No sound

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Audacity 1.3.x is now obsolete. Please use the current Audacity 2.1.x version.

Mac 0S X 10.3 and earlier are no longer supported but you can download legacy versions of Audacity for those systems HERE.
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efdgb
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Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 12:09 pm
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No sound

Post by efdgb » Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:33 am

Although all the cables are connected as they should, I can't seem to get any sound into my Mac (Imac Os X 10.5.8). The signal enters the Imac via a USB-cable and it shows the level in the sound preference, but it doesn't come through the internal speakers. Import is set on 'USB' and export is set on 'internal speakers', but I can't hear a thing. So the Imac hears the USB, but I can't listen to my favourite 25-year old records.
Maybe I have to make just a little adjustment.
Can somebody help me and solve the problem? (If possible, please answer in Dutch)

waxcylinder
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:03 am
Operating System: Windows 10

Re: No sound

Post by waxcylinder » Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:47 am

When you plug in a USB device like this your computer hands over control of all sound services to the USB device - both input and output. Since your USB device doesn't have a set of speakers, you then don't get any sound from the computer (not even the normal computer sounds).

All you need to do is to get your O/S and Audacity to retarget the sound output onto your computer's on-board soundcard. In Windows use Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Audio > Sound Playback (I don't know the MAC equivalent) - in Audacity use Edit > Preferences > Audio I/O > Playback Device - you may need to close and restart Audacity for the change to take effect.

WC
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billw58
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Posts: 5566
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:10 am
Operating System: macOS 10.15 Catalina or later

Re: No sound

Post by billw58 » Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:03 pm

efdgb wrote:The signal enters the Imac via a USB-cable and it shows the level in the sound preference, but it doesn't come through the internal speakers. Import is set on 'USB' and export is set on 'internal speakers', but I can't hear a thing.
Macs do not have "play through", where the sound entering the computer is played through the internal speakers, so what you describe is normal.

As WC pointed out, you can listen to your records while Audacity is open. With your Apple Sound Preferences set as you describe, start Audacity, click on "Transport > Software Playthough" (make sure the option is checked), then click on the recording meters to begin "monitoring" the sound.

Another option is to go to http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/ . Scroll down to the web page to the section for the software "Line In". Download and install this software. This will allow you to listen to your records on your Mac without having Audacity open.

-- Bill

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