Need Help with Low Audio Input Levels on AT2020 + M-Audio M-Track Solo Setup

[junior pier]

I'm using an AT2020 condenser mic with an M-Audio M-Track Solo audio interface, and I'm experiencing an issue with input levels. Condenser microphones are highly sensitive and typically don’t require much gain, yet to get decent levels in both DaVinci Resolve and Audacity, I need to set the gain on the M-Track Solo to around 9 or 10. The normal range should be between 4 and 5 for proper levels. While higher gain does give me a usable signal, it introduces some quality loss due to the excessive boost.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Could it be related to the mic, XLR cable, the M-Audio interface, or potentially the software? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
note: everything is brand new in my setup, and I am using windows 10

[prime laurel]

Hey! That does sound frustrating. Since everything in your setup is new, I’d first check a couple of things. The AT2020 is a condenser mic, so it needs 48V phantom power—make sure that’s turned on and stable. If it is on, but you’re still needing to crank the gain way up to 9 or 10 just to get decent levels, it might point to a problem with the M-Track Solo not supplying enough clean power to the mic.

It could also be a faulty mic or XLR cable, but the interface is the more likely issue—especially if it’s not delivering proper phantom power. You might want to test your mic and cable with a different interface (if you can) to rule that out. Also, just in case, double-check your Windows sound settings to make sure nothing is limiting the input level there.

Let us know what you find—happy to help you troubleshoot further!