Does MicQ question whether it exceeds a specific decibel threshold?
Does MicQ question whether it exceeds a specific decibel threshold?
Hi,
I purchased an Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Studio XLR Microphone about four years ago. Generally, I haven’t had any issues, but over time some people I interact with—whether in Discord or during video games—report difficulty hearing me clearly. They often turn it up on their end. I try adjusting the microphone position, speaking louder, and tweaking settings in Discord, video games, or Microsoft, but nothing seems to help. I have an XLR to USB connection for my mic to PC, though I’m not sure if that’s the cause. I’m uncertain whether this is the problem and what steps I should take. Is there a better setup for my microphone, or am I stuck with poor sound transmission? Thanks in advance.
The system features an Intel Core i9-9900K desktop processor with up to 5.0 GHz turbo speed, LGA1151 socket, 300 Series, 95W power consumption. The motherboard is the Gigabyte Z390 AORUS MASTER, supporting Intel LGA1151/Z390/ATX/3xM.2 with thermal protection, AC Wi-Fi, and ESS Sabre DAC/Gaming features. The GPU is an Asus Dual GeForce RTX™ 3060 White OC Edition with 8GB GDDR6 memory, PCIe 4.0, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 1.4a. RAM includes Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 32GB (2x16GB) at 3600MHz, compatible with Intel XMP 2.0 iCUE and Black color profile. Storage is a SAMSUNG 870 QVO SATA III SSD, 2TB, 2.5-inch internal drive for upgrading PC or laptop storage needs. Additional components such as headset power supplies and microphone amplifiers are also available if required.
I turned off the amplifier and connected the microphone directly to my computer, but it didn’t detect any voice input. I re-energized the amp and tried again. After restarting the computer post-unplugging the amp, I changed the microphone settings multiple times and adjusted sound options, yet the mic still wouldn’t recognize any audio without the amplifier.
Could be a mismatch in connectivity (TS, TRS, TRRS) and/or standards.
Noted: The adapter fits the ports physically, but the actual pin configuration differs.
For details, see the guide on understanding TRRS and audio jacks.
Check the pinouts throughout the entire audio connection path.
The XLR only has 3 pins and they all line up correctly. When using the amp, I connect the mic to the amp via a female to male cord and then to USB from the amp to the computer. Recently, I tried connecting the mic directly to the computer through a female to USB. I think the issue might be with the driver, but I don't have any other information.
Reading back: "around 4 years ago."
Mic might be beginning to weaken and stop functioning.
Do you have a different microphone that is operational for testing?
Or would you be willing to try the microphone on another functional computer or audio system?
The goal is to see if the issue is with the mic or remains with the present setup.