andra wrote:I have purchased a new computer using windows 7. To get a good recording in audacity the volume from my speakers (built in) is too high to be comfortable.
If i turn the speakers down the recording level goes down as well. Input volume is up full.
I also note the sliders in the windows mixer are now linked and the output volume in audacity effects the recording level. I am using Audacity V 1.3.12
Does anyone else have this problem?
I have used Audacity for many years with great pleasure and no problems until vista and 7 came out.
Is it computer playback that you are trying to record? All the conditions you state are expected:
* reduce the output volume then recording of computer playback becomes quieter (because the source you are recording is quieter)
* each audio application has a slider in the Windows Volume Mixer which is linked proportionally with the Speakers slider (in Windows XP and before, unless the application supplied its own volume slider its volume could only be controlled with the master volume slider). It's true that on Vista/7, turning up an application slider turns up the Speakers volume proportionally unless that application's volume is below the Speakers level, but it doesn't turn up the sliders of other applications.
* the output volume in Audacity affects the recording level (because Audacity controls the Speakers device output directly). In Audacity 1.2.6 its output slider controls the Audacity slider in Volume Mixer rather than the Speakers device, though that isn't what the developers intend. However the 1.2.6 behaviour would not improve your problem.
Is the Audacity input slider locked on maximum so that you cannot move it? If so, that means Audacity doesn't have control of the system input slider. so the fact that the Audacity slider is on maximum may not mean the system slider is on maximum. To check that, go to
Sound in the Windows Control Panel, click the "Recording" tab, then right-click over "stereo mix" or whatever the device is called that records computer playback. Click Properties then click the "Levels" tab and you should see an input volume slider you can adjust.
If Audacity is not controlling the input level of stereo mix correctly, you could try
updating the sound drivers of the computer sound device.
If the input volume slider in "Sound" is already on maximum then you could buy another sound card like
Trust that connects to the computer by USB and see if that records at a higher level when the computer playback is quiet. Otherwise, simply turn the computer output up and disconnect (not mute) the speakers you have connected. If you are using inbuilt speakers, plug some headphones into the output jack to shut off the inbuilt speakers.
Gale