USB Microphone very low sound output in Windows 10

[jmflu]

So I recently bought a Samson C01U Pro USB condenser microphone for audio recording and I am finding the volume extremely low. I know that I can change the levels in Windows Sound Panel "Microphone Properties" but even if I set it to 100% (in windows) I still have to get extremely close to get a good recording.

From reading on forums, other people are recording at 40% and getting good recordings. Also many forum posts mention that they had this problem on Windows 8 and above but not on Windows 7. Unforunately, I don't have a Win 7 machine to test it on.

It came with no software and just got all of it's drivers from Windows Update so I can't really "get the latest driver" from their website or something.

I also thought it might be a power issue, but I even tried running it through an externally powered USB hub and same low noise result.

Anyone have any clue why this would be or how to fix it?

 

[little_me]

microphone properties usually have both sound level and Boost option.
The boost is there for "it just isn't enough" situations like yours.

 

[Gesu__]

microphone properties usually have both sound level and Boost option.
The boost is there for "it just isn't enough" situations like yours.

USB mics do not have that boost function
That's why people keeps asking questions about low output volumes from USB microphones

And people keeps answering "check your levels"

Frustrating.

 

[little_me]

Sadly, upon reading on the matter, you are correct, Gesu__ and there also are seemingly no easy solutions.

Also on reading about it, on http/answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-hardware/windows-81-usb-microphone-volume-is-extremely-low/69e3a777-06fe-4096-9eaa-edf953ac9198?page=8
it seems
Microsoft knows of it.
Has known of it since 2014 (applies to win 8, 8.1, 10)
And has no solution to it. (even if it uses their own driver, they seemingly just refuse to reuse working driver from windows 7)

Seemingly only workaround that work for sure seem to be:
"Sell your USB Microphone. Buy an XLR version along with a cheap 40-60 dollar mixer to solve the issue.
Or switch to Windows 7"

The problem supposedly doesn't exist with usb mics that come with their OWN drivers. (not the case with OP's mic which uses microsoft's)

 

[nadasaki]

@little_me
Does increasing the levels to 100% impact the quality of your recordings?
What improvement would you see if you were using, let's say, Windows7 and was able to use 40%?

 

[little_me]

Sadly, I cannot help with that. For one, I don't have sound recording as a hobby or job and I don't have windows 7 and I don't have USB mic.
My mic is old fashioned plug into 3.5mm input type that can as far as I can hear, produce decent volume at 50% without boost.
I can say that increasing volume to 100% will introduce more static and background noise, both of which are not desirable as far as I know.

How USB and win7 vs win10 comparison goes, I cannot help on.

 

[rgrosz]

I originally got a powered external USB hub which solved My Samson C01U problem for a few years. Then something changed, and I suddenly lost the volume. I've been using the C01U for over five years on a Windows 7 laptop and struggled with the low volume problem. Recently I had to format and reinstall Windows - but that did not fix it for me.

I just installed two pieces of software (Equalizer APO and the Peace GUI), and it solved my low volume problem!

https/sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/
https/sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/

Today I posted a youtube video example:
https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI7VuvxPPUM