Audacity Forum

keithmichaels wrote:...it works fine when recording in stereo. Left level is perfect. Why is that again? My Tascam is a mono box. Is this a glitch or will this be the norm now?

I will have to split track to mono each time I record, which is another step, but I guess if that's is what I need to do...

Check in 1.2, I imagine you will find that if you record in mono you will get the same issue of low level. The Tascam isn't by definition a "mono box". It has nominal left and right inputs, but you are I presume only connecting one input.

If Audacity asks for mono when the device is sending stereo, and the device responds by sending only one of the tracks (or it would send both, but you have no input in one channel), that single track is half-volume because it's only half of a possible stereo pair. It's a feature request that Audacity be able to handle this situation like Cubase and other audio software does by choosing one of the tracks on offer to record as mono in full volume.

This limitation may or may not be imposed by the WDM drivers the TASCAM comes with. If you compiled Audacity with ASIO support (*this must be for your own use only) Audacity may or may not be presented with a single channel to choose from.


Gale

Gale,

Just to clarify, I have used 1.2.6 for about 2 years and I always record in mono, as I only do voice over narration. The level in 1.2.6 has never been an issue. I set up 1.2.6 to ask for one channel. I did the same with 1.3.11 and then the low level issue came up.

Thanks.

keithmichaels wrote:Gale,

Just to clarify, I have used 1.2.6 for about 2 years and I always record in mono, as I only do voice over narration. The level in 1.2.6 has never been an issue. I set up 1.2.6 to ask for one channel. I did the same with 1.3.11 and then the low level issue came up.

OK, I just noticed further up the thread you say you recorded in mono in 1.2.6, sorry. I note you say the recording device is described the same (just "Tascam 144") in both versions.

I suppose it could be an issue with PortAudio (the Audio I/O library we use, which is much earlier in 1.2.6) - or, you have old Tascam drivers and the later PortAudio in 1.3.11 needs the latest drivers from Tascam. Or it could just possibly be something to do with a change we made in an earlier Beta to restrict recording channels to those actually offered by the device, rather than having a hardcoded choice of sixteen channels.

If you have time, how many recording channels are available for the Tascam in 1.3.11 according to Devices Preferences, and if you select three or four recording channels in 1.2.6, does it fail with "error opening sound device"?

And if you don't have latest drivers, I would try them with 1.3.11, just in case.



Gale