2.3.3 suddenly barely registering audio...

Audacity 3 Help Forum macOS
1

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help:

I’ve been happily recording into Audacity 2.3.3 on my MacBook Air (early 2015), running OS X El Capitan 10.11.6, using a Rode NT1A mic and Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 USB interface - until I took a short break today, came back and, seemingly out of nowhere, the audio level had dropped drastically.

I had previously had the Input 1 gain on my preamp set to around 60% to minimise background noise, and boosted the gain in Audacity to +10. Now, I have to have the preamp gain at about 80% and the Audacity gain at +20 to get anything like the previous audio level on playback. There’s also next to no movement on the blue line (even with the gains boosted), whereas previously I’d been able to see action there.

I tried switching to GarageBand - same issue, barely registering audio unless the gain was turned way way up. I also tried restarting my computer, reinstalling Audacity and doing a physical de- and re-rig of the kit, but no change.

Plot twist: I just tried using the same kit with my partner’s MacBook Pro (mid 2014), which runs High Sierra 10.13.6, and everything works PERFECTLY, just as it used to on my computer (in fact, slightly better - the blue line is far more responsive/detailed than I’d seen on my screen). So it seems there is no physical fault with the mic or preamp.

I haven’t, so far as I’m aware, changed any settings or carried out any updates on my MacBook Air.

Any thoughts as to what might have gone wrong / how I can restore functionality ?! I understand upgrading to Catalina will mean I can no longer use Audacity at all. And it sadly won’t be possible for me to just use my partner’s laptop instead…

All suggestions and advice gratefully received. Thank you.

tl;dr: my recording kit suddenly barely registers audio, but still works perfectly on another device. Help!

2

There’s a step in the middle. What do the sound meters on top of the Komplete Audio 1 USB interface do? That’s the first place the sound goes and is measured after it leaves the NT1A. Compare those lights between the two computers.

my partner’s MacBook Pro (mid 2014), which runs High Sierra 10.13.6, and everything works PERFECTLY

And then what happens if you move back to your Mac? When you plug the Komplete Audio back into your machine, restart Audacity and make sure your Komplete Audio is selected. Your symptoms are what happens if your Mac starts recording from the built-in microphone rather than the Komplete Audio. Do you use your Air on a desk or on your lap?

Try a different USB connection. My Air has two, one on each side.

You can check which microphone is active by the scratch test. The Air microphone is just to the left of the left-hand shift key, on the side. Say: "This is the Rode (scratch, scratch), “This is the Air (Scratch Scratch).” One of them is going to be a lot louder.

Koz