There are some soundcards that allow you to switch the jack between line-in and
microphone but I don't know anything about such settings or if they work
properly.
I've seen some complaints about such settings but I've only seen a few comments
and I can't generalize.
But if you can get good sounding stereo recordings, then it sounds as though
the adjustment works properly.
Gene
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve S (Redacted sender "sgsmg49" for DMARC)
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 8:47 PM
To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: monitoring and setting recording level
Andrew and Gene,
Maybe I wasn't clear. I have it plugged into the mic jack but I have the
device set to line input. I'm not sure if that makes a difference. I just
made a recording with the recording slider at 45 and it sounds quite nice.
Thanks for the input.
Steve
From: audacity4blind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:audacity4blind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Gene
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 9:34 PM
To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: monitoring and setting recording level
Or you could buy a sound card that has a line-in jack. Aside from problems
recording at all properly using a Microphone jack from an amplifier or preamp,
most microphone jacks in on board computer sound cards are monaural.
I don't know anything about the USB mixer option spoken of in the below
message. I use a USB sound card with a line-in jack with my laptop.
But it was also stated in the question that the level meter doesn't reflect the
volume level, showing zero. I don't know what's causing that problem. I never
used the level meter.
Gene
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Downie
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 7:56 PM
To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: monitoring and setting recording level
The problem is caused by recording from a line into the mike input. Mike
inputs have a much higher sensitivity than line inputs to cope with
microphones. So when you connect a line distortion will be the name of the
game. Many years ago I bought a little cassette recorder which only had a mike
input. A padded cable was supplied with the machine, allowing recording from a
line out on another device. Even that is not done in the best homes, but it
worked quite well for the circumstances.
To get anything like a civilised recording you will need to pull the level very
low. Alternatively, a USB mixed, which need not be expensive, would fix the
issue.
Andrew
From: audacity4blind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:audacity4blind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steve S ;(Redacted
sender "sgsmg49" for DMARC)
Sent: Thursday, 20 July 2017 7:07 AM
To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [audacity4blind] monitoring and setting recording level
Hello Andrew and anyone else who would like to chime in here. I'm doing
something wrong here. I have my source, a stand alone cassette deck connected
to my laptop via the audio output cable into the Mic jack. I'm recording just
fine but am having trouble with setting the recording level. With Audacity
open and the music playing while plugged in to the computer I go to the
recording meter and switch on Start Monitoring. I tab in and out of the meter
and make changes on the recording volume slider and go back to the meter and
never hear anything other than 0DB. I try the same while recording with the
same result. I'm attempting to record pre recorded cassette tapes. Any idea
where roughly the slider should be as a starting point? What am I missing
here. Thanks much.
Steve
