USB Mic Mute Switch

[AdvocateOfNyx]

I have a USB microphone (this one here) and it doesn't have a mute switch.  I'd like to have the option to mute it outside of the program I'm using it in.  Anyone have any idea of anything I could use?  I tried to look up items but they were pretty much all XLR or 3.5mm based.  I'm not sure what I could use for a mic that uses a USB interface.

 

Edit: I can't really use something like this, can I?

[mr cheese]

30 minutes ago, AdvocateOfNyx said:

Edit: I can't really use something like this, can I?

You can, it says it supports USB 2.0 and includes an example of a USB Mouse, I'd say it probably works provided your mic works over USB 2.0

[Tigerleon]

46 minutes ago, AdvocateOfNyx said:

I have a USB microphone (this one here) and it doesn't have a mute switch.  I'd like to have the option to mute it outside of the program I'm using it in.  Anyone have any idea of anything I could use?  I tried to look up items but they were pretty much all XLR or 3.5mm based.  I'm not sure what I could use for a mic that uses a USB interface.

 

Edit: I can't really use something like this, can I?

There is a software called mic mute or something like that. Then you can bind a keyboard key and you'll hear a beep when it is muted.

[AdvocateOfNyx]

3 hours ago, DaJakerBoss said:

You can, it says it supports USB 2.0 and includes an example of a USB Mouse, I'd say it probably works provided your mic works over USB 2.0

My main concern is with cutting power the mic entirely as for some weird reason Windows detects the mic as both an input and an output.  Even after I've disabled the output device in Windows, whenever the mic is reconnected I need to manually go in and change my output device.  If Windows detects this as disconnecting and reconnecting the device (which I feel like it could?) then I'd be in trouble.

[AdvocateOfNyx]

3 hours ago, Tigerleon said:

There is a software called mic mute or something like that. Then you can bind a keyboard key and you'll hear a beep when it is muted.

Thanks, but I'm concerned about knowing when the mic is muted.  When I was using a headset mic, the mic would glow red when it was muted.  Now that I'm using a standalone microphone, I was looking for something physical that would let me see when the mic is/isn't muted.  I probably should have included that in my post.  Thanks for the advice though, might use that in the meantime or if I can't find a product to do what I'd like.

[Tigerleon]

2 minutes ago, AdvocateOfNyx said:

Thanks, but I'm concerned about knowing when the mic is muted.  When I was using a headset mic, the mic would glow red when it was muted.  Now that I'm using a standalone microphone, I was looking for something physical that would let me see when the mic is/isn't muted.  I probably should have included that in my post.  Thanks for the advice though, might use that in the meantime or if I can't find a product to do what I'd like.

True. Then I guess that one would work. As long as it has data transfer capabilities which I think it has it wouldn't be a problem with that switch

 

[Exidor]

Buying that switch would be the same as unplugging the microphone.....

So same problems would apply.

[AdvocateOfNyx]

42 minutes ago, Exidor said:

Buying that switch would be the same as unplugging the microphone.....

So same problems would apply.

Yeah, that's why I was wondering if there might be one that could mute it without making windows stop detecting it as a device.

[Exidor]

All the solutions I know would just cut power.

That would make windows stop detecting it.

[Exidor]

OK so after thinking for a bit.

I see 2 solutions.

1. Get a physical volume control that connects to the PC and has a mute button. Use the software to map it to your microphone volume in windows.

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Lossless-Computer-Controller-Adjuster/dp/B01MV411BR

2. Or try searching for some sort of mixer board for the PC. But non that I know off have USB output control. Maybe the really high ends do.

[YoMz]

if your device is USB based and you put a power switch on it, then Windows will almost always detect that device as being "ejected" from the USB port because power has been cut off... that's just how the USB port works (this is why a lot of consumer grade USB devices come with software or automatic drivers that handle active and low power states to prevent them from being "ejected" by Windows, ex: Xbox Controllers don't need to be unplugged from your PC because Windows automatically detects whether you are actively using it or not)

 

I suggest you just get a DAC since they're fairly cheap and they come with a variety of input and output options (depending on what DAC you get) and use an XLR based input because mics that use phantom power will always get better quality audio input than USB based ones... this would be the most ideal solution to your problem...

 

if you are willing to search around, a power modulation (potentiometer) based solution would be your best option... because potentiometers have a range of power modulation between the states of ON and OFF (which is essentially a volume control knob) you can just use that instead... there are a variety of USB based volume controls you can buy for both input and output (mic and speakers) for the PC (although I can't really recommend any brands because they're mostly generic peripherals you can find everywhere... the branded ones always come in packages that include the speakers and/or mic)

[Exidor]

37 minutes ago, YoMz said:

if your device is USB based and you put a power switch on it, then Windows will almost always detect that device as being "ejected" from the USB port because power has been cut off... that's just how the USB port works (this is why a lot of consumer grade USB devices come with software or automatic drivers that handle active and low power states to prevent them from being "ejected" by Windows, ex: Xbox Controllers don't need to be unplugged from your PC because Windows automatically detects whether you are actively using it or not)

 

I suggest you just get a DAC since they're fairly cheap and they come with a variety of input and output options (depending on what DAC you get) and use an XLR based input because mics that use phantom power will always get better quality audio input than USB based ones... this would be the most ideal solution to your problem...

 

if you are willing to search around, a power modulation (potentiometer) based solution would be your best option... because potentiometers have a range of power modulation between the states of ON and OFF (which is essentially a volume control knob) you can just use that instead... there are a variety of USB based volume controls you can buy for both input and output (mic and speakers) for the PC (although I can't really recommend any brands because they're mostly generic peripherals you can find everywhere... the branded ones always come in packages that include the speakers and/or mic)

 

I would suggest staying away from a potentiometer that could kill the USB mic fast..... Never know if the circuits can take it.

 

I actually got curious and looked at those generic volume controllers. Most of them are pretty crap. Limited programmability in the software and you would really have to hack it together. They are meant for audio playback control so mute volume skip song. But most of them just control the windows media volume setting.

 

So after some digging I found this.

ShuttleXpress

https://www.contourdesign.com/product/shuttle/

https://www.amazon.com/Contour-Design-Shuttle-Xpress-Multimedia-Controller/dp/B0001DBEKG/ref=pd_sbs_15?pd_rd_w=GuPSf&pf_rd_p=c52600a3-624a-4791-b4c4-3b112e19fbbc&pf_rd_r=EZ4J2RYF1MMTTEYEGZBW&pd_rd_r=210845e3-5ea8-4144-b96e-d081fe40a886&pd_rd_wg=nn5mR&pd_rd_i=B0001DBEKG&psc=1

Programming the thing

https://johnstonsoftwaresolutions.com/2019/02/03/configuring-contour-shuttlexpress-for-media-controls/

https://superuser.com/questions/55598/super-key-to-pause-mute-mic-and-mute-speakers-in-windows

And honestly I think that is the best you are going to get. without switching to a new microphone that either has a built in volume control or as suggested above runs through a dac.