very quiet recording level

[abiggins]

Hi
I am recording a Youtube voice presentaion via Audacity. My computer is the Acer aspire 5735, I am using a logitech speaker with usb connection. The operating system is Windows 7.
The recording level is so quiet on Audacity that I have to concentrate to hear it. I have tried various things…
…changing the mic (I used a jack connection microphone at first - one with which I have recorded a previous youtube presentation, but that previous recordingwas on a different windows version and a different pc. Thinking it might be the mic at fault, I bought the Logitech, but it hasn’t made any difference)
…upping the sound levels to max on audacity, on the pc, and in windows

…‘taking out noise’ and ‘boosting’, in audacity. boosting boosts not jut my voice but background hum as well
…recording directly into my pc sound card
…recording on a different computer, running xp (same mic)

…kicking the cat

but all I end up doing is pulling my hair out (quietly)
any help would be appreciated
thanks
Alan

[Trebor]

Have a look at “recording devices” (right click on the loudspeaker icon where you control volume, or via “control panel”, “hardware and sound”, “manage audio devices”)

select the recording device you are using, like I have selcted “Microphone” above, then click to reveal it’s “properties” (button bottom right) where their may be a “level” slider you can turn up.

You can also make a recording louder using “Amplify” in Audacity’s “Effect” menu.

[abiggins]

Thanks very much Trebor. I thought I’d already done that, but I hadn’t - and it’s fixed the problem. I’m very grateful, and so is the cat.
Alan