Failure to recognize input.

I am running Audacity 3.0.2 on an iMac running Big Sur 11.4. I have USB turntable Audio Technica AT-LP120USB which is directly connected to a port on the back of the Mac. I have rebooted and re-downloaded several times, replaced the USB cable with a new one. Still Audacity does not show the turntable in the input list. Is this a Mac problem,Audacity problem, or an Audio Technica problem any suggestions gladly received.

Reinstalling Audacity will not help.

With the turntable plugged in and turned on, go to Apple (menu) > System Preferences > Sound > Input. Does the turntable show up in that list? If you select it and play a record does the input level meter bounce?

– Bill

Thanks Bill,
The turntable does not show up in the Sound. I have also gone to privacy settings and made sure microphone is checked as an in put device. I have emailed Audio-Technica to ask how to check the USB output incase the turntable is at fault.I await their reply. Will keep the forum informed.

Thanks, Ninu, for your post. I am having the exact same problem on the exact same machine and OS with the exact same AT turntable model, running the exact same version of Audacity, so I will be closely watching this post. Let’s hope Audio Technica responds soon with an updated driver/workaround/something.

The AT-LP120-USB has two output types: a RCA left/right cable, and a USB. What I have noticed is if I use the USB cable, Audacity (and Mac) recognizes it as a “USB Codec” input–which enables recording. However, there is no control over the input levels and, thus, the sound is flat, subpar and does not playback at a volume worthy of saving. The RCA cables, connected through a USB adapter, are not even recognized by Mac–or Audacity–as microphone source.

I recently updated my machine from HP running Windows to Mac. On the old one, there was a sound card that I could plug the RCA cables into and had full functionality of sound recording with Audacity…but I digress.

The RCA cables, connected through a USB adapter, are not even recognized by Mac

If you have a USB audio interface with RCA/line inputs it should work. Most of those are “class compliant” which means they “just work” with the drivers built-into OS-X or Windows. A regular little “USB soundcard” only has a mic-input and headphone-out so it won’t work properly with line-level signals.

The [u]ART USB Phono Plus[/u] has recording level controls or there are lots of higher-end [u]USB audio interfaces[/u] with level controls and switchable mic-line inputs. (Most of these have XLR/TS combo connectors so you’d need an adapter cable.)

However, there is no control over the input levels and, thus, the sound is flat, subpar and does not playback at a volume worthy of saving.

You can use the Amplify effect after recording. According to [u]Knowzy.com[/u] the low level doesn’t harm sound quality.

The actual level depends on the particular record and “too low” digital levels are better than “too high” clipped/distorted levels. (Of course it would be nice if the turntable had an adjustable level.)

Let’s hope Audio Technica responds soon with an updated driver/workaround/something.

It would require a hardware change to boost the gain.

Thanks DVDdoug.

So…if I’m following you correctly, if I plug the turntable into a USB audio interface, it will be recognized by Big Sur and render the mic source quandary resolved? To be fair, the AT turntable is probably 9 years old. Should that matter?

Side note Big Sur is a beast. So far, it’s changed the functionality of Audacity, and I’ve had to upgrade the printer/scanner–though that is a topic for a different thread elsewhere.

if I plug the turntable into a USB audio interface, it will be recognized by Big Sur and render the mic source quandary resolved?

Of course I can’t guarantee anything but it should work. (And, I’m a Windows user.)

To be fair, the AT turntable is probably 9 years old. Should that matter?

That shouldn’t matter. Direct drive turntables usually last a long time. I have one (different manufacturer/model) older than that left over from the vinyl days. And from the Knozy review, low output is a “known issue”.