Microphone (Internal and External) is too sensitive. Background noise are nearly as loud as my voice.

Question

Level 1

4 points

Microphone (Internal and External) is too sensitive. Background noise are nearly as loud as my voice.

Problem:

When using any teleconference software and I'm not speaking, background sounds (like others talking quietly at the other end of the room) are picked up loudly, almost at the same volume as when I speak. When I start to speak, those background noises disappear.

Question:

It seems like OSX is running some sort of lifter/compressor to optimize the input volume. Is there some sort of dynamic sound leveling happening behind the scenes? If so, how do I disable it?

Finally, are there any applications that will allow me to configure a noise gate or threshold on the microphone? It would be nice to set a minimum db threshold for the mic.

Thanks all, and God bless...

-Jeff

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Sep 11, 2012 2:17 PM

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Answer 1

JRG Indy Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 11, 2012 5:49 PM in response to sanjampet

Thanks for the good advice. I tried the ESC to Speak, but it didn't work for what I needed.

However, the concept of "push to talk" led me to a good $2.99 program in the App Store called "Shush".

Now, if we can just get the Sush developer to add "Speak above X db" instead of a keypress 🙂

Thanks again!

-Jeff

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Answer 2

JRG Indy Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 11, 2012 2:42 PM in response to sanjampet

Thanks, Sanjampet. I have tried that, and it greatly reduced ambient room noise and improved clarity.

Unfortunately, when my officemates are talking (even quietly and 15 feet away), people on the other end of my conference can hear every word they are saying.

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Answer 3

sanjampet

Level 5

7,988 points

Sep 11, 2012 3:09 PM in response to JRG Indy

Try turning down the microphone level, and speaking up more yourself. We have inverse square law in effect here.

Most audio is highly compressed at the server so as to not overdrive the devices in that signal chain, unless you are using very high end encoders(read $$$$).

Check your software and see if there is a noise gate setting, which would allow you to set a threshold for which the microphone will activate, anything below the threshold the mic will be turned off.

Also let your officemates know that you are "on air and keep their comments to a minimum, and if they must confer, whisper into each others ear, just like on a TV set or a radio studio.

Or you can spend alot of money for a number of pieces of equipment to accomplish this action.(and not always with great results)

As you probaly guess I have a fair amount of audio experience, decades.

"Physics it's the law"

All the best

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Answer 4

sanjampet

Level 5

7,988 points

Sep 11, 2012 3:38 PM in response to sanjampet

I just had another thought, I've never tried it, but it is worth trying. Go to system preferences>speech,click speakable items, the default is to presss ESC to speak, and I believe it mutes the mic when not pressed.

There will be a small icon on the bottom right of the screen that will display arrows pointed at the microhone when it is picking signal up.

Maybe this might help your situation.

Let me know if this helps.

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Answer 5

sanjampet

Level 5

7,988 points

Sep 11, 2012 2:36 PM in response to JRG Indy

Try this, go to system preferences>sound>input, set to internal mic. At the bottom of the screen there is a checkbox "reduce ambient sound" click that and see if it helps.

All the best

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