Audacity recording problem since last W10 major upgrade

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

Hello everybody

I have been using Audacity (last available version 2.1.3) without problems with my Tascam US-200 audio interface until a few weeks ago, after a major upgrade of Windows 10.

Now I juste can’t record anything when playback and recording devices are set simultaneously to Tascam : the track is created but nothing else happens, the cursor stays where it is. However if I set the playback device to my PC’s internal speakers (with an horrible sound and a much too low playback level!), while recording is set to Tascam, it works. And the playback works perfectly on the Tascam when I’m not recording, even when both playback and recording devices are set to Tascam.

Of course I downloaded and installed last versions of driver (one and a half years old) and firmware of that rather old audio interface, made several tests, but nothing changes.

I also tried to use an old Cubase LE 5 version that came bundled with the Tascam US-200, and it simply seems too work fine when recording and playing simultaneously through the Tascam. But I’d like to use Audacity!!

Can somebody help?

2

Check that the sound card drive being used actually is V1.03rc1.

From the Audacity Help menu, select “Audio Device Info”, then click the Save button. Find the saved file and attach it to your reply (https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-attach-files-to-forum-posts/24026/1)

3

Hi Steve, thanks for responding.

Yes, the sound card drive being used actually is V1.03rc1

Here’s the file you’ve asked for.
deviceinfo.txt (6.25 KB)

4

That’s very weird, I didn’t think that was possible :open_mouth:
(It shouldn’t be possible, but I’m guessing that it’s been messed up by the upgrade to Windows 10)

From the deviceinfo file:

These are rge devices that Audacity is trying to use:

Selected recording device: 6 - Entrée ligne (TASCAM US-200)
Selected playback device: 10 - Haut-parleurs (TASCAM US-200)

This is the recording device 6:

Device ID: 6
Device name: Entrée ligne (TASCAM US-200)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Recording channels: 2
Playback channels: 0

This is playback device 10:

Device ID: 10
Device name: Haut-parleurs (TASCAM US-200)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2

Note that the ‘host’ system for the recording device is Windows DirectSound, but the host system for the playback device is Windows WASAPI.
So that kind of explains why it won’t work in duplex mode (‘duplex’ = bi-directions, record in and play out at the same time), because whether the “host” setting in the device toolbar is set to DirectSound, or WASAPI, it will be wrong for either the recording device or the playback device.

What I suggest is that we scrap the current Audacity configuration file, and then try to reset the recording and playback devices to sane settings.

To scrap the configuration file (Audacity must NOT be running):

  1. Reboot the computer (probably overkill, but can avoid some possible issues)
  2. go to:
    *Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Audacity* (it’s in a hidden folder)
    and find the file:
    audacity.cfg
    and delete or move and rename it.

Then, ensure that the Tascam is properly connected (You can look in the Windows Sound Control Panel to ensure that it is working correctly)

Then Launch Audacity.

In the device toolbar, the “host” should default to “MME”. If it’s not, then set it to MME.
Then select:
Recording device: Entrée ligne (TASCAM US-200)

Device ID: 1
Device name: Entrée ligne (TASCAM US-200)
Host name: MME
Recording channels: 2
Playback channels: 0

Playback device: Haut-parleurs (TASCAM US-200)

Device ID: 3
Device name: Haut-parleurs (TASCAM US-200)
Host name: MME
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2

Optional: You can check in “Help > Audio Device Info”, scroll down near the bottom and check the selected recording / playbach devices.

5

Deleting the .cfg file didn’t change anything : in a new project with no tracks, I can record normally, but I can’t record a second one (while reading the first).

If I check “Audio device info” in the Help section, I still can read as you noticed that the ‘host’ system for the recording device is Windows DirectSound, but the host system for the playback device is Windows WASAPI.

any other idea?

6

There’s clearly a problem with the sound system on that machine. My first guess would be bad drivers, but we know that you are using the most recent drivers available.

Perhaps we can work around the issue by using WASAPI for recording as well as playback.
Try setting “host” to WASAPI, then set:

Recording device: Entrée ligne (TASCAM US-200)

Device ID: 14
Device name: Entrée ligne (TASCAM US-200)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Recording channels: 2
Playback channels: 0

(NOT the ‘loopback’ option)

Playback device: Haut-parleurs (TASCAM US-200)

Device ID: 10
Device name: Haut-parleurs (TASCAM US-200)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2

Note: It looks like the device has a fixed sample rate of 48000Hz, so in Audacity, “Edit > Preferences > Quality”, set the default sample rate to 48000, and in the Windows Sound Control Panel set the device sample rate to 48000. If the device has an option in the Control Panel for 44100, you could try setting it to that, but the settings in Audacity and the Control Panel will probably need to be the same when using WASAPI.

There should also be an option in the Control Panel to set “Exclusive Mode”. Ideally this should be enabled, but if that doesn’t work, try disabling it.

7

This time it’s ok, with the WASAPI host AND everything set to a 48000Hz sample rate, I can record and read through the Tascam.
Thank’s a lot for your help!! :smiley:

However I got something interesting for you : I tried to disable the built in speakers on my PC, leaving only the Tascam as input and output sound device : well, it seems to work fine, even with MME host!!! And more surprisingly, as you can see in the attached file, the ‘host’ system for the recording device is Windows DirectSound, but the host system for the playback device is Windows WASAPI… :confused:

Anyway I can work normally now, my choir singers are waiting for my recordings…

Thanks again.
deviceinfo.txt (4.61 KB)

8

That’s interesting. I wonder if there’s a problem with the Realtek drivers that is interfering with the Tascam (?)
If you can be bothered, you could check at the computer manufacturer’s website to see if they have updated drivers (ensure you set a restore point before doing this). On the other hand, if it is working OK, I’d be inclined to leave it as is (“if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”).