Been using Audacity for years and no problems. Computer crashed, got a new one and now I’m LOST. Only use Audacity to record vinyl records to CD.
Old computer was a Dell. I used a standard TRS headphone cable from the headphone jack on the amp to the microphone jack on the computer to record. New computer is a Dell and has no microphone jack and I’m lost. What cables do I need to hook the Amp to the new computer? I have looked and many state they are UNI - DIRECTIONAL and will only send the signal from the USB on the computer to the amp. Others say they have a chip in them. Sorry, I’m old and don’t understand. Please help if you can. JW
You need an “external sound card”. There are many makes and models around.
Make sure that it has stereo capabilities. There are some around which are designed for connecting old headsets - these have stereo on their headphone output, but their sound-in is only mono.
Behringer UCA-202 are affordable and apparently working well.
Old Dells had the ability to toggle the mic-in into a line-in. Not so with new Dells.
That would be correct. USB is digital and the mic & headphone sockets (or RCA connections) are analog. You need an analog-to-digital converter for recording and a digital-to-analog converter for playback.
The Behringer has both and a soundcard (or “soundchip” in the computer) has both. They are “bi-directional”.
A regular soundcard in desktop/tower computer has a mic input, a mic input, and a line-headphone output. (And sometimes more connections for surround sound.)
Most laptops only have mono mic-in and headphone-out.
Your new Dell probably has a combo jack which has an added connection for a microphone. It will work with regular headphones but it needs a special plug to get a microphone connection.
A few laptops have a configurable jack that works with a microphone or stereo line-in, and a message will pop-up asking, “What did you plug-in?”
A USB DAC is the way to go
It should be a type 2 DAC meaning It has its own Clock and does not rely on the input signal
This has less Jitter also ( VERY VERY IMPORTANT)
All Type 2 Dac can play back and record over 96 K . Not that you need to do so
But this is a good indication that it is .
The Dac should have a loopback feature Meaning you can record the analog signal that you hear
Audacity can do this function quit well . You just need to do some practice runs to set up your signals
Seeing how you are a Vinyl head like me I tend not to like the digital sound of a Vinyl
Recording So a loopback system retains a more analog feel .
What is cool you can place a EQ or a tube compressor in this loop and now you have a Hybird system
that you can control in real time… Or just the straight raw signal
I recently broke the bank and purchased an R2R DAC. This DAC does not use a chip to convert
But instead a ladder made of resisters . But I have to use the amp Tape Out for my loopback
A combination of recording in 16 and or up to 32 K instead of 44.1 K does great and helps on the
Declicking and Decrackle VSTs
When you are done mastering you can save you file in 16 bit 44.1 K if you like
What I like with vinyl is it sounds good with a Hybird system and in Mp3
Which you can record in MP3 . There is those type of recorders…
One note :
The Delicker , Decrackle, and Denoiser in Audacity is a little cumbersome
Finding this VSTs and loading them in your VST folder would be the way to go
With the destructive mode on Audacity you are able to adjust these filters in real time as you listen
to your masterpiece…
COOL STUFF …
MIKE
DACs are for playback. ADCs are for recording. 
YEA
I fell off the turnip cart that day
But I do believe the intension is correct
At least you got it
I am human
I should note my loopback is my older system
Play on one and record on the other
Or a cassette deck , reel to reel, Cd recorder , ETC…
Most of the time it is CD recorder
Gotta love it
Mike …