Cannot Record through a combo mic/headphone jack from USB DJ

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

On my Windows 10 laptop, I cannot record through a single combination mic/headphone jack from a USB DJ controller, Line In.
I have a Y Splitter Audio Video Plug Converter Male to 2 RCA Female Cable Adapter 3.5mm.
No wave form appears when I press record, only a flat line in the software.
What am I missing, or I doing wrong?

2

Cannot Record through a combo mic/headphone jack from USB DJ

You wouldn’t want to because a line-level signal is about 100 times stronger than a microphone output so you usually get poor quality, plus the mic input is mono, and the mic preamp built into a computer is usually low-quality.

That said, the combo jack works with regular headphones but it requires a [u]4-Conductor TRRS connector[/u] to make the microphone connection.

What “USB DJ controller” do you have? Maybe you can use the USB connection?

Or, if you have access to a desktop/tower computer you can use the line-input on the soundcard. Or, you can get a USB audio interface with line level inputs. The Behriner UCA202 is a popular inexpensive option. (Don’t buy a regular “USB soundcard”. They are like laptops with only mic-in and headphone-out.

3

Thanks for your response.

I have a Pioneer DDJ SB controller. I use the USB connection for my MacBook Pro and I’m trying to use a Dell Inspirion 11 windows laptop to record audio. I do have a Dell desktop where I managed to use the Dell Audio settings to record successfully, but using my laptop has been unsuccessful.

4

Your desktop is likely to have a blue Stereo In connection and you should be able to directly connect a stereo cable between the two.

Very few laptops have that. You can struggle with the laptop Mic-In or HeadSet In, but I use a stereo USB adapter

That’s a Behringer UCA202. It’s stereo in and out and has zero latency monitoring for overdubbing if you want.

Koz