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My MacBook's internal microphone input level is too low since update

Hi there!

Since I update my system to 10.4.7 or 10.4.8, the input level of my MacBook's internal microphone is way too low. I have to set the input volume to at least 50 % to see any slight input level. And if I max the input volume, the volume level goes up to 25 % with normal speaking. If I speak very loud, the volume level will sometimes go up to 50 %.

Altogether it's very annoying. iChat, which I use nearly every day, is now actually unusable. I can't scream into the micro at work after all. I recorded my voice with GarageBand as a second test, and the result was just a faint whisper, too.

Exactly the same is also true for my girlfriend's MacBook: Never any problems with the microphone, and now the input level has dropped down. My brother's MacBook in contrast has no microphone problems at all.

I would appreciate any help or tips... Thanks in advance.
Henry

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Oct 15, 2006 7:22 AM

Reply
69 replies

Oct 15, 2006 12:34 PM in response to henmue

I just did the 10.4.8 update myself today and noticed the same problem. I did a quick internet search but havent found anything on it.
I found it also "gaining up" all by itself if i put the slider to about 25% and spoke loudly into it. This really *****.
I wonder was it because I did a transfer using Migration Assistant from a Mac mini that didnt have a microphone but I was using a USB skype headset for it??
Only have the MacBook for a week and this is the first problem I've had.
Would be greatful if anyone had any suggestions.
R

Oct 15, 2006 12:54 PM in response to henmue

Hi there!

@ Chatchavit

No, it's not the normal level. I can compare three MacBooks: They were all ok, and now two of them went "deaf".


@ ronandonohoe

I think there is a misunderstanding: I did not mean the automatic volume adjustment (, which can be annoying, too).

What I meant is, that I have more or less to cry into my microphone to have some medium input level after the latest upates. Normally, I would blame the microphone. But it happened with my girlfriend's and my own MacBook at the same time...

What can I do to repair the audio input level?

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1,83 GHz, 2 GB Ram

Oct 15, 2006 1:02 PM in response to henmue

@ ronandonohoe

I think there is a misunderstanding: I did not mean
the automatic volume adjustment (, which can be
annoying, too).

What I meant is, that I have more or less to cry into
my microphone to have some medium input level after
the latest upates. Normally, I would blame the
microphone. But it happened with my girlfriend's and
my own MacBook at the same time...

What can I do to repair the audio input


I wish I knew. My input level setting has to be at 100% for me to be heard. I even went into iMovie and recorded my own voice through the iSight and mic just to see what it was like and its gone REALLY low. Very annoying.
Hope I dont have to do a whole erase and install because thats what I spent the whole day doing, and now that Im totally up to date I get this problem
Hopefully someone out there will find a fix for our deaf macbooks. 😟

Oct 21, 2006 6:40 AM in response to henmue

Hi everyone!

Something new from the deaf MacBook front? I really do not want to do a reinstall... really 🙂 And I'm not the only one, as it seems.

Could there be some preferences or system files to trash in order to initialize audio settings or behaviour? I had an update problem with airport, too. and the deletion of some preferences fixed it. Maybe there is something analogous for audio...





MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1,83 GHz, 2 GB Ram

Oct 21, 2006 8:39 AM in response to henmue

Could there be some preferences or system files to
trash in order to initialize audio settings or
behaviour?


I'm not actually using my MacBook right now but if you do a search for "audio" on your HD it should throw up a few preference files. Maybe take a note of their location, make a copy and delete the original one by one to find the erroneous one? At least if anything goes wrong you can replace it with the original.
Thats where I'd start anyway.

Nov 2, 2006 12:50 AM in response to henmue

Hi there,

I just want to share my findings wih you: I was really fed up with the situation yesterday and re-installed 10.4.6 from the MacBook install DVD. Tried the microphone -- worked like a charm. This time I took the Combo-update to 10.4.8. Well -- same problem as before. So the problem is definitively related to the system update. I wish it could be sorted out by just exchanging one file or something like that...

Holger.

MB 2GHz, 2 GB Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Nov 16, 2006 11:30 AM in response to Ronan Donohoe

Could there be some preferences or system files to
trash in order to initialize audio settings or
behaviour?


I'm not actually using my MacBook right now but if
you do a search for "audio" on your HD it should
throw up a few preference files. Maybe take a note of
their location, make a copy and delete the original
one by one to find the erroneous one? At least if
anything goes wrong you can replace it with the
original.
Thats where I'd start anyway.


I tried to delete some preference files related to audio or midi settings, but sadly it had no effect on the "deafness".


MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1,83 GHz, 2 GB Ram

My MacBook's internal microphone input level is too low since update

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