Why Does My Mic Quality Sudden Go Bad When I Play Audio?
This question is quite common, and without specific data, it's challenging to provide a definitive answer. However, there are several potential causes that can explain why your microphone quality might suddenly deteriorate.
1. Understanding Your Microphone Quality
Your microphone's quality can significantly affect the sound quality of recorded or played audio. While all microphones are not created equal, decent live vocal mics can cost around 100 dollars, starting with the venerable Shure SM58. If your microphone is old, it may have been damaged, or it could be a counterfeit model. Frequent checks for the authenticity and condition of your microphone are essential. Beware that if the price is significantly below the market norm, it might be a warning sign of a fake product.
2. The Psychology of Self-Perception
Another important factor to consider is how you perceive your own voice. NOBODY actually hears themselves as others do. Human ears are magical in their way; bone transmission gives a fuller and different sound perception. When recording or playing back audio, you might notice significant differences in the sound quality compared to what you hear in real life.
3. Monitoring and Sound System Setup
Ensure that your monitoring setup is adequate. Cheap or inadequate sound systems might not produce good quality audio. They might also be designed for a different purpose than live vocals. Additionally, if you don't know how to “work the mic” properly, this can also lead to issues. Most microphones sound different up close versus from a distance, and getting too close to some mics can cause distortion.
4. Operating System Settings
There can be software issues, particularly in Windows. Sometimes the Operating System's OS applies a “noise reduction” filter over your microphone's input, even if it's not picking up bleed audio. To prevent this, you may need to disable audio ducking and any audio enhancements. This is not a guarantee, but it’s worth a try. I will update this if I find more information.
5. Device-Specific Factors
External microphones may be general-purpose transducers, while built-in mics are optimised for the environment and use-case of the device. There might be much signal-processing that is bypassed by the mic-in socket. Some microphones and sockets can be smart in detecting what they are plugged into and adapt accordingly, which can cause changes in performance when unplugging and plugging back in.
6. Microphone Matching and Power Supply
Cheap or mismatched microphones can cause issues. Microphones can be powered in several ways:
No power - dynamic mics generate their own electricity Internal battery - replace with a new one if needed 3.5mm sockets usually give 2-5 volts for biasing an impedance-transforming FET - called PIP (Plug-In Power) Old PC soundcards used a similar system - ‘SoundBlaster’ Cannon XLR 3-pin sockets can have a switchable 12-48 volt DC offset between the audio wires - called Phantom Power (P48)Based on the context and the types of microphones commonly reviewed, it's possible that you have a cheap micro like the 'BM800' with a 3.5mm-to-XLR cable. For the best results, you might want to get a Phantom Power supply.
Remember, troubleshooting microphone issues can be complex, and each factor can influence the final output. It's always recommended to check the condition of your microphone, ensure proper monitoring, and adjust settings as needed to achieve the best audio quality.