[SOLVED] Windows 10 no boost or enchancements tab

[AtomusA]

Hello, I just bought a new microphone (Blue Snowball ICE), and in the sound settings I can't seem to find the boost option or the enhancements tab. Installed new drivers, checked the windows services thing, not any of that, so any ideas, because I've been using my whole day and come nowhere. My motherboard is ASUS PRIME X370-PRO, incase the hardware is the issue, but I have researched some PCIs and External sound boards, and none seem to have a USB input (The microphone uses a USB), so I'm guessing it's not a problem for those, since I could not find anything on it.
Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[Colif]

What is causing the Microphone Boost option to disappear from Windows 10?
We investigated this particular issue by looking at various user reports and the repair strategies that they deployed in order to get the Microphone Boost option back. As it turns out, this issue is almost always caused by a driver problem.

As it turns out, there are several different common scenarios that will make the Microphone Boost option unavailable in Windows 10:

1. Microphone connected to the wrong port – As some users have reported, this particular issue can also occur if you’ve managed to connect your mic to the wrong port. Some affected users have reported that the issue was resolved after they connected the microphone to a different port.
2. The microphone is disabled from settings – Microphone boost can also be unavailable due to some Audio Recording settings. In this case, you might be able to resolve the issue by running the Recording Audio troubleshooter to solve the problem automatically.
3. Outdated microphone driver – This particular issue can also occur if you’re working with an outdated sound recording driver. Several affected users have reported that the issue was resolved after they’ve updated the necessary drivers via Windows Update or Device Manager.
4. Hardware doesn’t support microphone boost – There are certain audio soundcards (especially integrated solutions) that won’t allow you to boost your mic levels. If this scenario is applicable, you’ll have little choice but to invest in a dedicated PCI soundcard.

https://appuals.com/how-to-get-the-microphone-boost-option-in-windows-10/ - they have a few suggestions that might help.

I found one for enhancements but its for the realtek audio and it doesn't control USB audio devices. I would have thought it was run via the driver software.
I wonder if it still uses CMUSBDAC.sys as its driver.

I see if @anort3 might have an idea about a soundcard that has USB.

 

[MadsModsat]

Have you tried going to :

"Windows Control Panel" -> "Sound" (to the right, there's a menu for "Related Settings") -> choose "Sound Control Panel" -> swtich to the "Recording" tab -> Choose the USB microphone you have and click "Properties" -> go to "Levels" tab.

That's where microphone boost is found.

Unfortunately I'm not sure when it comes to Enhancements, but I believe additional software is required for that.

-Is there no software available for the USB microphone you have?
Usually that's what provides options for audio settings (EQ, echo cancellation, niose reduction etc...).

You can't connect a USB microphone to another sound card.

Any USB sound device, both sound cards, microphones and headsets, has their own sound processor built-in, so they function as their own individual device.

When you connect a USB headset or a USB microphone to your PC, it doesn't communicate with the onboard sound card, it acts as a sound card on its own. That's why you can't find any dedicated sound cards with USB input.

So if you bought a new sound card, you'd still not be able to control the USB microphone you currently have, using the software for the new sound card (unless the manufacturer has added support for other devices in their software, which I don't think I've ever come across before, but some might support it).

 

[Deleted member 217926]

^ As far as I know that. Soundcards don't have USB. They'd have an analog mic in and support a mic that way. USB mics just use regular USB ports.

 

[AtomusA]

https://appuals.com/how-to-get-the-microphone-boost-option-in-windows-10/ - they have a few suggestions that might help.

I found one for enhancements but its for the realtek audio and it doesn't control USB audio devices. I would have thought it was run via the driver software.
I wonder if it still uses CMUSBDAC.sys as its driver.

I see if @anort3 might have an idea about a soundcard that has USB.

I have already tried all the suggestions found in that post, no luck, but thanks for the reply

^ As far as I know that. Soundcards don't have USB. They'd have an analog mic in and support a mic that way. USB mics just use regular USB ports.

Yes, I also came to that conclusion, I was just wondering if that might be the issue because I've tried all other solutions I came across and none have worked

Have you tried going to :

"Windows Control Panel" -> "Sound" (to the right, there's a menu for "Related Settings") -> choose "Sound Control Panel" -> swtich to the "Recording" tab -> Choose the USB microphone you have and click "Properties" -> go to "Levels" tab.

That's where microphone boost is found.

Unfortunately I'm not sure when it comes to Enhancements, but I believe additional software is required for that.

-Is there no software available for the USB microphone you have?
Usually that's what provides options for audio settings (EQ, echo cancellation, niose reduction etc...).

You can't connect a USB microphone to another sound card.

Any USB sound device, both sound cards, microphones and headsets, has their own sound processor built-in, so they function as their own individual device.

When you connect a USB headset or a USB microphone to your PC, it doesn't communicate with the onboard sound card, it acts as a sound card on its own. That's why you can't find any dedicated sound cards with USB input.

So if you bought a new sound card, you'd still not be able to control the USB microphone you currently have, using the software for the new sound card (unless the manufacturer has added support for other devices in their software, which I don't think I've ever come across before, but some might support it).

Yes, the option is not there, only the "Microphone" slider to adjust the overall sound level. My first attempt at fixing it was also to find some software for it, but it seems it should be 100% plug and play from what I've read, and in attempts at finding software for this microphone I have come up empty-handed, I can't find any software for this microphone

 

[Colif]

There are no drivers, as you can see here - https://www.bluedesigns.com/products/snowball/#download-driver
And yet I know its associated with one. CMUSBDAC.sys = its the driver used by windows to talk to the chip on the Microphone. I wonder if this would do anything now - https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/blue-snowball-microphone-cmusbdac-sys-error.3143672/
I wrote a fix for an old error it used to cause 3 years ago. It may not help with your problem though

 

[etre]

Most of the "fixes" are just annoying, "reinstall drivers" type of things.
But the problems is quite defined. Most of the companies that produce USB microphones use the default windows 10 driver. There is no other driver. Trying to update it through windows will only return "you have the latest driver installed" message. Installing new driver for your sound card (just face slap) doesn't do anything.

Unless someone has a modded driver or some other software that can act as an interposed sound device or something of the sort, there is no solution.

Moral of the story ? Do not buy USB mics !