People have a hard time hearing me talk on my 2nd gen AirPods

Hi D_Coop98,

Thanks for contacting Apple Support Communities!

It sounds like your microphone isn't working on your AirPods as you'd expect, correct?

You may consider cleaning your AirPods as outlined here: How to clean your AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and EarPods - Apple Support

If you still experience the same behavior after cleaning your AirPods, you can reset them as well: How to reset your AirPods and AirPods Pro - Apple Support

Have you noticed a difference if you switch your microphone from one AirPod to the other? If you need help, this article will guide you through the process of changing your microphone to either left or right: Change the settings of your AirPods and AirPods Pro - Apple Support

Set Microphone to left, right, or automatic

There's a microphone in each AirPod, so you can make phone calls and use Siri. By default, Microphone is set to Automatic, so that either of your AirPods can act as the microphone. If you're using only one AirPod, that AirPod will be the microphone.

You can also set Microphone to Always Left or Always Right. You can also set Microphone to Always Left or Always Right to always have either the right or the left AirPod use the microphone even if you remove it from your ear or put it in the case.

If you record a voice memo using the Voice Memo app, are you able to hear the recording when you play it back?

We look forward to your reply.

Cheers!