Recording audio speaker output (Audacity 2.4.2, Realtek HD loopback recording)

Hello,

I am experiencing the following problem with Audacity:

I am trying to record the output from laptop speakers using the recording channel “Speaker (Realtek High Definition (SST)) (loopback)” and “Stereo - 2 recording channels”.

When recording for example the audio of a Youtube video with full audio volume, the maximum amplitude is very often reaching 0 dB (and most probably “more” than that, as the recording curves look like the “tips” of the curves are cut away… hope you understand what I mean :smiley:).

So what I was doing so far was to set the Youtube video audio volume control for example to 0.4 so that the maximum recording level does not reach the “0 dB”-level anymore. Finally I use the “amplify” effect to level the recording so that the maximum amplitude is at 0 dB.

Does anyone have an idea why the recording is so “overleveled” without reducing the video’s volume?

Thanks,
Manfred

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipping_(signal_processing)

If you select WASAPI as the recording device I think that avoids the clipping problem.