Out of the box the microphone level is barely able to make any of the apps' sound level meter move. If you adjust the microphone level in settings/sound/recording to 100% and perform the microphone test, the highest level is only 42%. If you set it to 50% the sound test reaches only 1%. Some actions will reduce the maximum setting to much less, reducing the output of the mic to less than 20%. (This hasn't happened again. It was preventing me from setting to 100%. I would make the change then the maximum dropped into the 70s. So far, this hasn't returned.) If the setting is 100% and the tested level is only 42% at best, something isn't right.

On an old Dell laptop (2012) I have the setting at 30% and recordings are very audible. The Dell (Windows 7) has a microphone level and a microphone boost setting. The Aspire has only one setting for the microphone array, and it's set to 100%. Using Skype is almost impossible and voice recording is pretty much unusable unless I lower my head to the edge of the laptop. I have to use a USB Logitech camera just for the microphone it has. It's still low, but better than the internal mic.

Thanks, Jack. I've already done 3 resets to no avail. Out of the box the restore point was turned off, which I didn't find out until after I had applied the sound drivers on the Acer site for my model of Aspire. The drivers didn't make the mic any better and it killed the sound totally. I managed to Google up an earlier driver that put me back to where I started. I turned on restore point after that and created a restore point. It was afterward that I chatted with a couple of agents on the Acer support site. Each of them had me do a complete reset. I did two with a complete download from Microsoft and another reset from the hard drive files. Neither of them made a difference. 

The help desk agents were nice but weren't able to help me. They suggested I return the laptop for repair, not in the original box and at my expense, even though I bought it from the Acer website. I just bought this laptop last week and I'm very sorry I did. I've used several Dell products until now, desktops and laptops. I wanted to try something different; big mistake, never Acer again.

They agreed to send me a pre-paid lable to return the laptop. They said there is no option for refund or replacement. I will try your suggestion for the RMA and  see if they will take it back. Thanks very much for your help.

I tried today but they are closed, will try first thing in the morning. On their site there isn't a direct link from support to sales & warranty, but when I asked the help desk agent they said there wasn't any option to return.  If I can get out of this sale I'm going back to Dell. I regret leaving them to try something else. Their products are near bullet proof, at least from my experience.

Acer agreed to take the return. Today was the last day I could request this, so thanks ever so much for your help.

I purchased my first computer from Dell, a desktop, in 1997. I have purchased from Dell, HP and Toshiba online, never had a problem, always got a good price. With Acer the latest laptop was available from them. Online stores, Amazon and the like all had earlier models. The price on this one was good and they have been very nice about the small amount of support they provided, including the return.

Again, thanks for your help

>Wanna try another one or perhaps even two?      I've used Newegg quite often. Good returns policy. Jack E/NJ

I think you're baiting me there, Jack. :-D

Maybe you're right and I got a lemon. There were some other minor things that I didn't like about the keyboard layout but that's just getting used to something new, I hope. Never had a keyboard where you had to press shift-home or shift-end. I do a lot of spread sheets and that could complicate some selection maneuvers. I think the page-up/down required shift too. I'm going to take a closer look at the keyboard layouts from now on.

I'm back to looking at HP and Dell but right now I'm taking a breather from shopping for laptops. Several HPs I liked were sold out and the Dell discounts aren't the greatest. I found one I liked but the first review complained the mic and sound didn't work; bad omen. I don't recall which one it was, Dell or HP. 

I put the Acer in the system at FedEx so they should have it in a few days. When the refund clears I may shop again. I'm not in a big hurry, this 8 year old (this month) Dell is noisy and a little slow, but it does the job.

I have used Newegg in the past, purchased several sets of speakers from them. I've never had to return anything. I think I bought some computer peripherals from them but nothing recently. Bought a Toshiba from Rakuten. It was a great laptop for 4 years until a screw came loose inside and shorted the motherboard. I found an identical new one (display model close out) on eBay for half the price, ordered it and just swapped the hard drive for the one from the wrecked Toshiba; worked perfectly.