Can not control input volume

[Jodo]

Hi,

Newbie here so sorry if this should have been obvious.

I'm using an AudioTechnia 2020 USB microphone. The mixer won't let me adjust the input volume - when I mouse over the slider control I get the popup message "Can not control input volume; use system mixer". Needless to say, using the Windows control panel to fiddle with the input volume is a pain.

If I switch the microphone input to the analog microphone input jack, then the slider works.

SO... why can't I control the input volume from my USB mic?

Thanks

[kozikowski]

Because setting the microphone level is generally done at the analog level, before the digital converters grab the sound. Once the show is USB, it's too late. You can still change the volume, but it involves digital scaling and such and it's a much more involved activity.

It's not unusual for the microphone to come with software that allows volume control by sending control instructions back down the USB to change the microphone internal processing. Did the mic come with a disk?

Koz

[Jodo]

Thanks for your note. The mic did not come with a disc.

It seems like if the windows control panel can trim the mic input volume then Audacity should be able to do the same...