mag, aslo keep an eye on the threads here - other things happen, some on the spur of the moment. Also, there are a nmumber of very good accoustic rooms which some of us use.

A cheap mike should not cause problems with Paltalk. Do you know if you can use it to record an audio file, e.g. use sound recorder to record a .wav file, on your computer?

2 common problems I have known are 1. Having the mic plugged in the wrong socket in the sound card and 2. Wrong settings in volume control. Open volume control, go to Options/Properties and go to adjust volume for recording. Make sure that the microphone is selected and that the volume control is turned up (I'd try about 75% to start with). While checking that, you may find an advanced button under the microphone controls. That will sometimes (all this depends on your sound card) give you the option to use "Mic boost". Some of us have found it is better to have that checked.

Jon