Mic Problems

This is my problem. The Mic I use for my computer (standard computer mic) started getting worse and worse over a course of time, and one day, it just didn't work. I figured "This is just my Mic's problem. The Mic is broken". So today i purchased a mic, and switched the inputs from my old mic and my new mic, and it still didn't work.

I am using a Dell computer;

Now, I plugged the mic into one of my amps (to make sure it worked, itself), and it did work, but that's not what i need...I need it to work for my computer.

my sound card is a SB Creative, and i ran the diagnostic test on it, and it says that there are no conflicts. what's up with that?

I know this should be in the Recording section, but let me off easy on this one, I'd like as many knowledgable replies to this as possible.

I checked the "Microsoft Sound Recorder" and nothing is being recorded.

The mic i'm using has a 1/4 inch connecter thing...I have an adapter to fit it to 1/8, so it fits in my computer.

Any ideas as to what this might be?

I am by far no genius in this area, but I HAVE had my share of computer problems, and I have found out this...

1.MOST, not all of the diagnostic programs will only tell you if there is a problem with software and not hardware...

2. Electronic parts do go bad eventually. ( I found this out once when a bunch of white smoke rolled out of the back of my monitor, and no matter how much I kicked, hit, cried, cussed, etc. it still wouldn't come back on.)

Of course this is expensive advice, but I would try another sound card. Buy it from Circuit City and if that isn't the problem, at least you can get your money back from there with no problems. Either that or you got a bad 1/4-1/8" adapter. Stranger things have happened.

Good luck...

I'm not sure about the bad 1/4-1/8 connector, i just bought it today...and my sound card shouldn't THAT bad that it won't work with a mic, considering i can get sound from my speakers and everything else, audio-wise, is fine. I am not completely sure at this point what the problem is, and considering that my soundcard sounded just fine before, and that i've used it for recording before, it doesn't make sense that the sound card itself would suddenly become defective, especially when i'm still receiving audio waves (just not through my mic).

You have a broken link in your signal chain. something is no longer functioning as it should. You've already verified that the mic is OK, by trying it out in another system (your amp). You have to verify each link in the chain, one at a time, until you find the piece that doesn't work.

Try feeding a 'known good' signal source into the mic input of your sound card. You verified one mic, but you have two of them, right? Do both of them work with your amp, but not with your sound card?

There aren't many links left to check out. 'Looks like it comes down to either your adaptor or your soundcard. My guess is that the jack on your card is not making good contact with the adaptor.

I do have two mics, problem is that one of the Mic's is a standard computer mic, with the 1/8 inch input thing...

The three options, as you guys suggested, are

1.) Something is wrong with the soundcard
2.) Something is wrong with the adapter
3.) The soundcard jack isn't making the right contact with the adapter.


I think it might be the 3rd option, because I am having no problems as far as audio goes, sound is fine, but it may be the 2nd one as well. Note that this means i can play MP3's and such, with no problems, and not that i can get sound from my mic....

I'll see what i can do today, and if i have more difficulty with it, i'll let you guys know.

Thanks a bunch:D

[Edited by Incidents Happen on 07-20-2003 at 02:10 PM]

Alright fellas, I hooked up my POD XT's output into where the microphone spot is, and when i applied heavy distortion, i got a signal.

This is what i have concluded so far...

There must have was always a signal, but the signal was (and still is) too weak to be heard at a reasonable volume. I'm happy that there is at least a signal, but now my problem is, how do I amplify the sound? I've tried many things, from turning the volume up on my speakers to catch the sound, to turn the volume up completely in the volume control, to a few other things.

gaaaaaaaaah.

your help is much appreciated.

If you are running a pod with its output at max into your sound card and not getting any signal, either:

1) The sound card is not configured properly (try new drivers)

2) The sound card is shagged (get a new one)

3) Your soft where settings are all over the place (Turn up the input gain and output volume in the windows control panel (the speaker icon by the clock at the bottom right of screen. This has two modes record and play back accessed from "Properties" in the "Options" pull down).

