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Strange background noice on mic

krawnightkrawnight Registered User regular
edited September 2007 in Games and Technology
Quick question for the tech gurus--

When I listen to the playback from my mic, I hear something that sounds like a muffled helicopter in the background. The steady, rythmic sorta 'thum-thum-thum' noise that a helicopter makes, but it sounds like it is coming through a pillow or something. I'm not having any other noise, not even breathing.

I play on a laptop that is usually plugged in if that helps figure out the cause of the problem at all.

My mic isn't super great, but it isn't a piece of garbage either. It is lacking the little black fuzzy bit over the mic, alas, but the store wasn't selling any that weren't super expensive.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

krawnight on

Posts

  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    krawnight wrote: »
    Quick question for the tech gurus--

    When I listen to the playback from my mic, I hear something that sounds like a muffled helicopter in the background. The steady, rythmic sorta 'thum-thum-thum' noise that a helicopter makes, but it sounds like it is coming through a pillow or something. I'm not having any other noise, not even breathing.

    I play on a laptop that is usually plugged in if that helps figure out the cause of the problem at all.

    My mic isn't super great, but it isn't a piece of garbage either. It is lacking the little black fuzzy bit over the mic, alas, but the store wasn't selling any that weren't super expensive.

    Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

    Sounds like interference. What brand/how much is/was the microphone?

    MKR on
    one of those newsed letters - a blue sky
  • djklaydjklay Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Check your recording input, make sure it's set to mic and that the volume isn't too loud. If it's set too loud it may be picking up background noise. Usually when I first set up a a mic I have to fiddle around with the output volume and mic input volumes a bit to get something that sounds right. If it's for voice chat, set your output volume to something that seems reasonable when other people are talking and go from there.

    djklay on
  • krawnightkrawnight Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    MKR wrote: »

    Sounds like interference. What brand/how much is/was the microphone?

    Plantronics. I can't find the exact model anymore, but it seems like the model below this: http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/products/cat640035/cat1430032/prod5870013

    Cost a little under $20 I think.

    krawnight on
  • krawnightkrawnight Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    djklay wrote: »
    Check your recording input, make sure it's set to mic and that the volume isn't too loud. If it's set too loud it may be picking up background noise. Usually when I first set up a a mic I have to fiddle around with the output volume and mic input volumes a bit to get something that sounds right. If it's for voice chat, set your output volume to something that seems reasonable when other people are talking and go from there.

    Would this background noise be something I could hear? Because I had two computer connected to the vent server I was using and I didn't hear ANYTHING resembling the noise I heard when I had the push-to-talk key down.

    Basically, I heard nothing, then when I pushed the button down on my laptop, through my desktop speakers I was hearing this strange 'thum-thum-thum' noise. But the room was otherwise completely quiet.

    I'll try lowering the mic input volume and see if that helps.

    krawnight on
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