Check your recording setting for the audio on your PC. Go to control panel, audio devices. You most probably have the setting set quite low - (CD quality or less). Try to increase to DVD quality or Studio quality and hear the improvement. Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted... but to weigh and consider.

In PD8 select the Microphone icon
click on Device
I select Realtek HD Audio Input
Audio Input
select Mic Volume
Click OK

Now select Profile
Select CD Quality
Click OK

I use a standard headset - be careful of poor cable connections and where they're connected to on your PC.

The above settings will be retained while PD8 is open but will have to be reset each time.

Dafydd
[Moderator]

I too had issues with the microphone. I wanted a good mic for voice overs and the headset route wasn't it. I went and bought a M-Audio Nova Series Mic from BestBuy. If you want a good product, you will need to spend the money. It comes witha tripod, great software for some cool effects (if you are into that), but for a deep rich studio quality for a fraction of the price, I would highly recommend it. The price is around $130 and is a USB I/O port. Go to http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Nova.html and get the whole story.

Take Care,
Aaron Just because you can, doesn't mean you should !

I also had mic voice over problems and recently purchased a Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Microphone and am extremely pleased. So do a search & check out the reviews as it is highly recommended for quality voice over and is now less than a $100 and lists for a $169.

Cheers,
George Dell Studio XPS 9100
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20GHz
64 Bit Operating Sytem
12 GB DDR3 SDRAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 1248 MB Memory

Canon HF S21 & Canon HG21

George, I guess we both believe in the "you get whatcha paid for" theory.Maybe it is the cardioid condenser? Mine too is equiped. How is your attached, via USB2 ? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should !

Hi Aaron,

I recently switched from slide programs to HD video and put on wildlife shows for the public and people wanted me to do voice narration and I was refusing because I was unhappy with the sound of my voice and the quality from cheap mics. I was getting very confused as you know you can spend $10 for a PC mic or several hundred dollars.

So I talked to the professionals at Musician's Friend and told them what I needed to do, so they recommended the AT2020.

Yes the cardioid condenser and also the fact that you need a large diameter diaphragm which most mics don't have for voice recording versus voice speaking.

Now I am very pleased with the sound and quality of my voice. I also capture wildlife sounds or other sounds from the PC speakers and capturing with the AT2020.

Yes it is a USB-2 mic and as Dafydd mentions, you have to follow the setup in PD each time, in my case selecting the AT2020 under device, and under profile, select the CD quality 44,100 kHz 16 Bit Stero 172 kb/sec for the best recording and adjust the desired recording level.

George
Dell Studio XPS 9100
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20GHz
64 Bit Operating Sytem
12 GB DDR3 SDRAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 1248 MB Memory

Canon HF S21 & Canon HG21

Fresh out of college I started working for various radio stations and loved the studio mics they had. Every mic I purchased before had a sqweek that annoyed me. In PD, I have to change the mic input to my Novia, but the final result is clean sounds only a good microphone can produce. Because of it's technology and that it is a omni mic, I do have to choose my recording environment carefully. I was doing a voice over using my laptop and the internal fan was actually being picked up. I made a "jerri-rigged" sound buffer (to no avail), but resolved it by connecting a flat screen monitor, keyboard and mouse and slidding the laptop under my desk....problem solved. When I am out away from my home office and pull out the mic for use, most people say nice mic. I do love it. It has a little weight that insures it's components are safe, but most of all the sound is untouchable compared to studio microphones that can cost a $1,000.00 + . Just because you can, doesn't mean you should !

Sounds like they are very similar with equally good reviews.
Yes I to have to be careful about it picking up unwanted background noise. Dell Studio XPS 9100
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 960 @ 3.20GHz
64 Bit Operating Sytem
12 GB DDR3 SDRAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 1248 MB Memory

Canon HF S21 & Canon HG21