Went from onboard-audio to a Soundblaster Audigy in hopes of ending the micro-freezes caused by puffy-acks--got a new headset same day, and havent been able to get the talk side of my vox to have any decent volume on other end since--thought it might be the noise-canceling mic, so I bought a cheapie boom mic, which seems to have helped the choppy part of it, but with EVERY possible setting maxed, my vox level remains quite low for those trying to hear me (yes, even did the 20 db boost-thingie) --have it maxed in AH, windows, as well as Creative settings..out of ideas