No sound when recording - used to work

[pjmarty]

Hi

I don't do this often, but when I first bought my Akai ATT022U and plugged it into my macbook air (osx 10.6.5) I had no issues. that was Christmas 2009 and I recorded and then burnt many CD's for my in laws.

So now I have pulled it out again and cannot get it working (recording vinyl to audacity). I have googled, read manuals everything and cannot seem to get it to record. I can press record but just one blue line - flatlining shows on the screen. I have followed instructions. Playback output, under preferences is built in output and recording is USB audio codec (and 2 channels for stereo). I have even upgraded audacity to the beta version 1.3.

From all the information I have read it mentions 'line in source', and I vaguely remember something had to be done when I first bought it. But even on audacity wiki where it shows you how to set up audio midi it only shows 10.4. Doesn't seem to matter I cannot find 'line in source' anywhere.

I am ok on computers not savvy but I have spent the better part of 6 hours trying to sort this - thought I better check in with some experts.

Can somebody help, please?

Leigh

[kozikowski]

Apple > System Preferences > Hardware > Sound > Input. Switch that to the device you want the sound to come from. You may have to go back and change Audacity again. If you change Audacity, restart it.

Koz

[pjmarty]

HI Koz

thanks for getting back to me so quickly

I have tried that, but it would appear that I am daft enough to not know when connected what I should be using

I have three choices
Internal microphone (built in)
USB Audio Codec(USB)
Aggregate device

USB Audio Codec is the one selected (blue highlight)

[pjmarty]

so daft that I didn't add the sound attachment screen dump!

[billw58]

OK, System Sound prefs and Audacity prefs seems to be set up OK. If you connect the turntable, put on a record then open System Preferences, Sound, Output and select USB Audio Codec, do you see any activity on the blue input level meter?

-- Bill

[pjmarty]

HI Bill

Might be getting somewhere here now - not seeing any movement on the input levels - basically I guess then the computer is not hearing the record player?? I don't really know what is going on. Have the RCA leads got something to do with this?

Actually when I check the OUTPUT screen there is no input levels (only on the input screen) and just to check I looked at input, changed it to internal microphone, spoke the the blues lines filled up.


Thanks for the help

Leigh

[bgravato]

So it looks like the sound is not getting from turntable to the computer... Could it be something in the turntable? Do you have any knob on the turntable to control the output volume? Or any switch to select the output? If so maybe it is selected to send the sound to the RCA's and not the USB...

[pjmarty]

Hi

I have only 2 choices, phono and line.

RCA from turntable is not connected to the macbook air.

Only the USB Codec which macbook is picking up.

I put on record, and checked input on USB codec and tried both phone and line, and still no sound recording under macbook sounds.

That's why I thought it might be RCA but I didn't have them connected last time I did a recordinng to the macbook??

So I have now tired USB cable connected on 'phono'and 'line'' with RCA connected and RCA disconnected,

Still nothing:(

Leigh

[bgravato]

Maybe there's some problem with the usb. Do you have any other computer you can try to connect to?

Does the MacBook Air have a mic/line input socket?

If you connect the turntable's RCAs to other equipment such as a traditional amplifier, do you get sound?

[pjmarty]

Hey thanks for your help. Nothing makes sense so a friend who installs sound systems is coming over. Will let you know FYI:)