Using the record and playback feature
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Recording:
- Pick your microphone from the dropdown if you have more than one.
- Click Record to start capturing audio.
- Speak normally at your typical distance from the microphone.
- Try different volumes and sounds to test the full range.
- Click Stop Recording when you're finished.
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Playback analysis:
- Press Play to hear exactly how your microphone captures sound.
- Drag across the spectrogram to scrub back and forth through the recording.
- Listen for background noise, static, hum, or distortion.
- Check that your voice sounds clear and at an appropriate volume.
- Compare playback through different outputs (speakers and headphones) to make sure the issue is with the microphone.
- Press Reset to discard the clip and record again.
Reading the waveform and spectrogram
The waveform shows how loud the signal is from moment to moment. The spectrogram scrolls from right to left and shows which frequencies are present, from low (bottom) to high (top), up to 10 kHz. Brighter colors mean more energy at that frequency.
- Clear voice: Speech shows up as bright bands that come and go as you talk, with a dark background between words.
- Electrical hum: A steady, thin line near the very bottom of the spectrogram that never goes away is often mains hum from interference or a ground loop.
- Fan or room noise: A constant haze across a wide range of frequencies, even when you're silent.
- Clipping: If the waveform keeps slamming into the top and bottom edges while you speak, the input level is too high and the sound will be distorted.
Use the Theme menu to change the spectrogram colors and the corner button to view it fullscreen. The colors only change the display, not the measurement.
Diagnosing microphone problems
- No audio detected: If the display doesn't react to sound, check browser and OS permissions, make sure the right microphone is selected and not muted, and consider a faulty mic, driver issues, or a disconnected internal microphone cable.
- Low or distorted audio: Very low input despite loud sound, or distorted playback, can mean a sensitivity problem, driver trouble, or physical damage or blockage of the microphone opening.
- Constant noise: Activity on the display in a quiet room points to electrical interference, a faulty microphone picking up internal noise, or a driver issue.
- Working device: The display responds clearly to sound, playback sounds like you, and there is minimal background noise in silence.
- Malfunctioning device: No response, very low or erratic response, persistent noise in silence, or errors when accessing the microphone.
Privacy
Your recording stays in your browser and is cleared when you press Reset or leave the page. It is never uploaded to WeTestIt.Live.
Common Microphone Issues & Solutions
No sound detected
- Permission issues: Make sure you've allowed this site to use your microphone.
- Wrong input device: Check that the correct microphone is selected in the dropdown.
- System settings: Verify the microphone isn't muted in your system's sound settings, and that your OS privacy settings allow your browser to use it.
- Driver problems: Try updating or reinstalling your audio drivers.
Low volume or quiet recording
- Input level: Raise the microphone's input level in your system settings.
- Physical position: Make sure the microphone is close enough, pointed at you, and not covered or obstructed.
- Boost settings: Check whether microphone boost is available in your system's advanced audio settings.
Static or background noise
- Interference: Keep microphone cables away from power cables and other electronics.
- USB port issues: Try a different USB port if you're using a USB microphone.
- Audio enhancements: Turn off any audio enhancement or noise-suppression features to see if they are causing the problem.
Microphone not recognized
- Connection: Unplug and reconnect your microphone. The dropdown updates on its own within a few seconds.
- Device compatibility: Make sure your microphone is compatible with your system.
- Operating system: Check for pending system updates that might affect audio devices.
Recording or playback doesn't work
- Browser support: Recording and scrubbing use features available in current versions of Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Update your browser or try another one.
- Live signal first: Make sure the live waveform moves before you press Record.
Use the waveform and spectrogram displays to visually diagnose issues. A properly working microphone should show a clear response to sound with minimal background noise.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download my recording?
Not at the moment. The recorder is for quick checks: record, play back, scrub, and reset.
Does the spectrogram tell me what's wrong automatically?
No. It shows you what's in the sound so you can spot things like hum or noise, but it doesn't label problems for you.
Do you collect my audio?
No, not at all. Everything stays in your browser. Feel free to inspect the network traffic with your browser's developer tools.