Razer BlackShark V2 X Microphone Sound Test

The BlackShark V2 X has a built-in boom microphone, and testing it takes only a few minutes with tools already on your computer. This guide shows how to confirm the system detects the mic, check its input level, record a short sample and fix the issues that come up most often.

Before you start

Check which version you own. The original BlackShark V2 X connects through a single 3.5 mm plug that carries both headphone and microphone signals, while a separate USB variant is sold under a similar name. The USB model appears as its own audio device, whereas the 3.5 mm model uses whatever audio jack or adapter it is plugged into, so the device name you see in settings depends on your computer's sound hardware.

• A free port that matches your connector: a combined headset jack on most laptops and controllers, or both the headphone and microphone jacks on desktop PCs that have separate ones.
• A Y-splitter (one 4-pole female to two 3-pole male plugs) if your PC only offers separate jacks for headphones and microphone.
• Microphone permission enabled for the operating system and for the app or browser you will test with.
• A quiet room for the first test, so background noise does not hide problems with the mic itself.

The steps below use built-in system settings and recorders, which run locally. If you use a browser-based microphone test instead, the browser will ask for permission; whether a given page processes audio only on your device or sends it anywhere is something to confirm in that page's own privacy information rather than assume.

Step-by-step instructions

Windows 11 and Windows 10

• 1. Plug the headset in directly, preferably into a rear motherboard jack on a desktop rather than a front-panel port. If Windows or your audio driver shows a pop-up asking what you connected, choose the headset option.
• 2. Open Settings, go to System and then Sound.
• 3. Under Input, select the microphone that belongs to the jack or USB device you just used. With the 3.5 mm model this is often labeled with your sound card's name rather than Razer's.
• 4. Speak normally and watch the input level meter. In Windows 11 you can open the device's properties and use the microphone test there; in Windows 10 the Test your microphone bar on the Sound page moves as you talk.
• 5. If the level barely moves, open the input device's properties and raise the input volume. Make the change in small steps so you can return to the previous value.

For more detailed control, open the classic Sound control panel from the Sound settings page and switch to the Recording tab. There you can set the headset microphone as the default device, adjust Levels, and on the Advanced tab view the default sample rate. With the 3.5 mm version that sample rate belongs to your computer's audio hardware, not the headset, so changing it rarely affects how the microphone sounds.

macOS

• 1. Connect the headset to the Mac's headphone jack or a compatible adapter.
• 2. Open System Settings (System Preferences on older versions), then Sound, then Input.
• 3. Select the external or headset microphone from the list of input devices.
• 4. Speak and watch the input level meter, then adjust the input volume slider until normal speech fills a good part of the meter without staying at the maximum.
• 5. If an app cannot hear you, check Privacy and Security, then Microphone, and allow access for that app.

Record a sample

A level meter only proves that signal arrives. To judge how you actually sound, record 15 to 30 seconds with a built-in recorder such as Sound Recorder on Windows or QuickTime Player or Voice Memos on Mac. Speak at your usual volume and distance, include a few quieter and louder words, then play the recording back through the headset.

Check the output

Listen to the playback and compare it against a few simple criteria. These are listening checks, not measurements, so trust what you hear in the recording more than the meter alone.

• Volume: your voice should be clearly audible without you raising the playback volume far above normal.
• Clipping: harsh crackle on loud words means the input level is too high; lower it and record again.
• Plosives and breathing: popping on p and b sounds or breath noise usually means the mic tip sits directly in front of your mouth; bend it slightly toward the corner of your mouth.
• Background noise: hiss, fan noise or keyboard sounds should stay well below your voice. If they don't, move the mic a little closer to your mouth and reduce the input level rather than adding boost.
• Correct device: confirm the recording actually came from the headset by speaking very quietly close to the mic; a laptop's internal microphone would pick this up much less clearly.

Keep in mind that call apps such as Discord, Teams or Zoom apply their own noise suppression and automatic gain, and many of them select the input device independently from the system default. A recording that sounds good locally can still sound different in a call, so check the input device and audio processing settings inside each app you use.

Common problems and next steps

The microphone is not detected

On a desktop with separate pink and green jacks, plugging the 3.5 mm headset into only the green jack gives you sound but no microphone; use a splitter and connect its microphone plug to the pink jack. On a single combined jack, push the plug in fully and reselect the device in your audio driver's pop-up or control software if one appears. Check that the headset's own mute control is not engaged, and that the device is not disabled in the Recording tab, where you can right-click the empty area to show disabled devices.

The microphone is too quiet

First raise the input level to near its top setting. If it is still quiet, the Levels tab in the Windows Sound control panel may offer microphone boost on some audio drivers; add it in the smallest available step, because boost also raises background noise and hiss. Also confirm the boom is positioned close to your mouth, since distance has a large effect on loudness.

You hear your own voice or an echo

If you hear yourself live in the headphones, check whether Listen to this device is enabled on the Listen tab of the microphone's properties in Windows, and turn it off unless you want monitoring. Echo that other people hear in calls usually comes from their speakers or from a second microphone being active, not from the headset mic.

It works in settings but not in an app or browser

Open the app's audio settings and choose the headset microphone explicitly instead of a default entry. For browsers, check the site permission shown near the address bar and the operating system's microphone privacy settings; restarting the browser after changing permissions often helps. If the mic still fails only on one computer, try another port or computer to separate a headset or cable problem from a driver or settings problem before contacting Razer support.