Do you often end up raising your voice while speaking into your mic when you’re wearing headphones? During webinars, virtual conference, work-related calls, podcast, or online gaming sessions, do you wondering if your voice is clear to the individual(s) on the hearing end. If the answer to these questions is yes, then the mic monitoring feature can be extremely helpful for you. But what is mic monitoring?
With mic monitoring, you can clearly hear yourself while you’re speaking into your mic, even if you’re wearing headphones or gaming headsets. Read further to know how mic monitoring works.
What Does Mic Monitoring Do?
Mic monitoring is a feature found in some headphones and headsets. It transmits the audio data from your microphone straight to your headphones/headset.
Therefore, you can listen to your own voice through your headphones’ or headset’s speakers and better control it while playing games, vlogging, podcasting, and attending virtual meetings, conference calls and webinars. Mic monitoring helps a great deal in ensuring you’re delivering clear audio through your microphone.
Benefits of Mic Monitoring
Ensure Clear Communication for a Stellar Gaming Experience
With mic monitoring, you ensure clear communication with your team members or opponents while playing games, such as FPS games or a team deathmatch. After all, it doesn’t matter if you’re using the most expensive headset for gaming. If you’re not communicating with your team or opponents clearly, you’ve already lost the game!
Identify and Address Audio Issues in Real Time
Mic monitoring enables you to identify audio issues as they arise in real time. For example, if there is any background noise interfering with your audio, you can immediately switch your location to ensure fewer distractions. Mic monitoring would allow you to identify such issues immediately and take corrective action without delay.
Adjust Your Volume, Tone and Pitch Instantly
You can easily modify how you voice sounds, your tone and your pitch with the mic monitoring function. For example, if you have more background noise around you and your mic audio is unmonitored, you may sound like you’re yelling. Similarly, if the environment around you is very silent and you’re not monitoring your mic audio, you may be speaking very softly or at a very low volume.
What Is Mic Monitoring on Xbox?
Mic monitoring on Xbox is a tool that allows you to listen in on what other players are hearing while you are interacting with them in-game, using your microphone.
After all, communication is the key in multiplayer games or a squad deathmatch. Mic monitoring sends the input from your microphone to your headphones or headset, allowing you to test the sensitivity of your microphone instantly. You can also determine whether or not the other players can hear distracting background noises, such as keystrokes or the TV in the living room.
A properly adjusted microphone is critical to the success of a game, and this is particularly true with multiplayer games that you play on your Xbox.
How to Use Mic Monitoring on a PC?
Ensure your headphones and microphone are plugged into your computer before proceeding. Since Windows and Mac are two distinct operating systems, we’ll be discussing them individually.
How to Enable Mic Monitoring on a PC?
- Right click the taskbar’s Sound icon and choose Sounds.
- Select the device you’re using by clicking the Recording tab, then clicking Properties.
- Go to the tab labeled Listen, then check the option that reads Listen to this device.
How to Disable Mic Monitoring on a PC?
The process of disabling the function is almost as simple as enabling it. In essence, the process varies only by one little and evident step.
- In the Control Panel, choose the Sound icon. A window will appear.
- Select the “Recording” option from the menu.
- By double clicking, choose the default microphone device. A new window will open.
- Select the “Listen” option from the menu.
- Next, remove the checkmark from the box next to the tab that reads “Listen to this Device,” then click the “OK” button.
All done!
How to Use Mic Monitoring on Mac?
On Mac, there is no built-in option to activate microphone monitoring. Don’t lose hope! It is still possible to utilize this function; you’ll have to install certain apps.
QuickTime is the most convenient method for mic monitoring, so we’ll focus on that.
How to Enable Mic Monitoring on Mac?
- Install the QuickTime application for microphone monitoring.
- Launch the app.
- Go to the “File” menu and choose “New Audio Recording” from the QuickTime player bar.
- Lift the volume slider to its highest setting.
How to Disable Mic Monitoring on Mac?
The answer to this one is as obvious. You can disable the Mic Monitoring feature by simply lowering the volume or closing QuickTime entirely. Either of these options will do the trick.
How to Use Mic Monitoring on Xbox?
In contrast to the PlayStation, the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles refer to microphone monitoring as “mic monitoring,” making locating the appropriate option much simpler.
The Xbox is similar to other game consoles in that it requires headphones that support mic monitoring.
How to Enable Mic Monitoring on Xbox?
When you pair your Xbox with a mic-monitoring compatible headset, the Xbox Mic Monitoring feature will immediately activate on its own. However, in the very unlikely event that it doesn’t, you may proceed as follows:
- Press your controller’s “Xbox” button to access the “Home” screen.
