Free tool for narrators
Microphone test for audiobook narrators and voice actors
Before you record a voiceover or an audiobook chapter, check your mic the way it actually behaves in the browser. See your input level in real time, and find out whether automatic gain control, echo cancellation, or noise suppression are quietly changing your sound before you ever hit record.
Speak at your normal narrating volume. Your loudest words should push the bar up without slamming into the far right (clipping). With automatic gain control on, watch the level creep on its own when you go quiet: that is the browser changing your gain for you.
This test runs entirely in your browser. No audio is recorded, uploaded, or stored.
Why your mic level matters before you narrate
When you narrate an audiobook, consistency is everything. A level that drifts between takes means uneven audio, and uneven audio means pickups, re-records, and a harder time passing a proof listen. The trouble is that browsers apply their own audio processing by default, and it can move your sound without telling you.
The badges above show what the browser is actually doing to your signal. The one that trips up the most narrators is automatic gain control: it rides your input up and down to chase a target loudness, which is great for a video call and wrong for a booth where you have already set your level. Watch the meter drift when you go quiet with it on, then switch it off and record with a steady hand instead. If you are on Chrome, here is how to stop Chrome from adjusting your microphone volume.
What to check with this tool
- Your input level. Speak at your normal volume and aim for your loudest lines to peak with headroom to spare, never slamming the far right of the meter.
- Auto gain control. For narration you almost always want this off, so your carefully set level stays put through a long session.
- Noise suppression and echo cancellation. Both can subtly alter your voice. Most narrators prefer a raw signal and a quiet room over software cleanup.
- Which device is live. Confirm the browser is using the microphone you think it is, not a laptop mic you forgot was selected.
Want the full routine, including how to set your level to audiobook standards and turn off the browser gain for good? Read the guide to testing your microphone before recording an audiobook.
Microphone test, answered
Why does my microphone volume keep changing on its own while I record?
That is almost always automatic gain control (AGC), a browser feature that raises your input when you are quiet and lowers it when you are loud to hit a target loudness. It is helpful on video calls and frustrating for narration, where you have already set your level on purpose. Start this test with automatic gain control on, go quiet, and you will see the meter drift up by itself. Switch it off and your level holds still.
What microphone settings should I use for audiobook narration?
Most narrators want a raw signal: automatic gain control off, noise suppression off, and echo cancellation off, so nothing changes your sound between the mic and the recording. Set your level manually so your loudest lines peak comfortably below the top of the meter, and record in a quiet, treated space rather than leaning on software noise reduction. Use the "Raw signal" preset above to see what that looks like.
How do I stop my browser from adjusting my microphone gain?
The cleanest fix is to record from an app that asks the browser to leave your gain alone. If you want a browser-wide switch in Chrome, open chrome://flags, search for "input volume", and set "Allow WebRTC to adjust the input volume" to Disabled, then relaunch. This test lets you confirm the change worked: with it disabled, your input level stops drifting on its own.
What input level should I aim for?
Aim for your loudest words to peak well below the top of the meter, with headroom to spare, and your speaking level sitting in the healthy middle rather than pinned low or slamming the top. Audiobook standards like ACX ask for peaks no higher than roughly -3 dB and a quiet room noise floor. The goal is a clean, consistent level you set once, not one that moves while you read.
Does this microphone test record or store my voice?
No. The test runs entirely in your browser to show your live input level and settings. No audio is recorded, uploaded, or stored anywhere.
Set your mic once, then narrate
Once your level is dialed in, PromptVO is where you read from. It is a teleprompter built for audiobook narrators: it scrolls with your voice, keeps your hands free, and flags misreads live as you read, so a clean setup turns into a clean take.
A clean setup, caught live.
PromptVO follows your voice as you narrate and flags misreads before they become pickups. Free hours every month to start.
Free hours every month. No credit card required.