Set up for recording from CD

Using Audacity version 2.0.5. In the set up, for recording from a CD, in the EDIT ‘drop down’ menu>preferences>device.
It is suggested to use “microphone (USB Audio CODEC)”.
However this choice does not appear and the only alternative is “Integrated Microphone Array”.
This works but the result is poor as it is picked up by the computer microphones.
How do I find the "microphone (USB Audio CODEC)’ choice when it does not appear in the menu?

Why are you “recording from a CD” - the only reason for that is if the CD has DRM (Digital Rights Management) on it.

Otherwise it is much better to just rip the tracks from the CD using ripping software like CDex or EAC - even iTunes can do this job for you. You rip the tracks (or the whole CD even) to .WAV and then import that file into Audacity for editing.

See this page from the alpha 2.0.6 Manual: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Tutorial_-_How_to_import_CDs

WC

No-one should suggest recording a CD with “Microphone USB Audio CODEC” unless you have a CD player that connects to the computer via a USB cable. If that is what you have, connect the USB cable of the player to the computer then restart Audacity.

You should in any case enable all the input devices in Windows in case you want to record from them. Assuming you are on Windows Vista or later, see Missing features - Audacity Support .


Gale

I’m sure I’m missing something here, but since this forum is for Audacity under Windows, and all versions of Windows include some version of Windows Media Player, and all of those directly and natively support ripping music from a CD, even a USB CD…

Wouldn’t it be simplest to just use what came with the computer? Rip it with WMP directly, and then process the WAV or MP3 or other files anyway you choose once they’re on the computer?

Rip it with WMP directly

Yes, but from an earlier note, this would try to preserve any copy protection, whereas the other methods would not.
Koz

I hear you. Koz. But since the OP didn’t go there, I wasn’t going there either. In my limited experience, I’ve never hit copy protection problems ripping an audio CD with any software. DVDs, sure, but none of my music.

When I hear hoofbeats, I don’t go looking for zebra. Tunnel vision? (G)