- Scroll down until you reach the “System” box and locate the “Audio” option.
- To alter the volume, locate the slider labeled “Mic Monitoring” then move that slider in either direction. Once you’ve adjusted the slider to your liking and can hear yourself clearly, you can exit the settings menu.
How to Disable Mic Monitoring on Xbox?
You may turn off this function by accessing the microphone monitoring settings on your Xbox. Then, either adjust the slider to a lower position or remove the headphones.
How to Use Mic Monitoring on PS4
If you want to use mic monitoring while playing on PS4, you’ll need headphones that are compatible with the system. The microphone-listening feature on PS4 is called Sidetone. Here are the steps you need take to activate Sidetone on your PS4:
How to Enable Mic Monitoring on PS4?
Enabling mic monitoring involves the following steps:
- Open settings.
- After that, go to the tab labeled “Devices.”
- Next, pick “Audio Devices” from the menu.
- You should now be able to see a seek bar labeled “Sidetone Volume.” Sidetone Volume is what the PlayStation’s mic monitoring function is named.
- You can drag it to the extreme right to turn mic monitoring on at full capacity.
How to Disable Mic Monitoring on PS4?
To disable mic monitoring, follow the steps below:
- Open settings
- After that, go to the tab labeled “Devices.”
- Next, pick “Audio Devices” from the menu.
- You should now be able to see a seek bar labeled “Sidetone Volume.” Sidetone Volume is what the PlayStation’s Mic Monitoring function is named.
- To disable mic monitoring, move the mic monitoring slider to the left.
How to Use Mic Monitoring on Discord?
It is possible to listen to your voice in Discord with a few clicks and adjustments.
How to Enable Mic Monitoring on Discord?
- Pick “Voice & Video” on the left side of the Settings menu, under “App Settings.” Doing so will bring up the menu where you may adjust your headset or microphone settings.
- Open the drop-down option that’s located under “Input Device” to make your selection for the microphone or headset that Discord should utilize. Choose the device you want to configure from the drop-down menu. If you choose the default option, Discord will use the microphone designated as the default for your operating system rather than the one you select.
- If the volume coming from your microphone is too high, you may adjust it by clicking and dragging the slider. You will find the slider under the heading “Input Volume.”
- Simply selecting the “Let’s Check” option inside the mic test menu will allow you to evaluate the sound output and overall quality of the microphone or headset you are currently using. It will make altering audio settings all the easier.
How to Disable Mic Monitoring on Discord?
It is a no brainer, don’t select the “Let’s Check” option.
How to Use Mic Monitoring on HyperX?
Using mic monitoring on HyperX is a breeze.
How to Enable Mic Monitoring on HyperX?
Press the microphone monitoring button on the HyperX controller for three seconds to activate the mic monitoring feature.
How to Disable Mic Monitoring on HyperX?
For disabling mic monitoring on HyperX, press and hold the mic monitoring button for three seconds.
Does Mic Monitoring Cause Echo?
Yes, sometimes, mic monitoring can cause an echo. For example, your microphone can pick up the sound again if the monitoring volume of your mic is set too high in your ears. If you were to record anything, it would seem as if there were a lingering echo with a low level in the background.
While some headphones eliminate the sound of the mic monitoring, you can reduce the issue by taking these steps. Just turn down the volume level on your headset a tiny bit. By doing so, you may hear yourself speak without being distracted by echoes.
Does Mic Monitoring Cause Static?
When using the microphone monitoring feature, placing the mike too near the speakers might result in static.
How Can I Set Up Mic Monitoring Without Any Lag Time?
Understanding what audio latency is essential to finding a solution to the delay problem. The time it takes for an audio signal to enter and depart the playback system, measured in milliseconds, is one definition of digital audio latency. It results from the switch from digital to analog and back again. Processing of digital signals and buffering of data both play a part as well.
Because of all the variables, latency-free mic monitoring is difficult. You need to think about reducing the amount of the buffer, and you also need to shut off any other applications on your computer that require audio. However, these are only some ways to achieve minimal digital audio delay.
A system that allows for real-time mic monitoring is excellent. The greatest option would be a mic you can monitor in real-time scenarios, which would be useful for various situations, including teleconferences, Zoom meetings, and online gaming with pals. However, we understand that it is easier said than done! However, at this time, we can only use the options mentioned above to lessen the lag time.
Final Words
So long as your computer and audio hardware are compatible, mic monitoring is a terrific and easy method to improve your voice or video chat experience.
By listening to your own voice and controlling it in real time you can avoid misunderstandings caused by loudness and tone, and ensure clear communication.
The times when you had to yell into your microphone are now behind you.
