Puzzling Microphone Issue

meleemaster74 · 12-24-2007, 10:31 PM

Hey everyone,

I looked around on google and haven't found anyone with the exact problem I am experiencing so I am posting this new thread. I have a Dell XPS Gen 4 (bought around 2004) and have always had problems with the record volume through a microphone. At first I thought it was just a bad mic but recently I tried the same mic and have uncovered new information. Heres what I know:

The mic will work with my laptop fine (on board sound card), I can talk across the room and it still picks up relatively loudly.

The same mic records VERY low volume my Dell desktop with a 5.1 soundblaster Live! 24 bit sound card. I tried the microphone ports in the back on the sound card and also the front access ones with no change.

The Mic volume is turned to 100% in the windows and creative console windows.

It is not muted or anything like that I always check that when I have problems.

I also tried a USB web cam and a logitech USB microphone (from Karaoke Revolution on PS2 :) They both worked OK on volume for both the Dell and the laptop but had poor quality. (Hence the reason for trying to get the other mic to work.)

I upgraded the sound card driver yesterday and it didn't seem to help any.

Has anyone come across situations like this before? Is it the sound card? Or maybe is it some conflict with software that is installed on my pc?

Thanks,
Meleemaster74

**Deleted090308** · 12-27-2007, 05:27 AM

Hi, welcome to TSF.

The SoundBlaster cards do that some times.
Try this:
Click Start > Programs > Creative > Sound Blaster > Creative Restore defaults.

meleemaster74 · 01-08-2008, 02:34 PM

Hey thanks for the advice. It did not seem to help any though.

One thing I did notice, was that I could actually now put the microphone almost in my mouth. :) and it would play back through my pc speakers really loud. This was confusing since there were no open audio recording programs.

I am going to try to completely reinstall the original drivers for the sound card. In the mean time any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Meleemaster74

**Deleted090308** · 01-08-2008, 02:47 PM

No, not really. Try reinstalling the audio drivers/software.

Creative's AutoUpdate

12-24-2007, 10:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
meleemaster74 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4 OS: Window xp Home	Puzzling Microphone Issue Hey everyone, I looked around on google and haven't found anyone with the exact problem I am experiencing so I am posting this new thread. I have a Dell XPS Gen 4 (bought around 2004) and have always had problems with the record volume through a microphone. At first I thought it was just a bad mic but recently I tried the same mic and have uncovered new information. Heres what I know: The mic will work with my laptop fine (on board sound card), I can talk across the room and it still picks up relatively loudly. The same mic records VERY low volume my Dell desktop with a 5.1 soundblaster Live! 24 bit sound card. I tried the microphone ports in the back on the sound card and also the front access ones with no change. The Mic volume is turned to 100% in the windows and creative console windows. It is not muted or anything like that I always check that when I have problems. I also tried a USB web cam and a logitech USB microphone (from Karaoke Revolution on PS2 :) They both worked OK on volume for both the Dell and the laptop but had poor quality. (Hence the reason for trying to get the other mic to work.) I upgraded the sound card driver yesterday and it didn't seem to help any. Has anyone come across situations like this before? Is it the sound card? Or maybe is it some conflict with software that is installed on my pc? Thanks, Meleemaster74

12-27-2007, 05:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Puzzling Microphone Issue Hi, welcome to TSF. The SoundBlaster cards do that some times. Try this: Click Start > Programs > Creative > Sound Blaster > Creative Restore defaults.

01-08-2008, 02:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
meleemaster74 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4 OS: Window xp Home	Re: Puzzling Microphone Issue Hey thanks for the advice. It did not seem to help any though. One thing I did notice, was that I could actually now put the microphone almost in my mouth. :) and it would play back through my pc speakers really loud. This was confusing since there were no open audio recording programs. I am going to try to completely reinstall the original drivers for the sound card. In the mean time any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Meleemaster74

01-08-2008, 02:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Puzzling Microphone Issue No, not really. Try reinstalling the audio drivers/software. Creative's AutoUpdate