Using Two Mics on Same PC

[Vetes]

I know that a normal Windows PC cannot run two USB mics at the same time, but Kristal was working to do so. Sadly, one of my USB mics stopped working. I did get a mixer but I only wanted to buy one dynamic mic for now. Can I use a USB mic and one standard mic at the same time?

[Gale Andrews]

I know that a normal Windows PC cannot run two USB mics at the same time, but Kristal was working to do so. Sadly, one of my USB mics stopped working. I did get a mixer but I only wanted to buy one dynamic mic for now. Can I use a USB mic and one standard mic at the same time?

You can record from two USB mics if the recording software supports recording from more than one recording device at a time. Audacity does not support that.

The USB mic and built-in sound device mic port should be seen as different devices but they may drift apart badly as the USB mic may have greater latency.

If Kristal does not record the USB and dynamic mic together you can try VAC or "Listen to this device" on Windows Vista or later - see here http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/fa ... ml#twomics .


Gale

[kozikowski]

You can record from two USB mics if the recording software supports recording from more than one recording device at a time. Audacity does not support that.

Macs can record from two USB microphones at once by creating one Aggregate Device in software before Audacity ever sees it.

Our Phrase that Pays is "two identical USB microphones" to try and avoid as much as possible the greatly dissimilar characteristics of wildly different microphones and manufacturers -- although it does work. You are asked during setup which microphone clock signal you want the Mac to use? The other one will lose.

It's a laboratory curiosity because of the drift problems. "How come my instruments are out of sync about half an hour into the show?"

And no, mixing USB and analog is highly unlikely on a consumer computer.

Koz