mdalegre

Q: Macbook Air Microphone Volume Very Low

I've had a few Facetime, Google+ Hangout, and Skype sessions with verious people and a common complaint is that the mic volume on my 2011 Macbook Air 13 is very low despite the gain being turned all the way up.  I found a thread where other people are experiencing this same issue.  I was hoping to get some feedback from others to see how common this issue is.  It would be interesting to see if it is in fact an issue with all Macbook Air's and could possibly be a driver or design issue.

 

Other Thread: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1204830

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Aug 4, 2011 6:39 PM

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Q: Macbook Air Microphone Volume Very Low

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  • by TNFurb,

    TNFurb TNFurb Oct 22, 2011 6:31 PM in response to mdalegre
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    Oct 22, 2011 6:31 PM in response to mdalegre

    Same issue with my recently purchased 13" MBA.  Interestingly enough the problem only seems to be with FaceTime.  When using iChat no one comlains about not hearing me.  I was worried it was just due ot the placement of the mic.  Glad to hear it is not, but I still can not understand why Apple put the mic on the side.  If the screen is just too thin for the mic to fit, it seems they would at leat put it on the top surface near the top of the keyboard.  This has been my only dissapointment with my MBA.  Other than this, I love this computer.

  • by gavinchang,

    gavinchang gavinchang Oct 23, 2011 8:10 AM in response to TNFurb
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    Oct 23, 2011 8:10 AM in response to TNFurb

    Someone say flip on the mic might help... Any idea where is the mic of new MacBook Air? I couldn't find it... Is it beside the camera or somewhere else? Please tell me if you know, Cos I couldn't find on Apple's web page... Many thanks

  • by TNFurb,

    TNFurb TNFurb Oct 23, 2011 6:10 PM in response to mdalegre
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    Oct 23, 2011 6:10 PM in response to mdalegre

    @gavinchang - On my 13" MBA it is on the left hand side near the earphone input jack.

  • by anorphius,

    anorphius anorphius Feb 11, 2012 11:01 PM in response to mdalegre
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    Feb 11, 2012 11:01 PM in response to mdalegre

    Add me and my sister as two more with this same problem.  We both have 2011 13" MBAs, and both of us have the mic issue when calling with facetime.  Mic seems to work fine in ichat and in skype though.  I've noticed that the microphone input volume in preferences drops really low whenever a facetime call is initiated, but then normalizes after the call is ended.

     

    If I knew that bringing the computer in to the apple store for repairs would work, then I'd do it.  Something tells me that this is a software issue though and replacing the mic won't do anything to fix it.

  • by finin,

    finin finin May 6, 2012 10:57 AM in response to mdalegre
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    May 6, 2012 10:57 AM in response to mdalegre

    I have a 15" macbook pro from 2010.  Until about ten weeks ago the builtin mic worked great for skype and other applications.  Then people started telling me that my voice was very faint.  Today I looked into it and used audacity to record my voice under various situations.  I started by rebooting my machine.  I am running 10.7.3. The input is very faint for the builtin mic.  I get no input using an external USB mic.  I get a good signal if I use my phone headphones with its mic.  I tried adjusting the input level via the sound input widget from the system preferences app, the midi setup app and the controls in audacity and these did not change the situation -- i can only get useful sound input using my phone earphones via the headphone jack.

  • by linpo,

    linpo linpo Sep 28, 2012 6:01 PM in response to mdalegre
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    Sep 28, 2012 6:01 PM in response to mdalegre

    I have the late 2010 MBA 11". I hope that here in Chile they´ll fix the problem.

  • by ColeJ,

    ColeJ ColeJ Feb 27, 2013 2:29 AM in response to mdalegre
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    Feb 27, 2013 2:29 AM in response to mdalegre

    im having the same problem. i have a macbook pro and my fiance has an air. on facetime, i can barely hear her but she can hear me perfectly. all of our  mic inputs are up to the max. we tried it on skype and voila! the mic works! what's up with facetime?

  • by maattiio,

    maattiio maattiio Sep 10, 2013 2:45 AM in response to mdalegre
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    Sep 10, 2013 2:45 AM in response to mdalegre

    Same issue, the mic in my Mid-2011 Mac Air is terrible.

    People care barely hear me, my voice is quiet and muffled.

    I had it replaced by Apple and nothing changed, it's still terrible...

  • by John Andrew Alves,

    John Andrew Alves John Andrew Alves Nov 23, 2013 11:21 AM in response to mdalegre
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    Nov 23, 2013 11:21 AM in response to mdalegre

    I have a 2006 MacBook Pro (I know, vintage right?) and I'm having the exact same problem... Everytime I'm on facetime I can hear the other person loud and clear, but the other person can't hear me loud enough... I have to speak really close to the keyboard to make myself understandable,  but even so, they don't hear me loud enough to have a normal conversation.

    I doubt that that is something wrong with the mic because I also use skype and it works just fine. I've increased the internal mic volume up to the max, but still no change... I'm troubled...

     

    Any recent news?

     

    Thanks

  • by Igor Tiago,

    Igor Tiago Igor Tiago Oct 27, 2014 5:42 PM in response to mdalegre
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    Oct 27, 2014 5:42 PM in response to mdalegre

    I'm having the exact same problem.

     

    I need to speak loudly for the other person to hear me. (skype or facetime) But when I type something on the keyboard, the other person hears me perfectly.

     

    which can be ??

    Do not know if it's the case, but I realized this problem, and after I bought and installed my apple tv. May only be coincidence. Or not ???

     

    Thanks.

  • by GBJerry,

    GBJerry GBJerry Nov 10, 2014 7:12 AM in response to mdalegre
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    Desktops
    Nov 10, 2014 7:12 AM in response to mdalegre

    The volume on the microphone on my "Air" was so low as to be unusable. I was about to take it in to see a Genius when I took a magnifier and looked at the tiny thing on the left side of he MacBookAir and saw that most of the minuscule holes were plugged with whatever.  I took a needle and opened them and it's loud and clear now. Maybe that would work for others.  My "Book" is going on 4 years old.  Lots of dust and lint in that time.  I plan to vacuum often.    Jerry H

  • by GBJerry,

    GBJerry GBJerry Nov 15, 2014 6:32 AM in response to mdalegre
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    Nov 15, 2014 6:32 AM in response to mdalegre

    Apparently replacing the mic module fixes the problem, but some new machines seem to have the same problem. I looked at my poorly performing microphone with a magnifying glass and found most of the little holes plugged with lint.  I used a fine sewing needle to open them and the microphone began working much better but still not as well as my iMac.  This whole issue came up for me as I answered the phone on my laptop - now available with Yosemite.

     

    The mic needs to be moved to the top surface.

  • by Igor Tiago,

    Igor Tiago Igor Tiago Nov 15, 2014 11:30 AM in response to GBJerry
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    Nov 15, 2014 11:30 AM in response to GBJerry

    Jerry H

     

    You are a genius.

    Yes, I got a needle and cleaned the holes. Perfect, my mic is working again.

     

    Thank you my friend.

     

    I solved one big problem, because as I work with the Mac, had no time to let him look for support.

     

    Thank you very much.

  • by GBJerry,

    GBJerry GBJerry Nov 15, 2014 1:31 PM in response to Igor Tiago
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    Desktops
    Nov 15, 2014 1:31 PM in response to Igor Tiago

    You are very welcomed, Igor. Happy it worked for you.

  • by Igor Tiago,

    Igor Tiago Igor Tiago Nov 15, 2014 1:40 PM in response to GBJerry
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    Nov 15, 2014 1:40 PM in response to GBJerry

    Thx

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