(I’m not going to bother (just yet) mentioning my version of MacOS Catalina as I think I’ve already figured out why nothing I’m doing is working.)
I bought a U-Phoria UM2 USB Audio interface, as I had read that I would not be able to get ANY audio input into my Macbook Air without it, since it has 2 USB-C slots, and one line-out jack for buds.
I think I may be correctly realizing that the USB audio interface would only work if my turntable and tape deck were USB compatible. And they’re not, they’re probably at least 15 years old.
Do I have to now buy an analog-to-digital converter to put in between my components and the USB interface?
Anyone know if the UM2 has ADC capability, and I’m just not figuring out what settings to use in Audio/MIDI setup?
/headdesk
(sorry, I’m at work, not right by it). I think it’s a Denon, tape to tape (cassette, I mean) recorder deck.
It has RCA Line In/Line Out.
I might not even be hooking it up correctly to the UM2. I was confused because the RCA jacks on the UM2 say output, and I’m thinking, “no, I want the signal to go IN.”
And I’ve bypassed the receiver/amplifier, so that might be wrong. I.e., the tape deck is connected directly to the UM2, so the signal may be so low that nothing shows up in Audacity.
You will need a pair of “RCA to 1/4” (mono) Jack" leads to connect the “Line out” from the tape deck to the two “Line In” sockets on the front of the UM2 (“Line in 1” is a combined Jack / XLR socket).
You need a pair of [u]RCA to 1/4" adapters[/u]. Your interface has a combination XLR (microphone) and 1/4" (line) jack.
The headphone jack would also work into line-in but you’d need an adapter to split left & right, and with common cables/adapters you’d probably end-up with RCA connectors and the same adapter as above.
I bought a U-Phoria UM2 USB Audio interface
The guitar input will probably work but what you really want is a pair of line inputs (for left & right).
And, maybe a USB-C adapter depending on what came with the interface.
To go from the UM2 to my Macbook, requires a USB-B to USB-C. Unfortunately what I have is USB-B to USB-A cable, joined to a USB-A to USB-C adapter. The adapter has worked for other purposes, but I know I should probably try to reduce the amount of Frankenstein coupling I have going on.
The adapter has worked for other purposes, but I know I should probably try to reduce the amount of Frankenstein coupling I have going on.