PC Gaming Mic: Help/Suggestions Needed

Professor Snugglesworth

For a while now I've been using a pair of these headphones on my PC (may not be this specific model, but it is the same brand). It's been working great for listening to music and whatnot, but I haven't tinkered with the microphone portion too much until recently, since my PC is up to speed and I'm trying to get chat working on Steam games.

Problem is the microphone doesn't seem to be working, or it's too low for anyone to hear me. I have it plugged to the mic in port, and I'm using Realtek Audio Manager to try and configure it properly, but it doesn't seem to work.

So this is basically a two part thread: First, any suggestions on how to get the mic on this headphone working. Failing that, recommend me a good mic to use for PCs. Should I stick with a headphone/mic hybrid like the one I have now, or should I instead get one of those standalone mics that sit on your desk?

Or how about bluetooth? I have two bluetooth headsets and Vista Ultimate, and I vaguely recall something about using it as a mic, but I didn't confirm it.

So any suggestions are welcome.

nlawalker

Same recommendation I make for all microphone questions:

http://www.xoxide.com/zmmic1.html

Note that I don't know anything about that particular site (I would have given you a Newegg link, but for some reason they don't carry it anymore, and the above site is just the first one that pops up on Google for me).

Anyways, it's super cheap, has a gigantic cord, and clips to any pair of wired headphones, so you can continue to use a favorite pair of cans or whatever. I've used it in many Steam games and it's crystal clear.

RandomEngy

I got that mic and used it for a while but eventually ditched it because it has just awful quality. I would recommend a headset with a boom mic that can be easily swiveled out of the way.

Professor Snugglesworth

I might just get a standalone mic that sits on my desk. According to one friend, most of them perform the same and don't require any tweaking or sitting too close to talk. I've seen some cheap $8-$16 ones in Circuit City, so I guess I'll try there. I just want to get steam chat working by the time Left 4 Dead is out.

RandomEngy

Beware! If you use a desk mic and your keyboard isn't completely silent you will annoy everyone with your tappity-tappity-tappity. I've bought a jillion mics and headsets and the boom mic is the only one that ever treated me right.

Professor Snugglesworth

Well, my keyboard is no louder than a standard keyboard, and I don't see myself typing too much during a Steam game anyway. Just the standard wsad for moving and the mouse for rapid clicking. How sensitive is a desk mic? I usually have a TV going off behind me along with a portable air conditioner.

The only problem I have with an ear mic is I might end up talking louder than I need to, since my voice would be drowned out by the sound coming off my headphones.

warder808

http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/products/computer/pc-gaming-headsets/gamecom-777

Thats what I have. It sounds great. I like the boom mic set up. This one actually has the mic go under the headpiece when you swing it upwards.

RandomEngy

The problem isn't typing, the problem is usually hitting movement keys while you talk. It's something you don't notice until you turn voice_loopback on. My keyboard has moderate noise, but it's pretty obnoxious on the mic. On the plus side, the desk mic I have is very good at filtering out droning background noise, like a loud fan in my room.

As far as your concern that you'd talk too loud over a boom mic, I can tell you that you get used to the experience, and your voice comes over just fine.

freakish light

Sort of related:

Can anyone suggest a good USB headset? The headphone and line-in ports on my laptop are busted. The only way currently to get sound anywhere else is through my wireless 360 adapter, with the headset plugged in. Then I don't use the controller and it goes inactive because no buttons are pressed, and it really messes up the sound.

Are there any that aren't >$30 and decent quality?

Professor Snugglesworth

This is what I ended up getting. Seems to be working just fine, too. Just had to adjust the sensitivity a bit and I can talk freely leaning back from my chair.

RandomEngy

Luna01 wrote: »

Well. I'm happy to hear that you have get one. I use this PC Gaming Mic - Headphone Microphone for Xbox 360. It heightens the experience of the unprecedented online gaming community, Xbox Live, allowing me to strategize with teammates, trash-talk opponents or just chat with friends while playing my favourite games. And it has in-line volume control and mute switch let users adjust the headset volume or switch mute on and off easily. Noise-canceling microphone improves game response to voice commands, and provides crisp and clear voice communication. It has Lightweight and over-the-head design enables me to use comfortably.

Wow! I bet I will be able to dominate all of my opponents online with the PC Gaming Mic - Headphone Microphone for Microsoft XBox™ 360. I especially love its cable length of approx.115cm. Better yet, it is shipping now for only $11.69!

Ultarune

Anyone have any wireless mic suggestions? I made the move to couch pcing, and a wired mic isn't tenable.

Bartholamue

If you have the Rock Band mic, that is a mic that is usable on the PC.

Barrakketh

RandomEngy wrote: »

The problem isn't typing, the problem is usually hitting movement keys while you talk. It's something you don't notice until you turn voice_loopback on. My keyboard has moderate noise, but it's pretty obnoxious on the mic.

I use a mechanical keyboard (buckling spring) and would drive people nuts with a desk mic.

