How to boost microphone volume?
1. Check Your Microphone Settings
The first step is to ensure your microphone’s volume or gain is turned up sufficiently in your operating system’s audio settings. Both Windows and Mac provide microphone options under their main sound control panels. For Windows, go to Control Panel > Sound and open the Recording tab. Select your microphone, click Properties, and adjust the volume slider towards 100. On a Mac, go to System Preferences > Sound and click Input. Make sure the input volume slider is also set near maximum. This establishes the overall gain level for what your mic is capturing before sending to any recording applications.
You can test your mic input level in the sound settings using the visual microphone level indicator. Speak into your mic at the same distance and volume you plan to record at – the level meter should jump up to 50-100% when loud audio is detected. If the meter barely moves, keep increasing the mic volume slider until your typical speech registers around 70%. Setting an appropriate input level provides your recordings the best signal without distortion or clipping.
According to Reddit users, the typical volume range for quality microphone recordings falls around -12 to -6 dBFS, or decibels relative to full scale [1]. Use your system sound settings to get in this optimal zone. Start low to avoid clipping then increase as needed. Proper gain staging right at the mic input will deliver clean audio to your recording software.
Get Closer to the Microphone
One of the easiest ways to boost your microphone volume is to simply get your mouth closer to the mic. The proximity effect causes bass frequencies to increase as you get closer to the microphone. This can give your voice a fuller, warmer sound with more perceived loudness and power.
According to experts, the ideal distance is between 4-6 inches from your mouth to the microphone. This allows you to take advantage of the proximity effect for extra volume, while still maintaining clarity. Any closer and you risk muffled, boomy audio.
When setting your microphone position, start by placing the mic about 6 inches away and speak at your normal level. Slowly move closer while speaking until you achieve the desired volume boost. If the audio becomes too bass heavy or muddy, back up slightly. Finding the optimal distance for your voice, microphone, and room acoustics takes some experimentation.
Proper mic technique also means speaking directly into the mic, not off axis. Point your mouth toward the capsule and avoid touching the grate. With proper positioning you can achieve great volume levels without excessive gain boosts.
For more on ideal microphone distance, check out this guide on proper distance from the mouth: https://bunnystudio.com/blog/guide-on-the-proper-microphone-distance-from-the-mouth/
Use a Microphone Amplifier
An inline amp or preamp can boost a mic’s output signal before it reaches your computer. A preamp is essentially a small amplifier that increases the microphone’s output voltage and boosts the signal before it gets sent to the recording device. According to this guide, preamps provide the correct load impedance for the microphone’s output, and amplify the low-voltage signal from the microphone to line level so it can be properly recorded.
Dedicated standalone preamps are available, but there are also mixers and audio interfaces with built-in preamps. Using a preamp can be useful if your microphone’s output is too weak on its own, causing low recording volume even with the recording device’s levels maxed out. The preamp strengthens the signal so you can better optimize levels during recording. However, preamps can also add noise, so it’s best to use one only if needed.
Adjust Your Recording Software
Most recording and streaming software like Audacity, OBS Studio, and Voicemeeter have input volume controls that allow you to boost the microphone signal before it gets recorded or streamed. Increasing the microphone volume at the software level will amplify the input signal and make your voice louder in recordings and broadcasts without actually changing any hardware settings.
To adjust the microphone boost in software like Audacity or OBS Studio, look for a setting like “Mic Volume” or “Mic Boost” in the input options or audio settings. For example, in Audacity you can go to Edit > Preferences > Devices and raise the “Microphone” volume slider. In OBS Studio, go to Settings > Audio and raise the volume slider for your mic in the Mixer section. The optimal boost amount will depend on your specific microphone and use case.
Some dedicated microphone boost software like Voicemeeter also allows you to control input gain more granularly with options for compression and limiting. This gives you more flexibility to get just the right volume increase without distortion or clipping. Refer to your software’s documentation to locate the mic boost controls and adjust them while monitoring your microphone input levels.
Raising the microphone volume at the software level before recording is usually the most convenient option to boost quiet mics. Just take care not to over-amplify the signal, which can lead to peaking, distortion, and a degraded audio quality.
Use Compression
Enable compression in your software to boost quiet sounds and prevent peaking. Compression works by reducing the volume of louder sounds that exceed a set threshold (1). This can help balance out quieter sections and prevent distortion from sounds that are too loud. According to Mastering.com, a compression ratio of around 10:1 is effective for vocals, with the threshold set so that compression only engages on louder sounds (2). The Universal Audio blog recommends moderate compression ratios of 3:1 to 5:1 for natural results (3). Adjust compressor settings like attack, release, and makeup gain to taste.
