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Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:09 pm
by SEANWILDMAN
I am using the following equipment:

Sony VAIO Laptop
Windows XP
Audacity 1.3
Audiotechnica USB Condenser Cardoid Microphone x2

Is it possible to record audio from both microphones simultaneously, either on seperate tracks or the same track?

Is it possible to to so in stereo?

Thank you!

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 9:50 pm
by kozikowski
Normally no. Audacity records from one sound device and each microphone counts as one device.

There is such a thing as Aggregate Device which will let you record two items. That's the Google search. I don't know any more about it than that, but that may be your only hope. Normally any microphones over one and you're looking at a mixer.

Koz

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 9:54 pm
by kozikowski
Oops. Never mind. I think that's only a Mac thing.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215

Koz

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:06 pm
by steve
kozikowski wrote:Oops. Never mind. I think that's only a Mac thing.
I've heard of people doing that on Linux, but not on Windows.

Other recording software may be able to record from multiple USB microphones - it depends in part on how well the audio drivers will play together. The blanket "no you can't" is specific to Audacity as Audacity currently has a recording device limit of one.

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:11 pm
by SEANWILDMAN
Thank you for the replies and the advice!

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:28 pm
by whomper
SEANWILDMAN wrote:...

Is it possible to record audio from both microphones simultaneously, either on seperate tracks or the same track?

Is it possible to to so in stereo? !
absolutely you can do that
it would take an adapter
one mike to left channel of stereo plug
other one connected to right channel of stereo plug
you probably (pc limitation) need a preamp to bring them up to line level and use line inputs unless the mike input is actually stereo and many of them are not

you can certainly record both on one track if you use a mixer
or even external soundcard and an adapter cable


no you cant do it with two dualchannel stereo mikes needing 4 channels total

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:40 pm
by steve
@whomper - he said:

"Audiotechnica USB Condenser Cardoid Microphone x2 "

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:27 am
by whomper
so he did
that means he would need two real mikes also

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:31 am
by kozikowski
<<<that means he would need two real mikes also>>>

But that wasn't the question.

Koz

Re: Recording Two Inputs Simultaneously?

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 6:36 pm
by SEANWILDMAN
Thank you all for the great advice. I think rather than purchasing any more hardware, (i.e. preamp) I will try to make it work with just the one mic. I may switch it out for an omnidirectional USB mic.