USB-C Sennheiser lav mic very quiet when using with Windows 11.

[galen]

I bought this Sennheiser XS USB-C lav mic https://www.sennheiser.com/en-gb/catalo ... b-c-509261 recently which is supposedly quite a good one. Here is a link to a YouTube audio-recording of mine https://youtube.com/shorts/JRsbBxJ_X_c that is a sample recording of me testing the microphones of both my Ipad and the Sennheiser at equal distances from my mouth; the Sennheiser was plugged into my Dell Latitude 7430 laptop via one of its two USB-C ports. Why is the Sennheiser so quiet?? I’m so annoyed. I first tested this mic with a friend’s phone (a Samsung Galaxy model I think) and it sounded great! I could speak at a very casual volume and the mic would pick it all up perfectly. Now I have to speak like I’m talking down the phone in the 1990’s just to make sure it picks up at a reasonable level. I’ve tried adjusting the settings in Windows 11 for external microphones to no avail.

Is it too much to ask of Microsoft to get plug-in-and-play microphones to work on their computers? Is that too demanding for them? Are things hard for them, do they struggle in general? Would it stress their developers too much to try and do that? So do I need some peripheral recording device for this mic instead? I have a USB-C to miro-USB adapter coming in the post that will hopefully allow it to connect to my cheap IMO Q2 phone, so hopefully that will be better, but I’m not hopeful at all…

[Hugh Robjohns]

This could be an issue with Windows, or it could be the audio/communications software you're using the mic with. But I'm sure its fixable given some patience and logical setup.

Start by checking Windows is using the right mic, and the audio software also has permission and access to the right mic.

Then adjust the gain in Windows — there are a couple of different settings in different places. This should help you find them:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/win ... 6f35576011

Then there should also be gain settings in your audio software to optimise the level too. Don't know what you're using, so can't help you there.

[Wonks]

I don’t know if your Dell came loaded with any of their own (or own own-branded), audio software, but if so, this could be getting in the way between the mic and the Windows software.

[galen]

@Hugh Robjohns

No all of those settings you referred to are fine and optimal unfortunately. It's the same volume when recording with both the Sound Recorder app and Audacity.

[galen]

@Wonks

I wouldn't know how to do a thorough check for such software, but just searching for key-terms using the Windows button doesn't bring anything up.

It's the same volume whether I use the Sound Recorder app or Audacity.

Maybe it's meant to be a little quieter. Maybe the Ipad is supposed to be louder. Maybe volume is sacrificed in return for higher quality of sound. I guess I can always just always import any recording into Audacity and increase the volume that way. I should go into Currys and test it on a Galaxy phone in there to make sure...

[ef37a]

Galen, do you really not have access to a computer with W10 even W7 on it? A relative or friend perhaps?
Mind you, I would not excuse Microsoft yet, they have never seemed very "audio friendly" ! An example is the loss of 'loop through' audio in W10. W7 allowed you to record the audio of any signal running in the PC, radio, YT etc but in W10 that was killed or at least the function buried so deep that ordinary mortals like me could not activate it. Fortunately Audacity has a fix.

I shall follow this thread with interest but it is very unlikely that I shall ever get a W11 computer.

Dave.

[tea for two]

Morning Galen Marek (star wars game).

Had similar issue with my Presonus usbC mic fine on android phone not fine on wind computer.
A better usbC cable sorted it in wind. Also worth checking whether Senny has wind driver download for this usbC mic.

[Hugh Robjohns]

No all of those settings you referred to are fine and optimal unfortunately. It's the same volume when recording with both the Sound Recorder app and Audacity.

The audio apps get what the Windows driver gives them.

If the driver allows for the mic volume to be changed in Windows then you should be able to increase the volume as you require.

If it doesn't, or if the audio apps are accessing the mic data directly, then the level into the audio apps will initially be what the mic puts out.

Sennheisers blurb claims a sensitivity of -16dBFS for 1Pa of sound pressure (this 94dB SPL), and that the mic clips at 110dB SPL (which is consistent with the maths.

So if your speaking voice hits, say, 75dB SPL the level from the mic will be around -35dBFS... which is a little on the low side.

So are there input gain options you can invoke in your audio apps? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with either of them, but I know there are others here who are.

Increasing the level after recording is straightforward, but I dont know if you can boost it during recording for live applications.

[Stratman57]

Dave, I too was annoyed by the loss of loop recording in Win 10, however, in Win 11 I found that you can use a function aimed at gamers. It may work in Win 10 but I'd already upgraded to Win 11 before I found out about it.

If you press the Windows key and G simultaneously this brings up a screen capture function which records anything playing on screen along with the audio. The result is an MP4 file which I then open in Reaper and then just render the audio to WAV.

Regards, Simon.

[ef37a]

Thank you Simon. Yes, that pops 'something' up in W10, I must investigate but as I say, good ole Audacity sorts loop through recording and in any case my MOTU M4 has the option built in. Something I think is now found on other AIs.

Gives one a warm glow when you can stick two fingers up at Msft!

Dave.

[galen]

@ef37a

It wouldn't be such bad-news if it was a W11 thing, because that would mean that it would probably work fine on other devices, and I want to use it while mobile mostly anyway.

[galen]

@tea for two

Thanks for that, good to know it's not just me. Someone on the Audacity forum said that these USB-C mics can suffer a little in volume as they're designed that way so as not to be broken by loud sounds. Did the different cable involve cutting the old one away and fixing in the new one with electrical-wiring technique?

Haven't actually played The Force Unleashed.

[galen]

@Hugh Robjohns

Yes Audacity has a tool for increasing the gain while recording which could be useful.

[galen]

@Stratman57

I got very annoyed with that Xbox Game-Bar, or whatever it's called, W11 provides for screen-recording as it just bugged-out so often. The OBS (first google hit) app seems to be the best way to screen-record today, Twitch-streamers all seem to use it; it can do both streaming and screen-recording; does the same thing as that Game-Bar app, only it actually works every time and very fluidly too.

[tea for two]

@tea for two

Thanks for that, good to know it's not just me. Someone on the Audacity forum said that these USB-C mics can suffer a little in volume as they're designed that way so as not to be broken by loud sounds. Did the different cable involve cutting the old one away and fixing in the new one with electrical-wiring technique?

Haven't actually played The Force Unleashed.

Was one of those braided $£5 usbC to usbA cable that worked on wind.
Previously was a bog standard usbC to usbA cable that didn't work on wind.

Lots of folk were hoping to see Galen Marek in one of the spinoff starwars series me included.

[galen]

@tea for two
I see, you didn't cut the wire or anything like that. You mean that you got a more premium adapter-cable for it.

Well I hope there' s good fan-fiction for Galen Marek at least.