Can I boost my mic any more?

Can people hear you when you use a voice chat client? Sometimes the playback of what you record can seem muted, even if the recording level is adequate. Skype has a test call application you can use for calibration. You might try that.

No, I tried that. It’s just really quiet.

There is an option somewhere for audio settings. I don’t know where that is in Vista, but in XP it’s Start/programs/acessories/entertainment/volume control

Usually the line in volume is set to 50%, and perhaps that’s what your mic is using, and all you’ll have to do is raise it from there.

If not, try plugging it into a different slot (is it even in the correct one?). Some are louder than others, and you can then play around with them.

I cannot imagine that your mic is so low that you need to make it higher. Normally even 0db would be enough to hear, and +30db would just make it distorted.

If you have a laptop or other computer without a good sound card, there might not be anything you can do. Microphones and audio sources like iPods have different amplification requirements, and computers with only one line in jack aren’t always up to the task. Maybe a USB sound card would help, but you could probably get a better headset and mic combo for less.

I figured it out. The mic has some built in acoustic dampening for drowning out outside noise and it’s not very close to my mouth so it doesn’t pick up my voice very well.