I have Audacity v2.0.5 operating on windows XP. I am trying to record vinyl from a my early 1990s AIWA music system. I am using a lead with two phono plugs at one end to a mini jack at the other. The phono plugs are plugged into the ‘REC OUT’ sockets on the AIWA amp and the mini jack is plugged into the MIC input at the front of my laptop. My recording device in Preferences is set to “Realtek HD Audio Input: Front Mic” with Channels selected to “2(Stereo)”. The recordings I am getting are not reproducing the stereo. So for example, Led Zep II, Whole Lotta Love, the original is moving from one channel to the other all over the place but my recording isn’t. Indeed, whilst I am hearing sounds through both earphones, the recording does not seem to be capturing one of the channels of the original. So for example the guitar solo is completely missing. Am I doing something really stupid?
Mic-In on a laptop is Mono, not stereo. The best you can do is get “Left” coming out of both speakers.
Absent the ability to change one connection to Stereo Line-In (Windows Control Panels) or an actual Line-In (most unusual), you’re probably stuck with buying one of the fine stereo USB sound adapters.
I use Behringer UCA-202 with my Windows laptop. Others are available.
When shopping for options, please note that there are also USB adapters like the Startech ICUSBAUDIO which is only a duplication of the connections you already have. No stereo there, either.
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Recommended_sound_devices#USB_Interfaces
Koz
Thank you for this, Koz. I feel really stupid now, but this has saved me a lot of time trying to sort it out. Gordon