Error While Opening Sound Device

[Ascendicate]

Okay, so I just got a brand new mic. A Samson c03u. When I try to use it with Audacity, I get a message stating "Error while opeing sound device. Please check the input device settings and the project sample rate." I'm seventeen years old, and well, let's just say my knowledge with this sort of information is... lacking. I honestly don't know if this problem is at fault with my mic, or Audacity itself- but I will mention my mic works with Sonar Le. I just have different issues with that program I don't want to get too in depth with. If anyone could help me, regardless of whether it's Audacity or my computer settings, I'd be extremely greatful. If not, thanks for taking the time to read my plea. XD

[steve]

Before you go any further I would highly recommend that you upgrade to Audacity 1.3.12 http://audacityteam.org/download/

The USB microphone must be plugged in and recognised by Windows before you open Audacity.
In Audacity 1.3.12, go to "Edit menu > Preferences > Devices" and ensure that the Recording device is set to the USB option.
Check that the "Number of Channels" is set to "1 (mono)".
In the Quality tab of Preferences, set the default sample rate to 44100.
You may also need to set the "Default Sample Format" to "16-bit", but try it with "32-bit float" first.

[Ascendicate]

Before you go any further I would highly recommend that you upgrade to Audacity 1.3.12 http://audacityteam.org/download/

The USB microphone must be plugged in and recognised by Windows before you open Audacity.
In Audacity 1.3.12, go to "Edit menu > Preferences > Devices" and ensure that the Recording device is set to the USB option.
Check that the "Number of Channels" is set to "1 (mono)".
In the Quality tab of Preferences, set the default sample rate to 44100.
You may also need to set the "Default Sample Format" to "16-bit", but try it with "32-bit float" first.

Under Recording in the Devices tab it says "No devices found" and the drop down tab has no other selections. It's on 32-bit float and whenever I try to change it to 1 mono it goes back to 2 stereo. (Im guessing because it's picking up no recording device?) The default sample rate is where you said it should be. I believe it's something to do with my computer. When I press start and open up my "Devices and Printers" tab, I have windows seven, my mic is listed under unspecified. But when I right click the icon for it, select sound settings, and go to recording- the mic isn't listed. I have no idea why. Maybe it has something to do with my version of Windows? It's ungenuine. It came with my PC when I bought it a while back, but for some reason it's telling me that. I've been putting it off because I've been told it's not a HUGE deal, and I didn't want to deal with it at the moment. I've also not had any reoccurring issues due to it so I'm unsure if it's the case...

/Edit/ Oh, I have it set to show disabled and disconnected devices too so that's not the problem. D; I also upgraded to 1.3.12- Forgot to say.

[Ascendicate]

It's not the fact that it's ungenuine. I got that fixed today and it still doesn't want to work.

[kozikowski]

Does the microphone have a driver package you need to load? Typically, those go in before you plug in the microphone.

If Windows Control Panels don't recognize the microphone, you're pretty much out of luck. Is there any way to plug the microphone into a different computer? Simple microphones like the Samson 01 and 03 typically don't need drivers. You can close Audacity until you make Windows happy.

Koz

[Ascendicate]

Does the microphone have a driver package you need to load? Typically, those go in before you plug in the microphone.

If Windows Control Panels don't recognize the microphone, you're pretty much out of luck. Is there any way to plug the microphone into a different computer? Simple microphones like the Samson 01 and 03 typically don't need drivers. You can close Audacity until you make Windows happy.

Koz

Yeah, you're probably right. Although I don't need any drivers for it, and I can't see why Windows wouldn't recognize it. It works for Sonar Le, I don't know why, but even so it messes up and I'm not sure if it's that program or the settings or what. I'm familar with Audacity, and that's the program I'd like to use. So IDK, I'm going to keep working on it. if anyone could find a fix for me, it'd be greatly appreciated. I feel I'm overlooking something extremely obvious but :/ Thank you for the response.

[kozikowski]

Windows should recognize a plain, vanilla microphone even if it doesn't know about fancy sound tools on your particular microphone. The fact that it doesn't arrive at all suggest something is broken. The USB port on the computer, the cable, or the mic itself. Plug in a thumb drive to make sure the USB port is working.

I don't remember if we covered it, but no hubs or print servers or anything at all between the microphone and the computer. Straight wire.

Koz

[Ascendicate]

Windows should recognize a plain, vanilla microphone even if it doesn't know about fancy sound tools on your particular microphone. The fact that it doesn't arrive at all suggest something is broken. The USB port on the computer, the cable, or the mic itself. Plug in a thumb drive to make sure the USB port is working.

I don't remember if we covered it, but no hubs or print servers or anything at all between the microphone and the computer. Straight wire.

Koz

It's just a straight wire- a USB plug on one side, and then a plug on the other for my mic. I don't remember if I said this, but the mic IS somewhat recognized by windows seven because it's listed as Unspecified under Devices and Printers. Yet when I right click the icon for it, and go to sounds settings and the recording tab, it's not listed. I have it set to show disabled and disconnected devices too. :/

/Edit/ Oh, and I have three USB ports on my computer. None of them work with the mic.

[steve]

the mic IS somewhat recognized by windows seven because it's listed as Unspecified under Devices and Printers. Yet when I right click the icon for it, and go to sounds settings and the recording tab, it's not listed. I have it set to show disabled and disconnected devices too.

The Samson C03U should be automatically detected by Windows 7 and recognised as a microphone. It sounds like Windows has either tried to load the wrong driver for it, or the driver is corrupt. This may not affect the performance of the microphone in audio programs that support ASIO as the ASIO drivers may be correctly installed, but Audacity requires the Windows drivers.

You could perhaps try re-installing the drivers for the device. Other than that I'm afraid I don't know much about trouble shooting on Windows 7.

[Ascendicate]

I called Samson technical support. The guy said it was broken. I sent it in, I just got it back, and it's the same damn issue. There's no driver that I need to install with it. I honestly don't understand why it's not recognized- it shouldnt be this hard. It's starting to get on my nerves. I'm sick of talking to foriegners with heavy middle eastern accents. They have no idea what they're talking about. This whole project is driving me INSANE. I know the USB ports work. My headset works just fine. Please... someone. DX