Voice Recording Automatically Fades In

I am doing simple voice recording to import to a PowerPoint presentation. Whenever I start a new recording, the first five seconds record at a low volume, then the volume doubles for the next five seconds, and finally at 10 seconds doubles again to reach full volume. The recording is acting as if I have two discrete fade-ins (not a gradual fade-in). What could be causing that? I can’t find any settings that would be causing the step-up fade-in and didn’t find anything in the forum that discusses the problem Can anyone help?

I’m running Windows 10 and Audacity 2.0.5, and I’m using a Logiteach USB headset for my microphone and playback.

This is one of the versions of “Why do my recordings fade or sound like they were made in a tunnel.”

Make sure none of the Windows conferencing services are trying to “help you.”

http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq_recording_troubleshooting.html#enhancements

Do you use Skype or conferencing and/or leave it running in the background? That can cause problems.

When you record, do your blue sound waves make it up to about half-way before the volume boosts?

Logiteach USB headset

Most people don’t dive right into a headset. That’s not its original job is it?

Koz

Thank you. Your tips led me to find the cause of the problem. When I looked at the microphone’s custom tab, AGC was checked. I learned that AGC = Automatic Gain Control, which is what was causing the 10-second delay in getting to full volume.

With AGC turned off, however, the recorded volume stays at the initial low volume. I know I can boost the volume after I finish recording by pumping up the gain, but is there a setting I can adjust so that I can record at the right level in the first place and avoid the second step of boosting the gain?

On the microphone settings, the level is already set to 97.

Tom

It’s up to you to do what you need to make the volume come out right.

The goal is occasional blue sound wave peaks around -6dB to -10dB.

You may have fallen into the home recording trap. Microphone systems designed for home use can have “gentle” (low) volume on purpose. Nobody’s watching sound meters and overload (too loud) is instantly obvious and deadly. It sounds awful and it’s permanent.

Everybody assumes low volume is their fault and very few people send the microphone back.

You never said what the original job for the headset was.

Some Windows systems have a 20dB Microphone Boost setting. I don’t have Win10, so finding it is up to you.

Koz

Figure : Levels tab

Click the Recording tab.
Select the microphone, then click Properties. Figure : Recording tab in the Sound window.
Click the Levels tab.
Change the microphone level to 100 and the Microphone Boost to +10.0dB. …
Click Apply.
Disconnect and reconnect the microphone.
Check the microphone recording level.

–Google

Koz