No sound/No recording

Audacity 3 Help Forum macOS
1

Hello -

I am new to Audacity. My version is 3.0.0. I am trying to record vinyl to digital on my MacBook Pro from a Victrola USB turntable. I get no sound and no recording activity. I am operating my Mac on Big Sur 11.3.1. For sound input I was able to get Audacity to recognize a USB PnP Audio Device as it did not list an Audio CODEC.

I have read several forum topics on this and looked in the manual and listened and watched many You-Tube videos and still no luck.

Everything appears ready to go when I hit the recording button and then I drop the needle on the record but no sound emerges and no recording occurs.

I know this is probably all very basic to a lot of people but I just cannot make it work.

Thanks,

Mike

2

That is a red flag. We’ve had many reports of a cassette-to-USB device that also shows up as a “PnP Audio Device” that no-one has been able to get to work on a Mac.

Go to Apple (menu) > System Preferences > Sound > Input. Select the PnP Audio Device. Play a record. Does the input level meter bounce?

– Bill

3

Bill -

I did as you said and the input meter does not bounce.

Mike

4

If the Mac doesn’t hear it, neither will Audacity.

That turntable appears to have line level RCA outputs. You could get a Behringer UCA-202 or similar, connect the RCA cables from the turntable the the Behringer, and the Behinger via USB to the Mac.

– Bill

5

Bill -

I misspoke. Yes the input meter bounces on the Mac.

Any other ideas other than purchasing something else?

Thanks,

Mike

6

OK, if the input level meter in Sound Preferences bounces, then you should be able to record in Audacity.

Connect the turntable, verify in Sound Preferences that is working, start Audacity and select the PnP Audio Device as the Recording Device. Try it out.

– Bill

7

For recording anything on Big Sur, you may have to Control access to your microphone on Mac

8

Okay! It’s working! Thanks!

Mike