11 Replies Latest reply: Dec 14, 2012 8:38 AM by cool16v RSS

    Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?

    Blue_Devil1 Community Member

      I just broke my microphone that plugged directly into my Realtec sound card that I had been using to record background dictation with Audition.

       

      I was going to upgrade to a USB AT 2020, but I'm not sure Audition will recognize this.  My Audition is version 3.0 Build 7283.

       

      Thanks in advance for any help.

       

      John Rich

        • 1. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
          SteveG(AudioMasters) Community Member

          USB mics haven't exactly been trouble-free devices, one way or another. They are best avoided if possible. Yes, there are sometimes recognition problems, but just as often there are issues with monitoring, etc. If you are just using this for dictation, I would have thought that you would be better served by getting another cheap microphone, and using that. If you feel that you need a better microphone for other reasons, you'd be better off with a cheap external sound device and a 'normal' microphone to use with it - generally this works rather better.

          • 2. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
            Blue_Devil1 Community Member

            Steve,

            Thanks for your help.  Do you have a recomendation for the external sound device?

             

            John

            • 3. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
              SteveG(AudioMasters) Community Member

              Depends entirely upon what you are prepared to spend. The good news is that in relative terms, a lot of them are cheaper than they were, and because of advances in internal component quality, most of them work pretty well. One item that you might want to consider though is a very small Alesis Multi-Mix 4 USB mixer. This would allow you to use two microphones, and will also give you a replay output into a pair of headphones, or you could connect it to an external amp if you wanted. Okay they're cheap, but very good value for money. The only real caveat is that with the gain cranked right up on the mic preamps, they are a little on the noisy side. For most people recording normally - in other words not expecting miracles from the other side of the room(!) - they are fine, though. And you can plug pretty much any normal mic you like into them. Generally people get good results from Alesis kit.

               

              If you are prepared to spend a little more, the choice widens considerably, including devices from Tascam and Focusrite which work extremely well.

              • 4. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                Blue_Devil1 Community Member

                Steve, sorry for the delay, but I was on the road. 

                 

                Obviouusly  I'm a novice here, but if you have time, I would appreciate your describing your work flow. 

                 

                Did you mean to get the recording device and then dictate into the mic so it will be recorded  on the machine.  Then hook the "device" up to the computer and download the files (?.wav files) into the computer and then edit them with Audition?

                 

                Thanks,

                John

                • 5. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                  SteveG(AudioMasters) Community Member

                  No, the sound device plugs into your laptop's USB port and acts as an interface - recording is still on the laptop. They're just called 'sound devices' these days to differentiate them from soundcards, which are the devices that you can fit to a desktop PC for the same purpose. Since you can't fit cards to laptops, but since you can use the USB port bi-directionally, it makes sense to call anything fitted like that a sound device. Obviously you could use the same device on a desktop machine if you wanted to. Why is this better than using a USB microphone? Because it also allows an output, and doesn't rely on using a software applet to control it.

                   

                  If you are using Windows 7, then external sound devices are becoming almost mandatory, as this OS screws around with integrated sound devices in a way that most users really don't appreciate. Using an external device prevents this.

                  • 6. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                    Wild_Duck Community Member

                    SteveG(AudioMasters) wrote:

                     

                    If you are using Windows 7, then external sound devices are becoming almost mandatory, as this OS screws around with integrated sound devices in a way that most users really don't appreciate. Using an external device prevents this.

                    To which I feel I need to add "usually and as long as you use the device's asio drivers".

                     

                    The ordinary MME/WDM drivers still go via the Windows system and so can still invoke the poor Windows 7 sample rate converter.

                     

                    I am afraid I'm becoming like a repeating record about this.

                    • 7. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                      SteveG(AudioMasters) Community Member

                      Wild_Duck wrote:

                       

                      To which I feel I need to add "usually and as long as you use the device's asio drivers".

                       

                      Yes, that's true, of course. The major saving grace of ASIO in this regard is that it can punch a hole clean through the most offensive parts of the OS - although why we are regarding this as an 'operating' system, I'm beginning to wonder...

                      • 8. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                        Blue_Devil1 Community Member

                        Thanks so much for the info.

                         

                        Is this correct?  I plug the Alesis Multi-Mix 4 USB  into the USB port of the computer .

                         

                        I then plug the microphone into one of the two 1/4 inputs on the upper left of the box where I can adjust the input volume.

                         

                        Then I bring up Audition on the computer and the mic input shows up on the Edit view where I am recording and I just click "Record" to record.

                         

                        I adjust the volume on Audition by turning the volume adjusters on the mixer

                         

                        I forgot to mention I'm using XP pro and not Win7 on a desktop computer  AMD 4 core.

                         

                        Thanks in advance.

                         

                        John Rich

                        • 9. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                          SteveG(AudioMasters) Community Member

                          Blue_Devil1 wrote:

                           

                          Is this correct?  I plug the Alesis Multi-Mix 4 USB  into the USB port of the computer .

                           

                          I then plug the microphone into one of the two 1/4 inputs on the upper left of the box where I can adjust the input volume.

                           

                          Yes, the Multi-Mix goes directly into your USB2 port. The microphone doesn't go to the 1/4" inputs - they're line inputs. You use the XLR socket above for the mic input, so you need a mic (or at least a mic lead) fitted with one of those. But this is absolutely bog-standard - should be no problem at all. You set the volume controls on the mixer to whatever 0dB is, and then adjust the gain control at the top of the channel until the meter reads around -6dB when you are talking. That should allow you a little headroom, allowing for the occasional louder bit not to overload. The one thing that definitely shouldn't happen is that the 'clip' light comes on. That would mean that the gain control was definitely set too high.

                           

                           

                          Then I bring up Audition on the computer and the mic input shows up on the Edit view where I am recording and I just click "Record" to record.

                           

                          I adjust the volume on Audition by turning the volume adjusters on the mixer

                           

                          You have to follow the setup instructions, but it won't show up as a mic input - it's just the mixer's USB connection that will appear, and that's what you use. But when you have the mixer set as the input, then it's recording just the same as before. The main output control adjusts the volume of everything you can hear coming out of the mixer - but I'm not sure whether it makes any difference to the record level, as the manual is remarkably obtuse about this! I don't think it should, but you can never tell...

                          • 10. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                            Blue_Devil1 Community Member

                            I want to thank you guys for your usual thorough answers to my questions. 

                             

                            I had ordered the AT 2020 USB mic before I posted my question, so I was worried that it might not work.  It came today and when I plugged it into the USB port, it didn't work originally.    However, after working around with the audio hardware setup on Audition, I was able to assign the usb mic to the default input and then it seems to work ok.

                             

                            I think I'll try this for a while, but it I'm not satisied, then I'll try the Alesis Multi-Mix 4 USB.  Your comments led me to a a bunch of youtube videos on the various topics which were very helpful as well as your comments.

                             

                            I also saw a tutorial about ASIO4all, which I may add since I assume this is what you meant for ASIO drivers.

                             

                            Thankss again,

                            John Rich

                            • 11. Re: Can I record with a USB Microphone (AT 2020) using Audition?
                              cool16v Community Member

                              Hi Blue,

                               

                              I use the AT 2020 USB all the time with Audition and I don't have any problems with my recordings directly into my computer.

                               

                              There are a lot of youtube videos out there with great reviews on the AT2020.

                               

                              I'd keep it as it's a winner!