow the steps given in the link below.

    Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/older-programs-compatible-version-windows

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