Mic Monitoring: Should It Be Set It High, Low, Or Other?

Mic monitoring is essential for gamers as it allows them to hear themselves clearly and accurately to avoid yelling or asking if people can listen to them. You may have a few questions if you’re a gamer and want to try mic monitoring. Do you want mic monitoring high or low? How do you optimize your mic? 

You should have your mic monitoring high for gaming, but your volume set to what it usually is. If you hear an echo or background sound, lower the mic monitoring and try it again. This way, you can listen to yourself accurately but avoid picking up sounds in the background. 

All headsets and microphones have a different mic monitoring level. You need to test the levels and see which works best to have a clear sound without echoes or background noise.

Read on to learn why mic monitoring is essential and how to set it up and optimize your mic. 

Is Mic Monitoring a Good Idea for Gamers and Phone Calls? 

Mic monitoring is a fantastic feature that can be used by anyone that games, has conference calls, vlogs, or produces spoken content.

The ability to hear yourself clearly and accurately shows how other people will listen to you, and you can adjust and change the environment if you don’t like how it sounds. 

The main reasons mic monitoring is excellent for gaming are:

• Avoid shouting
• Less chaotic
• Balances sounds
• High-quality audio

Mic monitoring allows you to speak more softly and avoid shouting during games or calls. You can hear yourself to determine if you are talking too quietly or loud. You also won’t have to ask if others can listen to you. 

Cooperative gaming can be very chaotic, with gamers talking and the game’s sound. The last thing they need is unwanted background noise or echoes.

Mic monitoring eliminates the sounds in the background and produces a clean, crisp sound instead of muted or staticky.

Everyone speaks at a different volume throughout games and conference calls, and there may be unnecessary noise.

Mic monitoring balances sounds so that you hear everyone at a reasonable degree and balances out unnecessary noises.

Plus, it will balance in sounds if you are talking too quietly, and it will balance out too much sound if you are talking too loud. 

The best feature of mic monitoring is that it ensures that you have high-quality sound.  By filtering out excess noises, changing the tone, volume, and style of your voice, and preventing static, you can communicate clearly and effectively without any doubt! 

How Do I Turn on Mic Monitoring? 

Mic monitoring can be used on many devices, from an Xbox to a laptop to a phone! 

To turn on mic monitoring on your Xbox, follow the following steps:

• Connect your mic-monitoring headphones or headset to your controller
• Press the Xbox button on the home screen
• Choose systems 
• Navigate to audio on the far right
• Choose the last slider. 

If your headphones have controls for mic monitoring, you will need to disable the microphone monitoring in the headset’s settings. Otherwise, you will not be able to add mic monitoring on the Xbox. 

To turn on mic monitoring on Windows 10, follow the following steps:

• Connect your microphone/headset to the computer
• Open up settings or control panel
• Select the sound image
• Click the tap marked “Recording.”
• Set your microphone to the one you connected
• Then tap “listen” and “listen to this device.” 
• Select the desired headset for your microphone output and choose the option “playback for this device.”

Setting up mic monitoring on a Mac is different than windows. You will need to download and install an app because there is no built-in method. Here are the recommended steps to take:

• Connect the microphone
• Download QuickTime or AudioMonitor
• Open QuickTime
• Select File 
• Choose “New Audio Recording” 
• Increase the volume 
• Test your volume and clarity
• Adjust as needed

You can enable mic monitoring on your phone by using the sound level bar. You can visually see how loud or soft you are speaking. Select Settings>Apps> Permissions> Microphone to see your sound on an Android or iPhone. 

How Do I Optimize My Gaming Mic?

Use a wired headset with a microphone to optimize your gaming mic for the best sound. This will prevent any internet or connectivity issues from your headset.

Bluetooth headphones also affect the mic quality due to the transmission, so ensure your headphones and audio source have the same codec. 

To have the best mic sound, pay close attention to the following details: 

• Microphone position
• Microphone monitoring 
• Microphone sensitivity
• Volume

Positioning your microphone strategically will prevent static, echoes, feedback, and interference. You can bend the microphone down to the side of your mouth and place it at least one inch away. Placing it too close can allow others to hear your breathing. 

Use your mic monitor to test the sounds that block background noise and find an ideal setting for your voice. Adjust the slider to find a level that gives you a clear, precise sound.

Also, make sure that your microphone level is appropriate. If you are in a noisy area and the microphone level is high, background noise will be extremely evident. 

If your microphone is extremely sensitive and your mic monitoring isn’t producing a clear sound, then put a piece of tape on the microphone or cover it with mic foam. 

The last step for optimizing your mic is to balance the volume of your headphones with your mic monitoring. If the volume is too high along with your mic monitoring, there is a possibility of feedback and echoes. 

Final Thoughts

Mic monitoring is a great way to improve communication between gamers or during conference calls. Make sure you set your mic monitoring to an appropriate level for your headset, but it should be sent too high.

It may take some adjusting to get used to, but once you mess around with the levels, you’ll find the best mic monitoring level for you!