Microphone volumes

[Shane VanHoven]

Can we please get our microphone volumes under control? Ever since audio for vatsim came out, we've had this epidemic of people who are way too loud, and people who are way too quiet. I'll be flying along and all of a sudden: "CENTER THIS IS AMERICAN ONE WITH YOU!!!!" and if it doesn't blow out my speakers, it certainly makes my ears ring.

It's not only pilots. I find controllers with the same problem. My recommendation for everyone is at the beginning of your next flying or controlling session, go into your client settings and make sure your mic is in the green band.

Side note, does anyone have any hacks to make my pc mitigate suddenly loud volumes? If I could limit the maximum db level or something that would be awesome.

disclaimer: AAL1 callsign is a placeholder and not intended to single anyone out.

[Ryan Pitt]

Can we please get our microphone volumes under control? Ever since audio for vatsim came out, we've had this epidemic of people who are way too loud, and people who are way too quiet. I'll be flying along and all of a sudden: "CENTER THIS IS AMERICAN ONE WITH YOU!!!!" and if it doesn't blow out my speakers, it certainly makes my ears ring.

It's not only pilots. I find controllers with the same problem. My recommendation for everyone is at the beginning of your next flying or controlling session, go into your client settings and make sure your mic is in the green band.

Side note, does anyone have any hacks to make my pc mitigate suddenly loud volumes? If I could limit the maximum db level or something that would be awesome.

disclaimer: AAL1 callsign is a placeholder and not intended to single anyone out.

I think it is a Windows thing. Something to do with allowing programs to change your output volume. It is super annoying to have a pilot check in and their volume goes from low to blasting in .5 seconds.

[1277499]

Personally, I haven't had issues with pilots being too loud. I always have issues with them being too quiet. I wish there was a way to fix it system wide but I think Ryan makes a good point that it might be a Windows thing and unique to each user...

[Evan Reiter]

Shane, I've had good luck with the following two Windows sound setting tweaks:

Uncheck:
https://prnt.sc/260uhrv
Allow applications to take exclusive control

Check:
https://prnt.sc/260uml1
Enhancements > Loudness Equalization

By no means does it resolve everything, and of course if everyone calibrated their microphone that would help, but it does make a noticeable difference. You'll need to restart any open audio applications after making the change.

[Ryan Parry]

Are we talking about the bug with AFV or actual volume levels?

There is an AFV bug where the volume will unexpectedly go to astronomical levels and blow your ears out, and the next transmission by the same person will be normal. There was an entire channel dedicated to troubleshooting it in the AFV discord, not sure if it is still there or if that discord is active. It still happens all the time so I guess they never did figure it out.

As far as general volume levels I rarely have any issues. 1 in 10 pilots will say my mic is low, but I've done everything possible to mitigate that and its few and far between so I think pilots need to understand they can and should adjust aircraft volume in their settings/ plane settings and adjust the AFV volume in their pilot client.

[Ryan Pitt]

Are we talking about the bug with AFV or actual volume levels?

There is an AFV bug where the volume will unexpectedly go to astronomical levels and blow your ears out, and the next transmission by the same person will be normal. There was an entire channel dedicated to troubleshooting it in the AFV discord, not sure if it is still there or if that discord is active. It still happens all the time so I guess they never did figure it out.

As far as general volume levels I rarely have any issues. 1 in 10 pilots will say my mic is low, but I've done everything possible to mitigate that and its few and far between so I think pilots need to understand they can and should adjust aircraft volume in their settings/ plane settings and adjust the AFV volume in their pilot client.

I'm pretty sure that bug is the one.