Microphone input is too quiet

[Arturob]

Dear all,

The input from my microphone is too quiet. Audacity is not the problem though (because the mic input is too quiet whether Audacity is open or not) but if you could still help, it would be much appreciated.

I’m using Audacity 1.3 Beta on an Acer Travelmate 5520 to record with a Shure 12A microphone through a Tascam US-122 MKII audio interface. As far as I can tell, the levels are all at their highest, including those in properties/preferences for all sound input devices/cards etc. I’m also using Bose Triport headphones.

I want to *really* hear what’s being recorded while playing back previously recorded tracks, and the problem I have is that it is all too quiet. If I could boost just the mic, or boost everything in some way, there would be no problem.

Many thanks,

Stephen

[phantasm777]

says you checked all sound preferences, but, does your sound program have a mic boost? mine does and that helps tremendously for very low output things like mics, BUT turn it off for other insriuments or it will be too loud.

[Arturob]

By sound program, do you mean windows+Tascam or something else that I should be using? Can I ask where you have a 'mic boost' option in your setup?

Cheers

[phantasm777]

the sound program in your pc. guess it depends on your OS but go to your sound icon in your control panel, click mic. - line in, it brings another window, and one of the tabs says - levels - then at the bottom is has a microphone boost and a slide meter, but be careful, once youre done with it, turn it doen if youre recording again without the mic. cause it will be too loud with the boost on using line in and not the mic. dont wanna blow speakers or anything else.

[Arturob]

I think the computer assumes that the tascam will have a mic boost, or is a kind of mic boost, so I don't get that option. I put the mic through an old cassette 4-track>tascam>laptop though and it worked a treat...

(If anyone reads this because they have a similar problem: I have l/r phono leads which come together in a headphone jack coming out of the 4-track and into the audio interface. Anything with volume dials should work I suppose but a 4-track doesn't buzz like some amps. I should stress I don't know anything about this but nothing has blown up so far).

Thanks for you help phantasm