Microsoft Sam vs Mike vs Mary: A Practical Voice Test
Compare the site's Sam, Mike and Mary presets with the same sentence and exact settings. Hear samples and distinguish SAM presets from Windows voice engines.
In this guide
Compare presets without confusing the engines
Microsoft Sam, Mike and Mary refer to classic voice identities, but this website does not run their original Microsoft voice binaries. Its three similarly named options use one sam-js synthesizer with different parameters. This comparison is about those site presets.
Software Automatic Mouth and Microsoft Sam are distinct systems. If you need an exact match to a historical Windows recording, audition these samples against your reference rather than relying on the preset name.
Hear all three say the same sentence
Each clip says System ready. Proceed to platform three. All are dry exports with no additional processing. Keep the playback volume fixed and listen to each complete line before comparing individual syllables.
System ready. Proceed to platform three.Speed 72 · Pitch 64 · Mouth 128 · Throat 128
Reference take. Compare every change against this same sentence.
Load this exampleSystem ready. Proceed to platform three.Speed 78 · Pitch 54 · Mouth 120 · Throat 112
The site's Mike preset, synthesized by SAM rather than an original Microsoft voice engine.
Load this exampleSystem ready. Proceed to platform three.Speed 76 · Pitch 82 · Mouth 150 · Throat 145
Compare vowel color as well as pitch; the preset name alone does not establish an authentic voice match.
Load this exampleThe settings behind the labels
The preset changes are not limited to Pitch. Mouth and Throat alter resonance, while Speed changes duration. These are complete-preset comparisons, so they do not isolate which one control caused a perceived difference.
Scroll the table sideways on smaller screens.
| Site preset | Speed | Pitch | Mouth | Throat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam | 72 | 64 | 128 | 128 |
| Mike | 78 | 54 | 120 | 112 |
| Mary | 76 | 82 | 150 | 145 |
Use three listening questions
First, can you identify the action without reading along? Second, does the line finish in the space available in the scene? Third, does the voice remain distinct from the other character or system? Write a short note for each, rather than ranking a voice only by how familiar its name feels.
For an animation exchange, render both speakers with the same neutral sentence before switching to dialogue. For a game alert, compare under the actual music and sound effects. Different scripts and unequal playback levels can bias an otherwise useful comparison.
Keep the chosen identity stable
Once a preset fits the project, save all four parameter values and a copied settings link. Use that recipe for subsequent lines; avoid randomizing the voice between sentences belonging to the same character.
If the next line is too fast, increase Speed. If it needs a lower voiced tone, increase Pitch. The raw SAM controls do not behave like conventional sliders whose labels imply that a larger number always means faster or higher.