Audacity Forum

Hi Bill.
Many thanks for your prompt reply. I have my turntable hooked up to my Preamp (Naim 82) and then a another cable (new) into the Fubar, then into the mac via USB, which is also a new cable. The Fubar that you describe is the one I have. Any ideas and thanks for your help.
Ron.

OK, let's recap:

When you plug directly from the output of the Naim into the Mac line input, your levels are good. So it appears that the Naim is putting out a good signal. Question: on the Mac Sound preferences panel, where do you have to set the input level slider to get good levels? This will tell us approximately the level the Naim is putting out. Set the Naim output volume control at maximum.

When you use the Fubar, levels are extremely low. The same output of the Naim is plugged into the input of the Fubar. No software volume controls are available when using the Fubar, and this is normal for USB audio input devices unless the manufacturer supplies a custom driver.

The specs of the Fubar say its input sensitivity is 2 V RMS. The specs of the Mac line input are unknown, but I suspect that with the Mac input level slider at maximum its input sensitivity is on the order of 0.1 V RMS. That's a 26 dB difference.

You say you've tried "turning up the volume" by which I assume you mean the volume control on the Naim. This may be obvious, but which output are you using on the Naim, the "record output" or the "main output"? The "record output" should be independent of the volume control whereas the "main output" will be controlled by the volume control and may be capable of putting out a higher voltage.

Do you have any way of testing the Fubar independent of the Naim? That is, do you have any device that you know can put out 2 V RMS (such as a cassette deck, CD player, or iPod headphone output), that you can plug into the Fubar?

Do you have an analog AC milli-voltmeter?

After all this testing, there seem to be only two conclusions. Either the Naim is not capable of outputting the required level to drive the Fubar, or the Fubar is defective.

-- Bill

Hi Bill,

Wow, what a reply, many thanks for your interest,time and effort. To answer your questions:
1) Input slider control approx set at around 75% of full volume.
2) The socket I am using is one of 3 on the Naim 82, they double as an In/Output. I think it's the Tape socket, as recommended by Naim.
3) i have already tried the Fubar with the CD Player, also Naim, same result.
4) No, sorry do not have a AC Milli- voltmeter.
What I have not yet done is turn up the Naim volume to max, unplugging the speakers first, otherwise I would certainly be "In the doghouse"

Many,many thanks Billw58 I do appreciate all your help.

Ron.

jumbuck70 wrote: 1) Input slider control approx set at around 75% of full volume.
2) The socket I am using is one of 3 on the Naim 82, they double as an In/Output. I think it's the Tape socket, as recommended by Naim.

1) Then the Naim should be putting out adequate levels to drive the Fubar.
2) The socket you're using on the Naim is the "tape out"?

Let's try one more test.

1) Connect the Fubar to the Mac
2) Connect the CD player output to the Fubar Input
3) Play a CD
4) Go to Apple Menu > Preferences > Sound Panel > Input. You should see something like this. Select "USB Audio Codec". You should see an indication on the blue input level meter. 5) Start Audacity and go to Audacity > Preferences > Devices and set it like this: 6) Click OK in the Preferences dialog.
7) Click on the recording meters to start monitoring. You should see this: If you see no indication on the blue input level meter in step 4, then either the Fubar is not connected correctly or it is defective. If you don't see "USB Audio Codec" as an option then something is amiss with the Fubar or your USB connection.

-- Bill

Bill,

Thanks for your Email. Will do all that you suggest but bare with me as it will not be for a couple of days or so.

Thanks again,

Ron.

Bill,

Back on line and I have been busy re the problem. What I did, I re-read all of your replies to me and started going through the recording pathway and reached the only conclusion I could and that was the cable coming from the Naim. As you know Naim still use DIN plugs/sockets, so I had a 4" cable made up with 5 Pin Din to 2 Female Phono, this connecting to the mac via mini jack. I swapped the 4" cable for another I had and Bingo, Left channel working perfectly. Why I did not try it before I do not know, might have saved you some of your time. Anyway I'll get the offending plug seen to, and that hopefully will be the end of it.
Bill, thank you seems so inadequate but it's all I have. You have been absolutely great and I very much appreciate your help.

Best wishes,

Ron.