Audacity is a slave to the computer it is running on. If you can’t see a device in System Preferences > Sound then Audacity won’t see it.
I am successfully running Audacity under OS X 10.9.4, so that is not your issue. Your issue is getting your external sound input devices to work with your iMac. Once they work with the iMac they will work with Audacity.
What model of radio shack microphone input device? How does it connect to the iMac? What are you plugging into it?
“USB Headset” usually means microphone plus headphone (like one would wear for a VOIP phone call).
What model of radio shack telephone recording device? How does it connect to the iMac? How does it connect to the telephone?
Thank you for giving me hope that I can get Audacity to work on the new iMac.
I am connecting to the iMac with a Sabrent USB 2.o Stereo 3D sound adapter (model USB-SBCV), with a microphone and headphone connection. I am plugging the microphone into the microphone jack. But all the computer sees is the headset.
I am connecting to the to the phone with a Radio Shack telephone recording control, cat no. 43-228A. I have used this recorder with my other mac and it works fine. It connects to the land line phone between the cable from the wall and the phone. From the wall goes into the phone in slot and to the phone goes into the phone out slot. It still works. I tried it again on the other mac.
Does it see that in the INPUT side of the System Preferences panel? That name doesn’t necessarily mean anything. That’s just whatever the manufacturer of the chip thought might be informative. Some of the higher end makers burn their own name on there. Some leave the chip default name (USB AUDIO CODEC).
If it shows up in the System, then it’s available for recording. Launch Audacity (or restart it — that’s important) and the same or similar thing should show up in the device toolbar.