4) You are using the wrong interface ports.
If you have a device wanting line level input and receiving mic level input, it will sound much like you have described! I’d get the documentation for the soundcard, check you are using a mic level jack for the mic and a line level input for the pod. You may also want to check your output settings on the pod and make sure you have been using studio mode. Studio mode will want to be plugged into a line level NOT a mic level input.

Best of luck.

I'm so glad we have computers to ease our daily burdens and relieve us of all drudgery! :rolleyes:

Yep, the miracle of modern technology! Me, I’m going back to a wax cylinder a needle, an ear trumpet and a JCM800 half stack!

Originally posted by Dr_simon

1) The sound card is not configured properly (try new drivers)

2) The sound card is shagged (get a new one)

lol, yes, i found that out first-hand (about the Line Level In), because i plugged it into my Microphone Input, and yeah, it got sound, but alot of hissing, too. My computer is six years old and i don't think it has a Line In Jack, so it looks like i'll be waiting until i get a new computer to do that.
If the sound card is ****ed, it really isn't worth for me to spend money on a new one; Dell has computers for $500 that are 10 times better than my Dell (my dell is only 660 Mhz), and yes, dell has computers for $3000, but the ones for $500 have 2.4 Ghz, which is very good for recording music onto...
As far as the software settings, (i should have mentioned this), I checked them before posting this thread, they are fine.
About the drivers, that is possible too, I will look into it...

This is a rather funny topic, because when i had a job, money was pouring into my pockets so fast that I was able to afford rather luxurious Guitar equipment (Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb, Gibson Les Paul, POD XT, Q Tron +, etc), but now that I'm out of cash.....and a job.........It's like the opposite.

Looks like somebody's going back to work!!!:D

Thanks for the help, guys, I'll see what i can do...

Did you check out the Korg 4 track thread, if you want to start recording guitar it is a good place to start ! Also things like the D8 that Noticingthemistake has mentioned are a relatively cheap option (get 'em on eBay got like 2-300 bucks). The only problem with starting to get into recording is that the more you do it, the more gear you realize you want, like a nice pair of flat response monitors, like a headphone amp etc etc

Good fun !

But the thing about that, Dr. Simon, is that I've already recorded a bunch, and am used to Computer Quality Sound. I love the computer interface style, and will not move down (or change) to something else.

I'm going to finish my application for my local grocery store, and save all the money i get there up, and get a kickass Home Studio. I plan on getting very high quality gear, but being wise in my purchases as well. For example, I'm going to purchase all the recording equipment i will be using, and buy the computer last (best quality= cheaper price), and may choose to just get a really really beefed up computer and pay in installments. I'm talking 3.2 Gig's with an 800 Mhz Front Bus, HT Threading Technology, baby!

anyways, i won't get the computer until christmas or so (maybe a little after), that way, the price will be very reasonable...

Currently, I'm using Guitar Tracks 2 (worth like $50), and I plan on moving up to either SONAR 2.0 XL, or maybe Cubase, i haven't decided.

I plan on getting a studio quality mic ($500 or more), and running everything else Line-In.

I could do all of this for about $1500, which would be

Dell Computer = $600
New Mic = $500
SONAR 2 XL = $400 (or is it 300?)

Of course, thats the barebones, I will likely spend $3000 on it, and get a nicer computer than that.

Best of luck !

I wasn't aware of this until recently, but there are two sets of volume properties on your standard Windows volume control (the little yellow speaker in your system tray) - one is called "Playback", and is the set displayed by default. To access "Recording", you need to:

1. Double-click the yellow speaker icon.
2. Select "Options"
3. Select "Properties"
4. Under "Adjust volume for...", select the "Recording" radio button.
5. Adjust your volume levels and selected/muted inputs as required.

You can have both "Playback" and "Recording" open at the same time by following steps 1-4 above and then repeating step 1.

This may solve your problem, if, as you said, you're getting some kind of signal, but not a very loud one. Hope that helps, or at least informs.

Thanks guys, I fixed the problem, ended up being a problem with the 1/8' adapter.

Everything sounds great now, so yeah, thanks for your help, everyone!