Understanding Mic Level vs Line Level—Key Differences Explained

Do you want to work with sound, but don't know about mic and line levels? Getting to grips with these audio signals and understanding different types of audio signals is crucial.

These terms refer to the voltage generated by different audio devices. Microphones, instruments, and most other audio devices each produce different levels of audio signals.

Getting the wrong levels can lead to distorted audio or almost no sound at all, so it’s vital to understand how these levels function and how to match them to the correct input or device.

In this guide, we’ll explore the differences between mic level and line level signals, why this matters for your audio setup and practical tips for ensuring safe and effective signal transfer every time.

Let's dive in!

Table of contents

What is the mic level?

Your microphone level signal describes the level of voltage that is generated by microphones. You'll find that this is low, typically ranging from -60dBV to -40dBV.

Since microphones produce weak audio signals, they need to be amplified before they can be used with audio processing equipment. You'll need to use a preamp.

That’s why you'll find preamps in professional equipment—they boost the mic-level signal to something more usable, like a line-level signal.

One thing to remember is that mic-level signals are essential when you're using wired and wireless microphones in recording or live sound settings.

If the mic level signal isn’t amplified correctly, you'll either get almost no sound or experience high levels of noise in your recording. It's critical to understand that voltage varies significantly between the mic level and the line level.

Preamps and mic-to-line can boost your microphone levels to line-level signals.

Mic-level tips

Here are some quick points on mic levels:

• Mic-level is the low-voltage signal output from a microphone.
• Mic-level signals are weak (around 1 millivolt or less).
• They need to be amplified by a preamp to reach line-level for use in mixers, interfaces, or amplifiers.
• Mic-level signals use balanced female XLR or TRS cables to reduce noise interference.
• Use gain control to adjust the mic-level signal to avoid distortion or noise.
• Mic-level is around -60 dBV to -40 dBV.
• A mic-level device connected to a line-level input results in a low, unusable signal..

What is the line level?

Line-level is the standard audio signal strength used in professional equipment like mixers, audio interfaces, and other signal processing gear. There's a consumer line-level (-10dBV) and a professional line-level (+4dBu).

Professional line level is often found in high-end audio equipment, while consumer line-level is used in home setups, such as with Blu-ray players or other consumer devices. Both these line-levels can achieve good results, it just comes down to your preference.

Since line-level signals are stronger, they don't need as much amplification and are designed to be directly processed by mixers and audio interfaces.

If you plug a line-level device into a mic input it could result in distortion because the input isn't designed to handle that much voltage. Ensuring that line-level signals are plugged into the correct line inputs is important for maintaining audio clarity and avoiding damage to your equipment.

Line level tips

Here are some quick points on line-level:

• Line-level is the standard signal strength used for transmitting audio between equipment.
• It's much stronger than the mic level, typically around 1 volt (or -10 dBV for consumer gear and +4 dBu for professional gear).
• Line-level signals don't need amplification for most audio devices.
• Used with equipment like mixers, amplifiers, keyboards, and audio interfaces.
• Line-level uses balanced (TRS, XLR) and unbalanced (RCA, TS) cables.
• Connecting to a mic-level input results in it being too loud and distorted.
• Devices like preamps and DI boxes are used to convert mic or instrument level signals to line level.

Understanding the difference

If you're getting some problems with distortion and low volume, then chances are it's coming from your levels.

When you're connecting different devices, such as an electric guitar, a microphone, or a speaker, to a mixing desk or an audio interface, think about where that device will want to be plugged into.

A microphone should be connected to a mic input, but an audio interface or synthesiser would want to be connected to a line input.

Messing up your signals and connections is what causes the weak signal or distortion. Additionally, some professional equipment comes with a line-level switch feature, allowing you to toggle between mic-level and line-level settings.

This is especially useful when dealing with multiple signals from different devices.

How to boost mic level to line level

Since mic-level signals are weak, they need to be boosted to line level to be usable in most recording systems.

If you've got a preamp, this should be no problem. A preamp is designed to increase the voltage of a mic signal. Most audio interfaces and mixers include built-in preamps to help with this.

When you’re working with mic-level inputs, adjusting the gain control properly ensures that you're boosting the signal without introducing unnecessary noise.

If you don’t have a preamp, you may need a DI box (Direct Injection box) to convert mic-level signals to line level for professional use.

Handling different audio levels

If you work with sound, you're likely to deal with various devices that output different levels of audio signals, including instrument-level signals from electric guitars or basses. The challenge comes in managing these different audio levels while ensuring clean, high-quality sound.

You might encounter situations where you need to combine multiple signals—such as from microphones, instruments, and line-level devices—into the same recording chain.

Knowing how to manage gain and signal levels effectively is crucial, having an audio interface with multiple inputs can help you manage this.

You should always check the output signal level of your equipment and make sure you're connecting it to the right input.

Conclusion

Mic levels and line levels need different voltages and have different inputs. Understanding what goes where is important if you want your recordings to sound right.

Luckily, understanding the differences between these two levels isn't too complicated. If ever in doubt, your equipment will probably have instructions along with it, to tell you exactly what input it needs.

Follow this guide and you'll be using the correct input levels in no time.

TYX Recording Studios

At TYX Studios, we understand how critical it is to get your audio levels just right. That’s why we offer the best professional equipment, from high-end preamps to top-tier audio interfaces, ensuring you can work with both mic-level and line-level signals seamlessly.

Whether you’re recording vocals, and instruments, or working with multiple signals, our expert team is here to help you achieve the clean, high-quality sound you need.

Get in touch today to book a session at our studio and experience professional-grade audio recording at its finest.