Testbench

Microphone test — press Start and speak

Green · normal speechYellow · loudRed · too loud, distorts

Peak−∞dBFS
RMS−∞dBFS
Peak hold−∞dBFS
Rate—kHz
Display

Rear panel

MIC Microphone test

Measures
Level meter, waveform, spectrum, record and play back
Browser API
getUserMedia · Web Audio AnalyserNode · MediaRecorder
Known quirks
Chrome and Edge clean up the signal by default (noise suppression, auto gain). Tick Raw input to hear the bare microphone.

Operating procedure

Press Start, allow the microphone and speak. If the trace moves and the meter climbs, your mic works.

  1. Press Start. Your browser will ask for microphone access: choose Allow.
  2. Speak normally from about 20 cm. The green trace should move and the level should read around −30 to −12 dB.
  3. If you have several microphones, pick the right one in Input. The list fills in once access is granted.
  4. Press Record, say a sentence, then Stop rec and listen. This is how others hear you on a call.
  5. Tick Raw input to hear the mic without the browser's noise suppression and auto gain, useful for checking hiss and hum.

Fault codes

  1. MIC-E1

    The browser never asked for permission

    Fix You (or the browser) blocked it earlier. In Chrome or Edge, click the icon at the left of the address bar, set Microphone to Allow and reload. In Firefox, click the crossed-out microphone in the address bar. In Safari on Mac, go to Safari › Settings › Websites › Microphone. On iPhone, open Settings › Safari › Microphone.

  2. MIC-E2

    Permission is allowed but the meter stays flat

    Fix Check the hardware mute switch on the headset or cable, and that the right input is chosen in the list. On Windows, open Settings › System › Sound › Input and check the volume and that the device isn't disabled. On macOS, check System Settings › Sound › Input and Privacy & Security › Microphone for your browser.

  3. MIC-E3

    "Device is busy" error

    Fix Another app has taken exclusive control of the mic. Quit Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS or any voice chat, or untick "Allow applications to take exclusive control" in the Windows sound control panel.

  4. MIC-E4

    The level jumps to the top and shows clipping

    Fix The input gain is too high. Lower the microphone level in your system settings until loud speech peaks around −6 dB.

  5. MIC-E5

    My voice sounds robotic or cuts out on playback

    Fix That is usually noise suppression fighting background sound. Tick Raw input and record again; if the raw recording is clean, the mic is fine and the issue is in software processing.

Service notes

How do I know if my microphone is working?
Press Start and speak. If the trace moves and the peak reading rises above about −40 dB when you talk, the browser is receiving audio from the microphone. Record a few seconds and play it back to judge the quality.
What do the dB numbers mean?
They are dBFS: decibels relative to the loudest level a digital input can take (0 dB). Quiet rooms sit around −60 dB, normal speech around −30 to −12 dB, and anything touching 0 dB is clipping and will sound distorted.
Is my recording uploaded anywhere?
No. Audio is processed and recorded inside this page. The recording lives in memory until you reload or close the tab, and the Download button saves it straight from your browser.
Why does my mic sound different here than in Zoom or Discord?
Each app applies its own noise suppression, echo cancellation and automatic gain. Use Raw input here to hear the microphone without the browser's processing.
Does the mic test work on iPhone and Android?
Yes, in Safari on iOS and Chrome on Android. The phone will ask for microphone permission the first time; if you denied it, re-enable it in the browser's site settings.