Why is my mic so quiet

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aboutusnow

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I am fairly new at this recording stuff, but I have this question that I cannot find the answer to.

I am recording with an audio-technica MB3k mic. I have an XLR down to 1/8" mic jack going into a Windows XP 32-bit PC. I am using Multi Track Studio to record.

The problem I have is that the mic is so quiet when recording. To get it to an acceptable volume level, I have to sing uncomfortably loud plus add so much compression that I get a lot of static. This PC only has an onboard sound, so it doesn't have a separate sound card.

I have been troubleshooting for a while and have found:

1. I have the same problem with low volume with this mic on other software (Audacity, Windows sound recording, etc.).
2. I have this same problem on other Windows PCs as well.
3. I have tried this same mic on another 32-bit PC running Ubuntu with onboard sound, and the volume comes through loud and clear.
4. I have tried other mics that run through USB on my main PC, and volume comes through loud and clear.
5. I have tried the audio-technica mic on my main PC, and as long as I hook the 1/8" mic into a USB converter and plug into a USB, the volume comes through loud and clear.

So I've kind of determined that the mic and chord are fine because there are instances when I get good volume, but that onboard Windows sound is screwing something up. I have Windows input up to 100% with a +10 decibal. The problem with running through the USB connector is that the sound starts dragging, and by the time I am 2 minutes into a song, I am a second or two ahead of where I should be because it takes so long for the sound to record.

Any ideas what could be causing this? Should I add a sound card and see if that makes a difference? Or could it still be the mic itself? These are the only other 2 ideas I have - I wonder if you all have any?
 
You need a mic preamp and a real "soundcard" i.e. interface.
 
You may find the the input socket is line level instead of mic.
Either way, it's not really ideal.
 
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