CaptureGem Audio Setup: Mic + System Audio (Without the Headache)

Audio is where recordings most often fail. Here’s how to set it up so you don’t end up with a perfect video and zero sound.

CaptureGem saves recordings as .mp4, which makes quick “test clip → playback → adjust” loops painless. If you’re not using CaptureGem yet, start here: https://www.capturegem.com/

Decide what you need

Most people want one of these:

  • Mic only (commentary)
  • System audio only (platform audio)
  • Mic + system audio (most common)

If you don’t need both, turn one off. Simpler = fewer failure modes.

Avoid echo and doubled audio

Echo usually happens when:

  • Your mic picks up speakers (use headphones), or
  • You capture system audio and the same audio re-enters via mic

Fix:

  • Use headphones
  • Lower mic gain
  • Confirm you don’t have “listen to this device” enabled at the OS level

Quick test workflow (do this every time)

  1. Start a 10-second test recording
  2. Speak for 3 seconds
  3. Play audio from the platform
  4. Stop and review

You’re checking:

  • Is mic present?
  • Is platform audio present?
  • Are they balanced?

Desync troubleshooting

If audio drifts:

  • Reduce system load (lower fps/quality)
  • Prefer hardware encoding
  • Close extra tabs/apps

If you tell me your OS and your audio setup (USB mic? headset? virtual audio cable?), I’ll recommend a clean routing strategy.

  • Best settings (quality vs file size): /blog/2026-02-27-capturegem-best-settings/
  • First recording (fast setup): /blog/2026-02-27-capturegem-first-recording/
  • Troubleshooting: /blog/2026-02-27-capturegem-troubleshooting/