when recording cassette tapes from a simple recorder using a cord into my iMac OS 10.6.8 I pick up room sounds and computer sounds. which settings do I have incorrect? thanks.
You are recording from the Mac’s internal microphone.
Select “Built-in Input” and “2 (stereo) Input Channels” in the Device Toolbar
http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Device_Toolbar
– Bill
thanks, Bill. can you tell the other settings I should have in order to get the cassette contents into iTunes. I’ve read and re-read the tutorials but there’s something I’m missing. Now I’m not getting anything recorded. thanks much.
any help in transferring cassette from simple recorder into Mac OS 10.6.8 and then on to iTunes? thanks.
Patience, Marilynn. We’re all volunteers here, not sitting at our computers all day watching this forum.
Please describe the cassette player (make and model), the type of cord you are using to connect it so your Mac, and exactly which jacks the cord is plugged into on the cassette and the Mac. Also what model Mac do you have? iMac? MacBook? MacBook Air?
– Bill
sorry for my impatience.
as above I’m using iMac OS 10.6.8. the cassette player is a simple Sony Mega watchman and I have a cord (male at each end) into the only hole on the player which fits. then into my iMac in the only hole it fits (not the headset hole).
with an earlier version this set up worked fine. something went astray with my settings as I get room noise now (which may be corrected; see above). and however I’m configured now, no recording.
I think my prefs are incorrect either on iMac or in Audacity.
thank you very much.
mrilyn
OK, you’re probably going from the headphone output of the Walkman into the Line input on the iMac.
Sorry to state the obvious, but is the volume control turned up on the Walkman? Plug headphones into the Walkman to check.
With the Walkman connected to the iMac and playing a cassette, go to Apple menu > System Preferences, the Sound panel, then the Input tab. Make sure that “Line Input” is selected. Set the Input Volume slider to maximum. You should see an indication on the blue level meter below the Input Level slider. If you do, then you should be good to go as long as Audacity is set to record from the Line Input (as I described in my previous post). If there is no indication then the problem is with the connection between the Walkman and the iMac.
Hint: turn off the “Mega Bass” enhancement on the Walkman. This boosts the bass for headphone listening, but will result in bass-heavy recordings.
– Bill
OK, you’re probably going from the headphone output of the Walkman into the Line input on the iMac.
yes
Sorry to state the obvious, but is the volume control turned up on the Walkman? Plug headphones into the Walkman to check.
yes. don’t need to plug in headphones to hear.
With the Walkman connected to the iMac and playing a cassette, go to Apple menu > System Preferences, the Sound panel, then the Input tab. Make sure that “Line Input” is selected. Set the Input Volume slider to maximum. You should see an indication on the blue level meter below the Input Level slider.
yes. did this.If you do, then you should be good to go as long as Audacity is set to record from the Line Input (as I described in my previous post). If there is no indication then the problem is with the connection between the Walkman and the iMac.
built-in Input or bult-in microphone?
stereo or mono?
still no recording.
thanks. are some perfs/selections on Audacity not correct?
correction to what I have:
device: built-in input
channels: 2 (stereo)
I’m wondering if it isn’t the cord. How do I check that?
How are you hearing the Walkman with a cord plugged into the headphone jack?
– Bill