Signal level shifts unpredictably and varies frequently
Signal level shifts unpredictably and varies frequently
Over the last year and a half, my microphone's performance has been inconsistent, changing unpredictably in volume. Friends often point out it sometimes works well, other times becomes too quiet or spikes excessively, which annoys callers. I've tested numerous fixes: turned off noise/cancellation, updated drivers, adjusted the mic position, used the USB dongle, and even swapped the headset plug. The problem appears to have begun after a major hardware upgrade in spring 2020, especially with changes to the motherboard and storage drives. I've copied the old boot drive to the new one, but the issue persists. I'm uncertain if software solutions exist or if an external DAC would be the best path forward. These are the system details: CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 3600; RAM – G.SKILL Ripjaws V 2x8GB DDR4; GPU – RTX 3070 Ti; Motherboard – MSI MPG X570; PSU – EVGA 650W; Storage – Intel 660p 1TB M.2 primary, Toshiba 1TB HDD main, Sandisk Z400S 128GB SATA secondary. I'm using the built-in audio and a Corsair HS60 plugged into the 3.5mm jack.
Advanced sound settings – playback panel – open audio device properties – click custom tab or effects (or search all) – locate automatic gain control (AGC), uncheck the box – open advanced tab, uncheck 2-3 options – levels tab, ensure value is set to 100
Same issues occur with me and my friend each time we log on to Discord. Our voices sound different, so we constantly adjust the microphone settings. After rebooting, the problem resurfaces. My machine is a Dell Inspiron N5110 i7-2630QM with an H570 motherboard and an i3-10100F processor.
Needed to research the configuration because no mention of automatic gain control was found. A brief search revealed these checkboxes, so I turned them off. I'm hoping this resolves the issue, though I might need a call to verify. I'll update the thread with the findings and include a screenshot of the relevant settings. Please note the original checkboxes were checked.
Hello once more—I attempted this on my setup, but it doesn’t appear to work. It seems the issue might be linked to the headphones or headsets you’re using, since only you and your friend are facing the same problem and you both have identical devices.
It seems the issue is still intense despite some improvement. One source suggests it's no longer dropping to a whisper level, just peaking now. What kind of device are you using? I'm connecting the Corsair HS60 directly into the front headers, skipping the included USB that doesn't help.