Antlion Modmic 4 very terrible audio quality

[danakahawkeye]

I was recently gifted an Antlion Modmic 4, and although it states on the box that it is basically plug and play, i plugged it into my motherboards microphone jack and noticed that it was very quiet even with a +30db gain..I did some research and found that i should use a cheap USB sound card and it will make it sound as it should I still have to have the gain on maximum and the audio quality is terrible now with huge amounts of static noise, pickup issues and background noise rejection even though it is a uni directional mic pointed right at my mouth... The only upside i can see so far is when i do manage to get it to pick up my voice it sounds amazing for if you love ASMR breathing. Can anyone help with this problem because i am thinking of getting a dedicated sound card but I am having trouble finding one that anyone can recommend would actually work...

[Velcade]

Are your audio drivers installed?  What chat program are you using?

[danakahawkeye]

Audio drivers are installed and fully upto date, i am using discord, teamspeak, in game mic and also just using the standard playback from windows or my audio software.

[danakahawkeye]

I have also tried with or without AGC and it made no difference to having it on max gain.

[AAJoe]

Heya @danakahawkeye - Sorry you're having an issue with your ModMic! Motherboards don't always play well directly with our products (not enough voltage, too much EMI).

 

As you mention, the best fix is a simple USB sound card. Doesn't have to be expensive. We obviously recommend our own because we've set it up to play very well with our mic, but if you're outside the US it can be pretty hard to get.

 

The next-best alternative is Syba's CM-UAUD, which runs about $10 or so. 

We really don't recommend getting anything fancier than this for the mic, and for the headphones you'd be better off going with a dedicated dac/amp combo or stack if you needed it, but it sounds like you only need the mic issue resolved.

 

I do apologize that you have this issue! If you want to pick up our USB card and are in the US, drop me a DM and I'll get you discount! (If you aren't in the US the shipping will be insanely expensive and not worth it, even with a discount. I'd still give you the code but that's my fair warning!)

 

 

[danakahawkeye]

Hi @AAJoe, Thanks for the reply, I am based out of the US (in the UK) so i can't really get your own adaptor, I am currently using this USB adaptor (https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing-accessories/components-and-upgrades/sound-cards/dynamode-usb-sound7-7-1-channel-usb-sound-card-17771622-pdt.html#srcid=11026 [Yes i know it is a very bad quality]) but i am still having very bad audio problems with heavy static and very bad pickup/noise cancellation, (I have to put it on maximum gain to get audible levels)  I am also experiencing the problem of because i am mixing my motherboards built in sound card and a USB sound card adaptor that i am getting it where some programs can not detect the USB sound card because my motherboards is the main audio.. Also my audio drivers can not adapt the settings for a USB sound card other than the microphones gain, and volumes. I mean the microphone isn't useless at the moment but for what my family paid for it (£50) through your amazon store (Where it states nothing about it requiring a higher voltage than most motherboards can actually provide [It actually states immediate plug & play])  I would prefer a more robust solution like if you could recommend a good sound card internal or external that can carry the IO that i need it to (7.1 surround for speakers, digital out, mic in and line in) I do need a solution that would be a one driver solution rather than having conflicts between USB and my motherboard.

[AAJoe]

No doubt @danakahawkeye - If you can, please join our Discord at https://discord.gg/zXM9WtZ and I may be able to help in real time (or faster than this forum at least).

 

I certainly want to get you squared away so you can really get a feel for how awesome our mics are. I don't know if "most motherboards" is accurate though, some motherboards for sure, and saddest of all - your motherboard!

 

You should never have the issue where a program can't detect the USB sound card, and it shouldn't conflict.

 

As for what "soundcard" is going to be best if you want to go to a true 7.1 speaker setup the Xonar line always seems to make people happy. No idea on their availability in the UK (or price). I'd start there!

[Psittac]

On 1/2/2019 at 3:29 PM, danakahawkeye said:

Hi @AAJoe, Thanks for the reply, I am based out of the US (in the UK) so i can't really get your own adaptor, I am currently using this USB adaptor (https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing-accessories/components-and-upgrades/sound-cards/dynamode-usb-sound7-7-1-channel-usb-sound-card-17771622-pdt.html#srcid=11026 [Yes i know it is a very bad quality]) but i am still having very bad audio problems with heavy static and very bad pickup/noise cancellation, (I have to put it on maximum gain to get audible levels)  I am also experiencing the problem of because i am mixing my motherboards built in sound card and a USB sound card adaptor that i am getting it where some programs can not detect the USB sound card because my motherboards is the main audio.. Also my audio drivers can not adapt the settings for a USB sound card other than the microphones gain, and volumes. I mean the microphone isn't useless at the moment but for what my family paid for it (£50) through your amazon store (Where it states nothing about it requiring a higher voltage than most motherboards can actually provide [It actually states immediate plug & play])  I would prefer a more robust solution like if you could recommend a good sound card internal or external that can carry the IO that i need it to (7.1 surround for speakers, digital out, mic in and line in) I do need a solution that would be a one driver solution rather than having conflicts between USB and my motherboard.

I just got a modmic 5 today as I threw my headset the other night out of frustration (thought I was done throwing periph's), anyways one of the ear's on the headset was pooping out off and on already, this just put the final nail in the coffin.

 

I have to add that audio issues in windows are so hit and miss on any product, then throw in usb audio and you have a nightmare.  My friend had a usb headset that he gave away because he could rarely get it to work.  Myself, I have audio problems all the time with multiple product's, but once you get it working just don't change it.  I attempted to get my audio to work on a backup razer headset that I lost the trrs adapter to and did several funky things.  In the end I decided to go back to my now mono headset and it wasn't working when set exactly how I had it set before, it's just M$ an audio that's the problem.  They have improved but it's always finakey.

 

With all of that said I plugged in my modmic today with no issues, since it was the same onboard input it picked up where I left off with no problems.  The response from my usual discord group was a little echoey and a little baratone, however I flipped some little switch next to the mic on the boom and the echo went away, and I have a cold that makes me sound a little baratone.

 

I have always wanted a modmic but didn't get one until I needed a replacement, I'm very happy and I can easily say that the product support on this forum was key in securing the product in my mind.  I'm a part time audiophile so I have the whole dac/amp with xlr can's so being able to put a quality mic on them was a no brainer. It's so nice to not choose between high quality audio and comm's.

 

also I had mic volume issues on my previous headset (sennheiser game one) and that's with onboard audio with a higher end motherboard (maximus hero IX).

 

I would highly recommend the usb stick that Joe mentioned, his advice has worked well for me in the past.  And though USB can be a pain, my dac/amp is usb with zero issues.  Since it's a product he is recommending I wouldn't think twice about getting it. (the non-antlion usb stick since you're UK)

[AAJoe]

Thanks @Psittac! I really appreciate your kind words. Often giving advice or support is pretty thankless (even when you solve the problem, since, we hope there's never a problem to solve so the very act of having to solve a problem puts you on the wrong side of the fence!). Anyway, just wanted to say thank you and it means a lot to hear that both the product and the support made a difference! Hopefully we can get @danakahawkeye sorted out as well!

[danakahawkeye]

@AAJoe Sorry for the delayed response i have been having a couple of other issues to deal with, i have joined the discord now if you can tell me which chat to talk in to try to get support please?

[AAJoe]

@danakahawkeye Just tag @ staff in the Support channel

 

I or someone will get to you fairly quickly!