How can I get Audacity recording levels up?

April 19, 2023 12:51 PM

The second picture in the below site shows the problem and assures me that I am not alone. Unfortunately, neither of his workarounds work. https://www.homebrewaudio.com/154/is-your-audacity-recording-too-quiet/

Dell laptop built-in microphone produces input recording levels robustly between -05. and 0.5, meter hitting between -12 and -6, and looking like the robust example in the link.

Same machine (as well as a Dell desktop) when I plug in a Rode NT1-A through an Onyx BlackJack USB recording interface the recording level drops down close to flat lining, and the meter wimping out at -24. And the looking closer to example before weight training

Input settings on PC at 44100 Hz, ditto Audacity, input volume on PC 97

If I go to settings > system > sound > volume mixer, both output and input are Line (Onyx Blackjack), System Sound set to default (100)

If I go to settings > system > sound > properties input settings it says 2 channels, 24 bit, 44100 HZ. When I do the microphone test at normal speaking volume, the result comes back at no more than 9% of total volume (out of I guess a possible 100, if I read the picture right).

I’ve done as many possible permutations of settings as I can think of, none work. Perhaps I missed one?

(Windows 11)

Any suggestions either diagnostic or curative or both welcome.

posted by BWA to Technology (18 answers total)

What is Gain knob on the Onyx set to? Have you tried turning it up?
posted by jonathanhughes at 1:17 PM on April 19, 2023

Response by poster: I've turned it up from low to the max. At the higher end the effect is nasty, at the middle settings, it just exacerbates the problem of low input level.
posted by BWA at 2:20 PM on April 19, 2023

Simple question, but I don't see you mentioning it. The NT1-A is a condenser mic and requires phantom power to work properly. Have you turned on phantom power on the Onyx?
posted by spielzebub at 2:52 PM on April 19, 2023 [5 favorites]

The workaround post makes me wonder if this setting on the Onyx is causing a similar problem

A Mono button puts the input-monitored signal into both left and right phones and speakers if preferred; otherwise channel one is heard on the left and channel two on the right.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/mackie-onyx-blackjack
posted by TwoWordReview at 3:01 PM on April 19, 2023

Response by poster: Oh, the microphone works, all the lights on the onxy flash when called upon, and recordings can be made. It's just the input volume as shown by Audacity that is pathetic, and creates a less than optimal end product

I've done the mono button to stereo on the Onyx, and as suggested in the link, used a splitter to combine two into one, but to no good result.
posted by BWA at 3:37 PM on April 19, 2023

Have you compared the recording from say Sound Recorder (I guess it's Voice Recorder on Win 11) when imported into Audacity to see if it's an Audacity problem like in the homebrewaudio post or if the problem is somewhere further up the chain?
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:15 PM on April 19, 2023

Response by poster: Have you compared

Good point. Answer is yes, recording via Win 11 is full throated, Audacity sickly.
posted by BWA at 4:29 PM on April 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Ok great, that narrows it down significantly. Next obvious question which may be covered under 'tried every permutation of settings' is whether Audacity is recognizing the Onyx as the input device under Audio Setup?
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:57 PM on April 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Last time this happened to me, the recording is NOT from the microphone I thought I was using.
posted by kschang at 5:29 PM on April 19, 2023 [5 favorites]

Just to mention the "so obvious I forgot about it" possibility, you do realize that Audacity has its own recording input level control that has nothing to do with Windows system audio controls, yeah?
posted by soundguy99 at 6:44 PM on April 19, 2023

Response by poster: Audacity is recognizing the Onyx as the input device under Audio Setup?

Yes, it does. "(Line) Onyx BlackJack" is stated clearly under mic and headphones selection. (And the Line or HI-Z button on the interface is in the upright line position.)

Audacity has its own recording input level control

Indeed. Pushed that slide up to "Recording Level: 100%"
posted by BWA at 7:55 PM on April 19, 2023

Weird. Maybe you need the AGC plugin: https://lame.buanzo.org/audacity_plugins_handbook/agc.ny.html
posted by kschang at 2:39 AM on April 20, 2023

So, just to clarify, you can use the Rode + Mackie to record on the native Windows 11 Voice Recorder and it's fine, but trying to use the same setup to record in Audacity you can't get useable levels?
posted by soundguy99 at 6:14 AM on April 20, 2023

Response by poster: Sorry, no, I was unclear

If, on a laptop, I record directly through the laptop's built in microphone, audacity behaves. If, however, I plug in the Rode + Mackie on the same machine, audacity does not behave.

(Normally I use a desktop, which of course has no built in microphone, so nothing good comes of that.

(AGC plug-in appears to be post recording fix. I'd prefer getting in front of the problmen)
posted by BWA at 6:25 AM on April 20, 2023

Best answer: Hmmm. Well, the first thing I would do is see if you can get useable audio from the Mackie on Voice Recorder (or I guess it's now called Sound Recorder? and has some updates? I don't actually use Windows for recording things, sorry.) There's also a free program called Reaper that's a full fledged Digital Audio Workstation, so it's more complex than Audacity but it shouldn't be too tough to set up a simple recording just to have another bit of recording software to use to test things.


Did you already own the Mackie and you've used it successfully on other computers or older Windows OS? I kinda hate to say it, but the Blackjack is a pretty old unit, if you bought it used and this is the first time you're trying it out, the Blackjack might be broken, and/or there are a lot of complaints about the Mackie drivers not working past Windows 7. Mackie themselves say that the Blackjack drivers aren't supported in Windows 8, but I know backwards compatibility with drivers can be variable.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:41 AM on April 20, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I fear you may be right, I was hoping to avoid buying new equipment or learning learning a new DAW, but if that's what it takes, that's what it takes. I'll see what I can do with Reaper and work from there.

Many thanks to all who took the time to consider this problem, very much appreciated
posted by BWA at 6:56 AM on April 20, 2023

Best answer: Reaper is vastly better, and fully functional without paying any money.
posted by Sebmojo at 3:47 PM on April 20, 2023

Best answer: Ah I see, ok if you’re getting the same results on voice recorder with the Onyx then there’s a good chance it’s sending the audio at mic level and not line level, so the amp may unfortunately be busted. I doubt it’s a driver issue though if it’s recognized as an input.
posted by TwoWordReview at 7:45 PM on April 20, 2023