Consider an Upgraded Microphone
One of the most effective ways to get more volume from your microphone recordings is to upgrade to a higher quality microphone. Most built-in laptop mics and cheap headset mics have very low sensitivity and gain.
Higher end microphones are designed specifically to provide high sensitivity and wide dynamic range. This allows them to pick up more subtle audio details and record at higher volumes without distortion or peaking.
Condenser microphones in particular are known for their sensitivity and ability to capture high volumes cleanly. Their condenser element reacts more efficiently to sound waves than the dynamic elements in cheaper mics.
Ribbon microphones are another excellent choice for increasing gain before feedback. The ribbon element can handle high SPLs (sound pressure levels) without distortion. This allows ribbon mics to be positioned very close to loud sources.
Investing in a premium large diaphragm condenser or ribbon mic can seem costly, but they will dramatically improve the recording quality, sensitivity and usable gain of any vocal or instrument recording. This added headroom gives you more flexibility in the mix when trying to get those tracks to cut through at higher volumes.
Reduce Background Noise
Less ambient noise means you can boost the mic volume without picking up interference. The first step is to eliminate any unnecessary background noise in your recording environment. Turn off electronics like fans, AC units, and televisions 1. Close doors and windows to prevent outside sounds from entering the room. Cover hard surfaces like concrete floors with carpet or sound dampening material. Position yourself as far away as possible from noise sources like computer towers or refrigerators.
Use directional microphones which pick up sound from one central area rather than omnidirectional mics that hear in all directions 2. Getting closer to the mic lowers the amount of background noise that gets recorded. Pop filters or foam shields can help block out certain noises like breathing sounds. With less ambient interference, you have more headroom to turn up the gain and project your voice louder without including unwanted noise.
Use Proper Mic Technique
Speaking clearly and directly into your microphone is crucial for getting your voice to come through at the right volume. Here are some key microphone techniques to use:
- Speak directly into the mic – Position your mouth just 2-4 inches away from the mic so your voice is captured directly. Avoid speaking from off-axis or farther away which can reduce volume.
- Project your voice – Use your normal projecting voice when speaking into a mic, the same as if speaking to someone across a room. Whispering or mumbling right into a mic can still make you hard to hear.
- Avoid pops and breath – Try to avoid blowing air directly into the mic which can create distracting pops and noise. Turn or angle your head slightly to the side when needed.
With proper mic technique, you can achieve a balanced, clear sound without needing to drastically amplify the mic volume. Position yourself close to pick up direct voice projection. Also be conscious of voice tone and enunciation. Mumbling into a mic will still not come across well even with high gain. Practice your microphone speaking skills for best results.
EQ and Normalize the Recording
One of the most effective ways to boost the volume of a recording in post-production is to use equalization (EQ) and normalization. EQ allows you to adjust the gain of specific frequency ranges, which can help bring out quiet vocals or instruments. For example, you may add a few decibels at around 5 kHz to emphasize presence and clarity. Normalization analyzes the peak audio level and then raises the entire track’s gain so that the loudest peak hits a target level like -1 or -3 dB. This simple process makes the track louder without introducing distortion (as long as peaks don’t clip). Just be careful not to over-normalize or you may flatten dynamics. Follow these steps in your DAW:
1. Add an EQ plugin to your vocal track and boost between 5-10 kHz by 2-3 dB.
2. On the master track, insert a normalization plugin or tool and set the target peak level to -1 dB.
3. Render the mix and listen to confirm the track sounds louder and clearer.
Normalization in programs like Audacity can quickly maximize volume at the end without destroying dynamics like compressors sometimes do.
Amplify During Playback
One simple way to boost the volume of your microphone recording is to turn up the volume on your speakers or headphones when listening back to the recording. This allows you to amplify the playback volume without having to modify the actual recording.
However, it’s important to keep volume levels safe for your hearing. According to the Hearing Health Foundation, headphones and earbuds can reach sound levels up to 100 dB or more. They recommend keeping levels between 50-60% of the maximum volume to protect your hearing. This equates to 60-85 dB for most headphones.
Check the volume levels and consider turning them up gradually when listening back to your microphone recordings. But aim to keep overall playback volume within the recommended safe range for hearing health.