Audacity not detecting recording device

I’ve been recording with Audacity 2.1.2 and a Behringer 1202 mixer on Windows 7 for some time, but for some reason it’s no longer detecting the microphone I have hooked up to it.

Nothing has changed as far as I’m aware, no updates and all connections appear as normal. I’ve also reinstalled Audacity, but same problem.

I’ve looked at the FAQs concerning this, but it doesn’t quite explain my problem other than suggesting the drivers might need replacing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

The device should be connected to the computer, and working, before you launch Audacity,otherwise you will need to tell Audacity to rescan for available audio devices.

With Audacity entirely closed and the device connected, look in the Windows Sound control panel (http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer_Toolbar_Issues#vistacp) and ensure that the device is enabled in the recording tab, and that the meters jump up and down when you talk into the mic. When that’s working, launch Audacity and ensure that the device is selected in the Device Toolbar (http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/device_toolbar.html).

(See also, “Rescan Audio Devices” http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/transport_menu.html#rescan)

Done all that mate, but no joy.

What’s the microphone?

You left us some fuzzy words there. If you scratch or speak into the microphone, do the sound meter lights on the mixer flash? Can you hear the sound if you plug headphones into the Behringer? Forget Audacity for a minute. Let’s get basics down.

The 1202 is an analog mixer. How are you getting the sound into the computer and what is the computer?

Reinstalling Audacity doesn’t reset Audacity. The Windows installer should have had a setting asking you to reset Preferences and Settings. Did you say yes?

Koz

The microphone is a Shure 58 and both it and the mixer seem to be working fine - mixer lights do flash, headphones okay.

However, I’m not sure I did reset preferences and settings now that I come to think of it.

To complicate matters, the PC I’m using at home isn’t hooked up to the internet so I needed to download Audacity on my work PC then reinstalled it as a shortcut on the home PC so maybe that’s the issue.

I’ll check that first.

Thanks for your help.

All that and Audacity gets its sound from Windows, not the sound connection, so look in the Win7 control panels and make sure you can see the connection (you didn’t say what it was) and the little sound meters bounce.

If you’re using a USB interface (I have one machine which works like that), Audacity checks for connections when it starts. Connect everything and then start Audacity, or Transport > Rescan.

Koz

Do you see the meters jumping up and down in the Windows Sound Control Panel?

What are your settings in Audacity’s Device Toolbar?

How is the mixer connected to your computer?

Thanks fellas - I’ll check all that when I get home

Without question the most common problem is a USB device, Windows and Audacity losing track of each other. When you come back up, please mention the connection process. That can make a big difference.

Koz

Hello again gents.

Looking at this further I can see that both the microphone and line in options under the recording tab on the Windows sound control panel show up as being ‘Not plugged in’.

The mic is plugged into the mixer which in turn is connected to the PC (a Dell Precision T3400) via its line in port at the back.

This is how I’ve always had it set up. It was fine last week, now, without changing anything, it’s no longer functioning.

Cool. So it’s like one of these…

…plugged in behind the desktop.

both the microphone and line in options under the recording tab on the Windows sound control panel show up as being ‘Not plugged in’

That’s pretty serious. That could mean Windows can’t find your soundcard. It’s pretty rare that Windows can tell whether or not you have an actual cable plugged in. It just assumes they’re always active…except in your case. Unplug and replug behind the machine twice and see if that helps.

When was the last time you restarted your machine? This is where we ask you if you did a Windows 10 update. That can create all sorts of problems.

Koz

Yup, that’s the cable. I’ve unplugged and replugged it numerous times, but still no dice.

With that PC I tend to shut it down completely after use so it’s restarted regularly, and no, there hasn’t been any Windows 10 update, it’s still running on 7.

Others have suggested it might be a sound card issue, but I thought I’d see what you guys said first.

Can I ask a question please as I have the same issue running windows 10 . Why do I do if I don’t see audacity in the windows sound control panel , there are also no sound monitors jumping around ? I think this could be the root of my problem

Which same issue?