Blue Yeti Sounds Bad on Discord? 6 Causes and Fixes

The Blue Yeti is a great microphone, and there’s no doubt about that. Virtually every YouTuber and streamer recommends the Blue Yeti as a great budget-conscious microphone that can make you sound like a pro. But if you notice that your Blue Yeti sounds bad on Discord, certain things must have caused it.

The Blue Yeti sounds bad on Discord if it isn’t configured correctly or if a Discord microphone feature isn’t working as intended. Ensure that the Blue Yeti’s gain is balanced, the microphone is straight up, and you set the sound mode to Cardioid. Also, disable all Discord microphone features.

Since a large number of issues can cause your Blue Yeti to act up, it’s best to go through all of them until you find a solution. Read on to learn how to fix all the possible issues to make your Yeti sound good again.

Why does Blue Yeti sound bad on Discord?

The reasons why the Blue Yeti sound bad on Discord are due to the following reasons:

1. Blue Yeti is placed incorrectly
2. Discord settings are wrong
3. Blue Yeti mode and gain are wrong
4. Blue Yeti is not set as default input
5. USB cable or microphone needs replacing
6. Blue Yeti drivers need reinstalling

Place the Blue Yeti Correctly

Let’s start with the easiest solution. If your Blue Yeti sounds horrible and has an echo, then it could be an orientation issue. The Blue Yeti’s Blue emblem has to be facing you, not away from you.

Also, the microphone has to sit upright on the table. You must situate the microphone so that the top of the dome is directed toward the ceiling, not your mouth.

This is because the actual microphone part of the Blue Yeti is oriented only to work horizontally. iFixit’s teardown shows the microphone from the inside, so you can better understand how it works precisely.

Additionally, you need to put the microphone far enough from your mouth to make it sound good. Conversely, it won’t pick up what you’re saying if it’s too far away.

You can use a microphone stand like the Pipishell Mic Stand with Pop Filter (available on Amazon.com) to get the perfect mic placement. The stand also prevents knocking the microphone off the table, sliding, and accidental spills from damaging the microphone.

Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The included pop filter is an incredible piece of audio equipment. It works by blocking the puff of air that escapes your mouth, especially when pronouncing plosives like /b/ and /p/.

If you don’t want a mic stand, but the pop filter sounds appealing, you can buy the EJT Pop Filter from Amazon.com at a very affordable price.

Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Check Discord Settings

I like Discord a lot, but it has a massive number of technical issues. Many of them have to do with those microphone features (that supposedly help).

Thankfully, you can disable all of them. Experiment by turning only one or two features off and testing it with your friends to ensure you didn’t disable a feature that actually works.

Here is how to find microphone features on Discord:

1. Open Discord and click on User Settings (cogwheel icon next to your profile in the bottom left corner).
2. Click Voice & Video and go to Advanced.
3. Disable/enable the following:

• Noise Suppression
• Echo Cancellation
• Noise Reduction
• Advanced Voice Clarity
• Automatic Gain Control

I strongly recommend that you disable the Automatic Gain Control. Your Blue Yeti already has a knob for changing gain, so use it instead.

If something goes wrong, the Reset Voice Settings button is located at the bottom of the page.

For example, if your family is sleeping, turn the gain up, and your friends will hear you loud and clear.

Change Your Blue Yeti Microphone Mode and Gain

Your Blue Yeti is more than just a Discord microphone. For example, you can use it to capture omnidirectional sound to create a high-quality ASMR video or group recording.

But you don’t need the Omnidirectional mode for a Discord call. Instead, use Cardioid because it captures sound only from the front part of the Blue Yeti.

Cardioid mode reduces background noise and improves voice clarity significantly. Plus, it won’t pick up your mouse and keyboard clicks while playing.

The other knob that sits above the mode selector is for gain. Arthur from My New Microphone explains that microphone gain amplifies the sound signal that the microphone picks up.

In other words, the higher the gain, the more sound your Blue Yeti picks up. Of course, turn it up too much, and your friends will complain about your cat’s constant meowing or the sound of traffic from the street next to you.

I can’t tell you what the optimal gain is for your specific setup and usage scenario, so play with it a bit until you find a sweet spot.

Hint: you can mark the gain amount for various scenarios using AmazonCommercial Multi-Color Electrical Tape (available on Amazon.com).

Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Ensure Your Blue Yeti Is the Default Input Device

What’s the point of buying an expensive microphone if your headset’s microphone is the default device in Discord or Windows?

Thankfully, this is an easy fix. You just have to pick the Blue Yeti as your default device in both Windows and Discord settings.

Here is how to pick the Blue Yeti as the default input device on Windows:

1. Go to Start and type Settings.
2. Go to System > Sound.
3. Under Input, go to Choose your input device and pick the Blue Yeti as the default device.
4. Save and exit settings.

Doing this should automatically change the input device in Discord too, but it only takes a second to check.

Here is how to change the default input device on Discord:

1. Open Discord and go to User Settings.
2. Open Voice & Video.
3. Under Voice Settings, you’ll see Input Device.
4. Click on the box and choose the Blue Yeti or leave it on Default. The Default option will pick the Windows default input device.

If your Blue Yeti is already the default device, go to the next step.

Replace Your USB Cable or Blue Yeti Microphone

USB Cable

One of the easiest things to check on a Blue Yeti is the USB cable. If it isn’t working as intended in one port, just plug it into another port. This issue happened to me the other day, so it’s not an old wives’ tale.

And if that didn’t help, troubleshoot the cable by bending it in different spots. If something changes in the sound, you need a new cable.

Thankfully, you can get a cheap replacement like the Amazon Basics USB 2.0 Cable (available on Amazon.com).

Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Bad Microphone

If the microphone is brand new, it could be that it’s DOA. Troubleshoot the microphone using a different computer and software to confirm.

If it isn’t working, contact the store you bought the microphone from or reach out to Blue directly. You’ll get a replacement Blue Yeti quickly, so it’s not a big deal. Make sure you have your Blue Yeti warranty with you to request a free mic replacement.

Reinstall Your Blue Yeti’s Drivers

According to Blue, the Yeti is a plug-and-play device that doesn’t need manual drivers to work.

But if something went wrong with Windows, you’ll have to roll back and update drivers for the Blue Yeti.

Here is how to reinstall the Blue Yeti’s drivers:

1. Go to Start and type Device Manager.
2. Expand Audio inputs and outputs.
3. Double click the Blue Yeti.
4. Go to Driver.
5. Click Roll Back Driver and wait for it to uninstall.
6. Unplug and plug the Blue Yeti in.
7. Press on Update Driver.

Now that your drivers are working, you can test the mic. If it still isn’t working, try some of the previous steps.

Final Thoughts

The Blue Yeti is a great microphone, but Discord and Windows often cause issues with sound devices. Thankfully, you now know the possible causes and fixes. If your microphone sounds terrific in all programs except for Discord, it’s not your fault, and you can learn more about using audio interfaces with Discord here. Even if you fine-tune the settings, Discord may still ruin the sound quality.

Sources

• iFixit: Blue Yeti Disassembly
• Movo: Everything You Need to Know About Omnidirectional Microphones
• My New Microphone: What Is Microphone Gain And How Does It Affect Mic Signals?
• Blue Support: Welcome to Blue Support
• Blue: Yeti Support