I have used Audacity for years without a problem on my old computer. It was also Windows 10 as I upgraded all my computers. This is a Cyberpower gaming computer (more powerful). But Audacity either doesn’t work at all (error message) or the recording is shoddy - kind of an echo effect, fades in and out. I have not touched the effects button. In fact, to be sure it wasn’t me, I uninstalled - reinstalled several times. I also tried it on my laptop - same result (sounded a little different but basically the same lack of quality). The connecting wire to my microphone slot is the same and so is the receiver I’m recording from. Sounds OK through PC speakers and monitoring (when Audacity working ) looks normal. Anyone have a clue here?
I’m more than even sure this isn’t it, but reinstalling Audacity doesn’t reset Audacity. To make Audacity really start over, there’s a selector on the Windows installer to tell the system to reset the Preferences and Settings. Click that.
Anyone have a clue here?
So you’re routing the sound from a radio receiver to the computer in order to capture programs for later? Unless you intentionally bought them that way, newer computers no longer have Stereo Line-In connections. So it’s a safe bet you’re trying to cram high volume stereo signals into a socket designed to accept a single very quiet, delicate, easily damaged microphone signal.
In general a good way around this is to provide an external stereo adapter. I use the Behringer UCA-202.
That illustration shows the UCA202 connecting my stereo sound mixer (on the right) to my computer.
It could be something else and other elves will drop in, but it sure sounds like that to me.
And if that’s it, before you toss your hat into the air, make sure you actually have stereo if the original performance is in stereo. If you’re recording a stereo radio, the left and right sound meters will probably not match. If they do match, then you probably have headset connections on your new machines. They’re mono only.
I’m not completely positive yet - but I believe problem solved. Both tests I ran worked fine. In my research, I came across info saying that many of today’s microphone inputs were too sensitive and to use the line in on the rear of the computer. This didn’t occur to me as it the microphone input had always worked extremely well on my old PC. Old habits die hard I guess. So I tried line in and so far so good.
