Mic monitoring is a feature that significantly improves virtual communication. This feature isn’t just limited to PCs and laptops, but it’s also available on many gaming consoles. We’ve compiled this helpful guide to understand how mic monitoring will improve your gaming experience.
What is Mic Monitoring?
One major drawback of gaming with headsets is that you cannot hear your voice. Mic monitoring is a feature that enables you to listen to your own voice through speakers or headsets. It helps you monitor your voice by feeding the sound input directly to your headsets and modulating the volume, thus enhancing your and others’ gaming experience.
1 What is Mic Monitoring?2 How to Use Mic Monitoring2.1 Method #1: For Windows PCs2.2 Method #2: For Xbox One2.3 Method #3: For PlayStation2.4 Method #4: For Mac2.5 Method #5: For Phones3 4 Benefits of Using Mic Monitoring for Gaming3.1 Benefit #1: Troubleshooting 3.2 Benefit #2: Modulating your Voice3.3 Benefit #3: Avoiding Misinterpretation 3.4 Benefit #4: Saving Time for Post Production4 What to do if your Headset Doesn’t Support Mic Monitoring4.1 Turtle Beach Audio Controller Plus4.2 Astro Gaming MixAmp 5 Conclusion
Mic monitoring helps you hear your voice exactly as it would sound through the recipients’ speakers. It dramatically improves interactions while also informing you if your mic is malfunctioning. You can also gauge any unpleasant background noises from your end that you can remove.
How to Use Mic Monitoring
There are different ways to enable mic monitoring based on your console. Before connecting to any device, check to see if your headset supports mic monitoring. Every headset does not possess the feature so checking before enabling it on your console or PC is crucial.
Method #1: For Windows PCs
Windows PCs have their built-in mic monitoring feature. You can access it from the following settings.
Connect your headset to the PC. Go to the Sound icon and select Sounds. Go to the Recording tab. Select the device or headset you’re using from the list of devices. Click on Properties. Go to the Listen tab and check the box that says Listen to This Device. You will now be able to hear yourself on your headphones.
Method #2: For Xbox One
The Xbox One has the settings for mic monitoring built into it and is enabled if you plug in a compatible headset. In case that does not happen, follow these steps.
Plug in the headsets compatible with mic monitoring on your Xbox One controller. Press the Xbox button and then go to the leftmost tab on the screen. Select Systems. Locate the Audio button. A mic monitoring slider will appear. Adjust it according to the settings you want to achieve.
You can disable this feature by sliding the mic monitoring slider to the lowest value. At a higher volume, your Xbox One might give an echo when your voice plays back. This can occur when the settings are on the audio output party chat. You can lower the volume to prevent any unpleasant echoes.
Method #3: For PlayStation
The mic monitoring feature is already built into the PlayStation 4 and 5, but you can adjust the volume according to your needs from these steps.
Locate the Settings tab on the screen. Go to Devices. From Devices, select Audio Devices. Select Systems. Navigate to the Audio button. A bar called Sidetone Volume should appear. Adjust the slider according to your modulation needs.
The feature disables itself when you disconnect your headsets.
Method #4: For Mac
Unlike Windows, the Mac software does not have a built-in mic monitoring feature. Therefore, you must undergo a few extra steps before accessing this attribute.
Install an application that can enable mic monitoring. QuickTime is the most recommended software. Choose the File option from the QuickTime player bar. Select the New Audio Recording option. Increase the volume to the upper limit. There is no need to record your voice to check if the feature is enabled.
In case QuickTime does not work, AudioMonitor is a good alternative.
Method #5: For Phones
You can always connect your headsets to your phone if you need a dedicated device to play games. Usually, this option is available in the general sound settings. However, if you have an Android Device, perform the following process.
Go to Settings and select Apps. Click on the Permissions tab. Go to the Microphone panel to adjust microphone settings. All apps that use the microphone will be listed. Next, click on your game of choice. Enable access to the microphone and modify the settings based on the playback volume you want.
4 Benefits of Using Mic Monitoring for Gaming
Mic monitoring has several benefits in gaming. Apart from making the gaming experience ten times better, mic monitoring allows for easy troubleshooting, easy voice modulation, and saves post-production time. Below, we’ve listed four benefits of using mic monitoring for gaming.
Benefit #1: Troubleshooting
Gamers who prefer multiplayer games stress the importance of communication. If someone’s microphone frequently malfunctions, other players would want to mute or cut them out. To prevent being the annoying person with a faulty microphone, gamers use mic monitoring to see how they sound to the other players.
Benefit #2: Modulating your Voice
Many games need constant communication for the players to reach the end goal. If you want to liaise strategically with fellow gamers, you need to make sure you sound appropriate. Mic monitoring helps you modulate your voice if it is too soft or quiet. You can adjust your voice to display professionalism while communicating effectively.
Benefit #3: Avoiding Misinterpretation
Mic monitoring helps you adjust the pitch of your voice. The other players might be unnerved if your voice is too shrill or aggressive. Considering you cannot gauge your tone if you are overwhelmed with the in-game surroundings, it’s best to turn on mic monitoring during gaming to prevent sounding emotionally charged in a high-stakes game.
Benefit #4: Saving Time for Post Production
Some gamers utilize their gameplay and audio for videos that they can put up on the internet. Mic monitoring is crucial to this process because it saves time during post-editing. In addition, if your audio is crisp enough, you can put the original audio into the video without heavily editing it to remove background noise.
What to do if your Headset Doesn’t Support Mic Monitoring
If your headset does not support mic monitoring, you may need a third-party device to control audio settings. We recommend checking out amplifiers if you still need gaming headsets. Some of the choices preferred by gamers worldwide are given below.
Turtle Beach Audio Controller Plus
This amp is appropriate for the Xbox One. It is a third-party audio controller. These devices allow you to adjust the audio settings without accessing your console’s settings page. Instead, there are onboard controls for Mic Monitoring that can be adjusted according to the gamer’s needs. In addition, you can conveniently adjust game and chat volumes separately.
Astro Gaming MixAmp
This amplifier can adjust volume controls with the Xbox One, Mac, and PC. As a result, it is the leading choice for gamers, vlogging professionals, and content creators. With dedicated mixers for voice balance and a Dolby Surround Sound system, this amplifier rivals a good gaming headset.
Conclusion
Mic monitoring is a handy feature in a gaming experience due to its significant role in virtual communication. You can modulate your sound, troubleshoot in case of your mic malfunctioning, and communicate effectively in a multiplayer game. We hope this article helped you recognize the benefits and how to use them the next time you play a game on your PC or console.
