Too loud and clipping
You hear
Your voice distorts or breaks up when you laugh or raise it.
Clipping means your signal hit the digital ceiling. Lower the level and back the mic off; distortion made at the mic can't be fully fixed later.
Likely causes, in order
Check them top to bottom. The room and the mic come first because no setting can remove what a closer mic or a closed door would.
| 01 · Layer | 02 · Likely cause | 03 · Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 01 · Mic | The mic is very close, or you laugh or shout straight into it | Back the mic off a little, especially for laughter and raised voices back off |
| 02 · Mic | The gain on the mic or audio interface is set too high | Start the gain low and raise it until your loudest moments peak around −12 to −6 dB gain down |
| 03 · System | The input volume in your system is set high | Lower Input volume in Windows sound settings, or the input slider in System Settings → Sound → Input on a Mac input volume |
| 04 · System | Audio enhancements add distortion on some devices | Turn off audio enhancements for the device in your Windows sound settings enhancements off |
| 05 · App | The app's input volume is high and automatic gain is off | Lower the app's input volume, or turn on its automatic mic volume so it holds a steady level app input |
By app
- Steam voice chat
- Valve says to set Steam's input volume while in a voice chat with a friend, and to decrease it if you are too loud.
- PlayStation party chat
- On PS5, open the control center, select Mic and adjust the microphone level so your speaking voice sits in the Good range.
- Zoom
- Automatically adjust microphone volume keeps your level consistent. With it off, the Input volume slider sets the level by hand.
- Microsoft Teams
- Automatically adjust mic sensitivity, under Settings → Devices, keeps your level steady so everyone hears you at about the same volume.
- Discord
- Discord's guide says to set the input and output volume to sensible levels in Voice & Video settings, and its Mic Test plays your voice back so you can hear whether it distorts.
Check it with the test
Read the sentence in the second step at the loudest you talk on a call, laugh included. Peak shows your loudest moment; the test flags clipping when it goes above −1 dBFS or when more than 10 samples hit full scale. Lower the gain until Peak stays below about −6 dBFS.
Run the noise test →Questions
Q.01Why does my voice break up only when I laugh?
Laughs and raised voices are your loudest moments, so they hit the ceiling first. Set the level for those, not for normal talking.
Q.02Will automatic gain stop clipping?
It helps with level, but not with every kind of distortion. RØDE notes that a mic pushed past its maximum sound level distorts before the signal reaches your computer, so lowering the gain may not help; move the mic further away instead.
Q.03What level should I aim for?
RØDE suggests peaks between −12 and −6 dB on your meter, which leaves headroom. In the noise test, keep the Peak reading in that range.
Related problems
Checked against
Vendor help pages and manufacturer guides, last checked :
- help.rode.com · How to Reduce Audio Distortion During Recording
- help.rode.com · Techniques for Gaining Stage Your Microphone During Recording
- support.apple.com · Change the Sound Input Settings on Mac
- support.microsoft.com · How to Set Up and Test Microphones in Windows
- support.microsoft.com · Fix Distorted or Crackling Audio in Windows
- help.steampowered.com · Voice Chat Connection and Quality Issues
- playstation.com · How to Change Audio Settings on PlayStation 5 Console
- support.zoom.com · Changing Settings in the Zoom Workplace Desktop and Mobile App
- support.microsoft.com · Manage Audio Settings in Microsoft Teams Meetings
- support.discord.com · Discord Voice and Video Troubleshooting Guide