Author Topic: Improving voice clarity (Read 460 times)

Whitten · « **on:** June 11, 2007, 01:18:04 PM »

I’ve recently started using a mic., but after reviewing some of my film recordings last night I noticed that my voice is garbled. It took me about a week to figure this out since I only took the time to test my mic. using “Intel Audio Studio” where my voice is 100% clear. This morning I tried to fix the problem by reconfiguring “voice” through AH then listening to the results by tuning to myself (I tried it both with and without “wave in” in combination with different adjustments of the mic. volume slider as well as different distances/positions of the mic. relative to my mouth). Nothing improved the quality of my voice transmissions. I would tell you the brand of mic. I have, except I don’t know; there’s no logo or label anywhere on the mic.; its pretty generic and pretty old. Would it be worth trying to clean the mic., or perhaps buy a newer and slightly nicer model, or is the problem not the mic., but something completely different?

Ghosth · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2007, 04:44:16 PM »

Hard to say at this point if its mic, sound card/on board sound, etc.

Hard to beat a good headset though IMO.

Personally I favor the Cyber Accustics AC-400 available at Amazon.com for under 7$. Bought my first one when it was 40$ at the local office max and I wore that one out after 3 years. I'm a year plus into my second one with a spare hanging on the wall.

But, sound card vs on board sound can also make a big difference.

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2007, 08:26:40 AM »

I've found out that my voice sounds garbled in films but others say they hear it perfectly find at the other end. Might be a bug in filmviewer.

swoose · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2007, 10:24:18 AM »

I had the same type problems with the headset I bought. I have my computer pretty loaded down and only have a 200watt power supply. I had to use an external sound card,also usb powered, because I was out of slots.
I read on one of the post about using an externally powered usb port. I picked one up at a local department store for 8 bucks. It was actually made in the US. I run my sound card on the computer usb port and everything else,joystick,throttle and rudders an the external power. This helped clear up my problem. Don't know if you have a usb mic or not but it could help the problem.

Swoose

Speed55 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2007, 06:24:10 AM »

I forget the exact process but you can calibrate in windows.

For a while my squaddies told me i sounded like i was gargling on razorblades everytime i would say something so i fixed it.

In windows, i forget where, there is an option to calibrate the microphone, where you're supposed to read a paragraph, and you have level bars indicating the volume.

What i did was read the paragraph louder than i normally speak in the game so the volume lights would be near maxed out in red with the microphone volume on the "volume control" maxed out.

Now i set the mic slider on the volume control between the 1st and 2nd line without boost, so when i speak, i don't hear myself in the headphones, but when i do the sound recorder test, and tune to myself in game, i'm 5x5.

You might have to do it a couple of times to get it right.

Edit----The sound recorder test is a good indicator of weather or not your too loud, or too low.

Just curious, do people normally hear themselves through there headphones or speakers when they talk into the mic?

airspro · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2007, 01:11:16 PM »

Thanks Speed55 .

Found it and fixed my vox problems finally

woot .

Window's Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Voice > Test hardware .

This should be a sticky also btw Skuzzy I think . If it's not already . So many have problems or don't know were to set up vox in game . I help all that ask when I am online as I know how it is for me when it's not working right .

Thanks again for the heads up .

Whitten · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2007, 05:56:44 PM »

Ok, I think finally solved the problem. First of all I got a new stand alone mic that is certified for chat over the internet and about 9 years younger than the previous one. This improved my voice transmissions some, but not enough. So for further improvement I put some foam over the head of the mic. In addition, I unplugged the speakers and plugged in the mic as well as a pair of headphones directly into the computer itself. I also found that for the absolute best voice clarity, at least for me, it’s better to speak further away from the microphone but louder so you can still be heard.

Speed55 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2007, 02:13:44 AM »

Glad i could help airspro. I got sick of hearing myself over everything else everytime i tried to transmit and found it by accident. Good to hear it worked for you too.