Is the sound quality on that Zalman really that bad, or did things like the fan in your room help contribute to the poor voice quality.

RandomEngy

It was just bad straight up. Really, a boom headset mic is the best thing that exists.

Stormwatcher

But what if you have a non-mic headset that's better than the one with a boom mic? I don't want a new headset, just a mic.

Rohan

We bought a couple of these Microsoft LX3000 for the pc's in our apartment. We usually use them for lan games over the 'net and over the network - they're great for Skype which we use to communicate with one another, and they're great for games too, as I can really hear the difference between my 5.1 speaker setup and these when it comes to listening to the people moving around me in Modern Warfare 2.

Ultarune

Stormwatcher wrote: »

But what if you have a non-mic headset that's better than the one with a boom mic? I don't want a new headset, just a mic.

This. I always used a free standing mic when I gamed at a desk, I much preferred them to headsets. I want to just use my tv speakers for sound, all I want is a wireless mic I can use to communicate with teammates in lfd2. Any suggestions, preferably under 100 dollars. Everything I'm finding is headphone/mic combos.

RandomEngy

Stormwatcher wrote: »

But what if you have a non-mic headset that's better than the one with a boom mic? I don't want a new headset, just a mic.

I thought that at one time too, but I came to regret my decision. Then again, I had $150 to spend on a nice Sennheiser headset.

Foefaller

Seems like the best place to ask, so here goes:

Ever since my old mic that connected directly to the speakers fried I can't get any on the mics I've tried to work at all.

Well, that's not exactly true, the first one worked fine for about a week, and then something must have happened, because whenever I turn it on, no matter how much I seem to fiddle, all I seem to transmit is static.

Pretty sure it's not the mic, because I've tried multiple mics since then.

Pretty sure it's not the USB port(s) since I've tried all of them for the same result, and both of them have worked perfectly when any other device I use uses.

I'm completely at wits end at what to do, any help would be apreciated.

EDIT: I should probabbly note that, when I test it, the playback is less than half as long as what I said/did.

RandomEngy

Are you sure your recording device is set to your mic? Have you tried increasing the mic sensitivity or mic boost? Do green lines show up when you speak into your mic on the Recording tab of the Sound panel?

Shorn Scrotum Man

Anyone seen a really nice bluetooth headphone/mic combo? I'd like to be able to play PS3 at night without waking my fiancee up.

Spoit

I don't think that the PS3 supports outputing any audio except for voicechat through headsets, bluetooth or wired

Foefaller

RandomEngy wrote: »

Are you sure your recording device is set to your mic? Have you tried increasing the mic sensitivity or mic boost? Do green lines show up when you speak into your mic on the Recording tab of the Sound panel?

Yes, Yes, and green lines do show up and move when I do both parts of the test, but all I get back for playback part is static.

Shorn Scrotum Man

Spoit wrote: »

I don't think that the PS3 supports outputing any audio except for voicechat through headsets, bluetooth or wired

That sucks, if true. I will check when I get home.

RandomEngy

Foefaller wrote: »

RandomEngy wrote: »

Are you sure your recording device is set to your mic? Have you tried increasing the mic sensitivity or mic boost? Do green lines show up when you speak into your mic on the Recording tab of the Sound panel?

Yes, Yes, and green lines do show up and move when I do both parts of the test, but all I get back for playback part is static.

Odd. Does this happen for every recording program you've tried?

UEAKCrash

Bartholamue wrote: »

If you have the Rock Band mic, that is a mic that is usable on the PC.

This is what I use and it works good, the quality is pretty decent. I have a regular stage mic stand angled to swivel in front of me next to my chair. Best set up ever.

Critter

UEAKCrash wrote: »

I have a regular stage mic stand angled to swivel in front of me next to my chair. Best set up ever.

I thought I was the only one.

Foefaller

RandomEngy wrote: »

Foefaller wrote: »

RandomEngy wrote: »

Are you sure your recording device is set to your mic? Have you tried increasing the mic sensitivity or mic boost? Do green lines show up when you speak into your mic on the Recording tab of the Sound panel?

Yes, Yes, and green lines do show up and move when I do both parts of the test, but all I get back for playback part is static.

Odd. Does this happen for every recording program you've tried?

Only other playback/test I've tried is the test option on Vent, and on that, it comes back as a loud buzz rather than static.

Foefaller

Anyone have any more advice? I've missed so many DoW2 games because I have no working mic, and if I have to play with another techmarine who does nothing but spam turrets the entire fucking game, someone will die.

corky842

I was considering getting this one, but I found a cheap desktop mic that works decent.
About the only downside I see is it uses batteries, but that's not a big deal since you can get a 50-pack for under $5.

Sushisource

This thread is pertinent to my interests. I already have an amazing set of Shure cans that I don't want to give up, so I want a standalone mic that I can clip on to something or whatever.

That ars technica one doesn't look bad, if a little pricy, and batteries suck.