ModMic 4.0 sounds muffled in TS3 and Skype but not elsewhere

[Oni07R]

So, today I received my brand new ModMic 4.0.

I tested the quality with Windows Sound Recorder and I was satisfied. I expected a bit more but maybe to achieve supreme quality I should have a dedicated sound card. Nevermind.

 

The problem is when I try to speak in TeamSpeak 3 and Skype: it sounds absolutely muffled!!

- I can clearly hear the "muffling" during the voice test/playback in TS3 settings.

- I then tried the Echo-Test call on Skype and my voice was muffled there too.

- I did another recording, this time with Auducity and the quality was perfect.

 

I also tested it on another computer (with onboard audio too) and the situation is the same: Windows Sound Recorder is perfect but TeamSpeak is very muffled.

 

I tried different driver version but nothing changed.

 

I've spent some hours looking for a fix but found nothing. It's driving me crazy.

Any idea why TS3 and Skype changes the audio quality?

 

 

EDIT:

https://soundcloud.com/oni07/sets/modmic-comparison-problem/s-KwyAS

 

The link above will lead you to two recordings I did. "AudioTS" is the recording from TeamSpeak while "AudioNormale" is a normal recording did with Audacity.

I felt like Linus doing that

[d3sl91]

If you haven't already, try turning off Teamspeaks background noise removal, automatic gain control, echo reduction/cancellation.

 

Settings>Options>Capture.

 

Skype probably has a similar setting. 

[Oni07R]

If you haven't already, try turning off Teamspeaks background noise removal, automatic gain control, echo reduction/cancellation.

 

Settings>Options>Capture.

 

Skype probably has a similar setting. 

 

I tried removing all possible audio manipulations, even in Windows settings.

I will add a link in the first post with two audio samples for a comparison.

[d3sl91]

I tried removing all possible audio manipulations, even in Windows settings.

I will add a link in the first post with two audio samples for a comparison.

Hmm, that is a very different sound for sure.

 

I have heard that having the mic on mono in the windows settings sometimes causes issues. Try changing the input type to stereo if it's mono, and vise versa.

[Oni07R]

There is no setting in Windows to change from stereo to mono or viceversa afaik.

[d3sl91]

Hmm, that is a very different sound for sure.

 

I have heard that having the mic on mono in the windows settings sometimes causes issues. Try changing the input type to stereo if it's mono, and vise versa.

 

 

 

Here are where those settings are, do you have those?

 

Here is a random similar issue, but not sure if its very helpful: http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=699657

[Oni07R]

I have those settings but all formats are 2 channels, not even one is single channel
Your mono/stereo idea made me think that maybe TS3 and Skype accept only mono inputs while ModMic is a stereo microphone.

How can I reduce it from stereo to mono (without a physical adapter) ?

[ShearMe]

The muffled sound is what the ModMic is SUPPOSED to sound like due to the sound cancelling feature. I suspect other Windows programs are recording in stereo, so the sound cancelling effect won't work in them.

How the sound cancellation works is, there's two capsules, and they are wired so that their polarities are reversed. When you sum stereo signals with reversed polarities to mono, any sound that enters both at relatively the same time will basically be pushing against itself, and be cancelled out. Applications like TS and Skype convert stereo to mono via software, so there's no incompatibility on the hardware sid and why stereo applications like Windows and Audacity sound more clear.

[Oni07R]

The muffled sound is what the ModMic is SUPPOSED to sound like due to the sound cancelling feature. I suspect other Windows programs are recording in stereo, so the sound cancelling effect won't work in them.

How the sound cancellation works is, there's two capsules, and they are wired so that their polarities are reversed. When you sum stereo signals with reversed polarities to mono, any sound that enters both at relatively the same time will basically be pushing against itself, and be cancelled out. Applications like TS and Skype convert stereo to mono via software, so there's no incompatibility on the hardware sid and why stereo applications like Windows and Audacity sound more clear.

 

What do you mean by "supposed to sound like"? To me, ModMic is supposed to sound like in the Audacity recording, not like in TS.

 

The question is still there: how can I make it sound properly in TS and Skype?

 

EDIT: After reading your post again, I'm even more confused. Audacity IS recording in stereo and both tracks (left and right) are exactly the same (separated them and listened to both).

So why does TS (if it converts as you say) have a quality loss at all? I'm not sure about your theory,

[Oni07R]

Well, guys, I was an idiot

There is no issue at all with TeamSpeak.

The audio I recorded was from the playback test you can do in settings and I though it was the same as the trasmitted one. But it's not.

I haven't tried Skype yet, but I guess that the bad audio I heard from Echo call is only in the Echo call.

So yeah, I did not test real scenarios and just jumped to conclusions.

 

I added another track, called "realAudioTS" that is recorded during a real TS conversation and it is very similar to the one recorded with Audacity.

 

Sorry guys for all the unnecessary mess.

 

 

Oh, one question: will an external sound card improve the mic quality? I read that ModMic can benefit a lot from a good sound card.

[Oni07R]

Quoting myself from another topic:

 

 

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION

 

I've bought a ModMic 4.0 less than a month ago and used it on my onboard (motherboard) soundcard (Realtek ALC898 chip but same issue happening with others Realtek chips too).

I had a huge problem: ModMic volume was very low AND using "microphone boost" slider created a ton of static noise. It was not usable.

Then I found this video from a guy who had the same issue. He resolved it by using a veeeery cheap USB sound card (2 bucks or less).

I did the same by buying a cheap USB sound card (not same as his) and I solved the problem too!!

 

Now ModMic 4.0 sounds perfectly and I really love it.

If you plan buying it, remember that onboard sound is NOT ADEQUATE for this microphone but a cheap (less than 3 dollars) USB sound card will fix it.

 

Video of "the guy who solved the issue":

 

The cheap USB sound card I bought:

http://www.ebay.it/itm/160612635510?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649