I am using Catalina 10.15.7. I set up Audacity and used the workaround to enable the microphone. I recorded. I played back. Life was good. The next time I tried to do the exact same task - recording from the cassette player, all I record is ambient noise from the room. I have verified all the settings and have started and rebooted but I have nothing recording from the device. The computer and audacity both see the device. What do I do? Thank you.
What device exactly? If you are hearing room noise then you are recording from your internal microphone.
– Bill
I’m using a Super USB Cassette Capture connection to my Mac Mini. This device is what shows on Audacity and on the Sound input on the Mac. I agree it feels like the microphone is recording and not the device. But I can’t see how to change that.
In System Preferences > Sound > Input do you see “PnP USB Audio Device”? If you select it and play a cassette does the sound meter bounce? Is the connection reliable (that is, does it last more than a few seconds)?
– Bill
I see two different entries under sound preferences on the mini. One is Unknown USB Audio Device. Second one is USB PnP Audio Device. On Audacity I only see the first one - unknown USB Audio Device. I suspect this is where my issue lies - I have tried different cables with the cassette device and that has not changed anything. I’ve tried to record with both options. The input volume changes with option one - but stays static with option two. Any suggestions? thank you.
Windows guy here. I believe the Super USB Cassette Capture device usually shows up as PnP USB Audio Device. I do not have a clue as to what is your Unknown USB Audio Device. Can you identify either one by unplugging the device then checking System Preferences > Sound > Input?
Please note that unlike the system which may continuously monitor for changes in your USB ports, that Audacity normally only scans them once when it starts. You can force Audcity to do a rescan by Transport > Rescan Audio Devices.
I hope this helps. 