Microphones are a key part of any home studio setup and they are something every musician has to deal with – more often than not, your microphone is too quiet and you can barely hear it. That’s why we’ve talked about how to choose the right mic for your needs before. However, even with the best of intentions and research, things go wrong sometimes. Maybe you have a condenser mic and the preamp you have isn’t quite strong enough to give it the signal it needs. Or maybe you have a dynamic mic without phantom power – whatever the case may be, you probably want to know why is my microphone so quiet? Well, keep reading for our 7 tips on how to make your microphone louder!
Why Is My Microphone So Quiet?
There are a few things that can lower the output of a microphone. One of them is the resistance between the mic and the preamp. The more resistance there is, the less current can go through it. This means that if you want to raise your microphone’s output, you will need to increase its sensitivity by increasing its impedance or decreasing its resistance. In order for your microphone to be louder, you will have to choose one of these two methods either increase input resistance or decrease output impedance.
Check Your Microphone’s Volume
- Make sure that the preamp that you’re using is actually strong enough to give your mic a strong signal. If you have a condenser, make sure that you’re using it with a condenser preamp and not with a dynamic mic preamp. Dynamic mics usually don’t require phantom power; however, if you have one without it and want to use your condenser mic, make sure that your preamp has phantom power before plugging in.
- Make sure that the volume on your microphone is turned up as loud as possible. This doesn’t mean necessarily turning the volume all the way up – but make sure that it is at least 2/3 of the way up or more. This is especially important if you’re using an active instrument like the bass guitar or guitar amps because they can easily be drowned out by an overly loud sound coming from your mic if it isn’t adjusted properly.
- Another thing to keep in mind is that the preamp you’re using may not be strong enough to give your microphone a strong signal. If you have a condenser mic and don’t have a strong enough preamp, then you may need to invest in an external one.
- Another thing to consider is that if you have a dynamic mic, it may not have phantom power. This means that even though your condenser mic will be able to use regular phantom power, it won’t be able to use the same thing as your dynamic mic unless you buy an external phantom power box.
- Lastly, make sure that your microphone is actually plugged into the right input on your mixer or sound card some mics are only compatible with certain inputs and not others so make sure of this before plugging it in!
Use A Preamp Or Audio Interface
- A Preamp is a great way to make a mic more audible, but it’s also an important piece of your home studio setup. You can use it to make all your mics sound better and clearer, or you can use it to boost the signal of your condenser mics. If you don’t have one yet, a preamp is something you should definitely get when building a home studio. They are extremely useful and they are very affordable
- A good preamp will give you the ability to amplify the signal from any type of microphone so that it reaches your recording software without any problems. If you have an audio interface with phantom power for condenser microphones, this is something you need to consider when choosing the preamps in our list below.
- A preamp isn’t just for condenser mics! It’s actually very helpful for dynamic microphones as well! However, if you want to use a dynamic mic with a preamp that doesn’t have phantom power, you should consider investing in a phantom power adapter. They are extremely affordable and they make it possible to use your dynamic microphone with a preamp.
- If you don’t have a preamp yet, you might want to consider investing in one now while there are some great deals available at the moment. A good preamp can be a godsend when it comes to making your mics sound better!
- In order to make your mics sound better, you need to boost the signal that comes from them. Your audio interface or computer has an input for this purpose, so if you don’t have one yet, do it! You can also purchase an audio interface with a built-in preamp as well – this is something we highly recommend!
Add Some Louder Track
- Add some louder tracks on your DAW. You can simply add a new track to your mixdown, or you can use the mixer. If you have a multi-track recorder, try adding an auxiliary track to the same channel that has your main mic. If you have a stereo recorder, try adding an extra channel to record the same signal as your main mic. This way, both tracks will be recorded at the same time and will sound louder when played back as one track.
- Use a different preamp for your microphone. A condenser mic requires a preamp with phantom power (or it will sound very weak and scratchy). If you don’t have one, you can get one that has phantom power built-in or buy another condenser mic with more gain (and more money) than your original one!
- Switch off phantom power on your microphone if there is any problem with it and then switch it on again (if possible). Check whether there is a separate switch for phantom power, or whether you can just turn it on and off. If there is no such switch, you can simply unplug your microphone from the mixer and plug it directly into the preamp.
Add An Audio Limiter
Add Headroom
The next thing you should do is add some headroom before you start recording. You can do this by starting with a low-level input or by using an external preamp. This way, you won’t have any issues with clipping in post-production and your levels will be safe from going too high in the first place.
Check Your Preamp Levels
Another easy fix for a quiet microphone is to check the preamp levels of your setup. If you don’t have phantom power on your condenser mic, make sure that the preamp has enough gain for your mic. If the preamp is too weak, try using a different one.
Use a Different Mic
If all else fails, you can always use a different mic and give it a try. It’s also important to know that if you are using your microphone in line with your guitar amp, you should get a pop shield or at least attach some foam to the mic stand. This will protect your mic from getting too hot or being damaged by the sound of the guitar amp.
Use an External Preamp
You can also consider adding an external preamp that is designed for high output condenser microphones and will give it more gain before sending it to your computer or recording interface. The best thing about these devices is that they come with phantom power already built-in and you don’t need to worry about finding any extra adapter cables – just plug and play! Another great benefit of external preamps is that they are often cheaper than your recording interface.
Use a Different Mic Stand
If you are using your mic on a stand, make sure that it is not too unstable and that you can use all of its height. If the stand is too small, it will make your microphone move around too much and make a lot of noise as a result. The other thing to keep in mind is that if your mic is in line with the guitar amp, it should be placed on some foam or put inside a pop shield to protect it from getting hot from the sound of the amp. Also, avoid placing your mic too close to any knobs or switches on the guitar amp – they will pick up some noise!
Add a Compressor (With Limiter)
Add a Compressor (With Limiter)
This is one of the most common ways to make your microphone louder. You can do it by adding a compressor to your setup. If you don’t know what a compressor is, it’s basically a device that will reduce the volume of any signal below a certain threshold. For example, if you set the threshold to -20dB, any sound below -20dB will be quieter than before (in this case, your microphone). This is very useful in situations where you need to prevent background noises from overpowering your voice or instruments. You can also use this technique on vocals and guitars – by reducing their volume when they are too loud.
Turn up Your Pre-Amp
You could also try increasing the pre-amp gain of your mic amp/preamp but only if you have phantom power on your mic. This way, you won’t need to get rid of any noise from other sources (like the preamp) when you add your compressor.
Turn Off Your Mic Boost
If you have a condenser mic and your mic amp is not strong enough to give it the signal it needs, you could try turning off your mic boost. This will prevent any signal from getting through and boost the level of any sounds that pass through it including other instruments, noise, etc.
Use a Different Mic
Another way to make your microphone louder is by using a different mic for recording purposes – maybe one that has a higher gain or one with more low-end frequencies that will give it more “oomph”. You may also want to experiment with other mics if you have some lying around, but this is not always possible depending on how much money you’re willing to spend on new mics.
Try an External Preamp
Although this tip won’t work for all condenser microphones, it’s worth trying if you have a microphone and preamp that have phantom power. By turning on the phantom power, you’ll be able to power the mic from your preamp’s signal. This way, you won’t need to have a separate preamp for your mic.
Conclusion
If you ever find yourself wondering why is my microphone so quiet, it’s best to start troubleshooting before you begin recording. From checking your microphone’s volume to adding an acoustic panel to your studio, you should be able to identify why your microphone is too quiet and raise the volume. That being said, we hope these 7 tips have helped you find a solution to your problem. Remember that microphone troubleshooting is not always black and white – what works for one person might not work for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you and your studio!
