Stereo Cassette Analog to Digital Macbook Pro Conversion

blindbongo wrote:

After doing some research it seemed necessary to me to use an analog to digital audio converter. If I am wrong on that let me know, but that's why I am using it.

Yes, you need an analog to digital converter to digitize analog cassette recordings. Unfortunately the one you have only has optical i/o and your MBPro does not have an optical i/o. Converting between optical & USB is an iffy prospect. There are bi-directional optical/USB converters but you really need to read the specs to make sure.

If you go looking for an alternative, get an analog to digital converter that has USB i/o built in. There are many, at many price levels.

At the bottom end, these should work perfectly fine:

Behringer UCA202 or UCA222

Although I suggest something more capable and refined such as

Mackie Onyx Producer 2x2

Presonus Studio 24c

In my own case I found that a USB mixer like the Mackie ProFX6v3 was way more functional than any of the 2-channel audio interfaces, for the same money.

blindbongo wrote:

Yes, but I'm using an optical to usb output from the ADC, so it should be fine. My macbook recognizes the device, but it is only appearing as an output under my sound settings, when I need it to be recognized as an input.

Yes, I understand that exactly.

But there is no "optical to USB output" on the ADC. There is "Optical Out", "Coaxial Out" only.

There is USB Power only.

What I am trying to convey to you is: that ADC device does not appear capable of transmitting digital audio to or from the Mac by way of the USB cable. The Mac can see the device on the USB bus, identify it and power it, but USB audio does not travel to or from the device. It isn't a USB audio interface. It's strictly an ADC powered by 5V on a USB cable. Seems kind of dumb and counter-intuitive, but that's what you have there. Nowhere in the description does it say it does what you want.

Does this thing actually function as an output device? Have you tried sending USB audio from the Mac to the ADC and on thru the coax or optical outputs to another device? I will be surprised if you tell me that works.

Return it for refund.

You're really looking for this: Cubilux-Capture-Recording-RCA-USBC-Input-TO-Computer-Amazon

❝[Stereo Phono Audio Capture Cable] – Record audio from various LINE OUT sources such as mixers, cassette tape players, CD players, or amplifiers directly to your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.❞

blindbongo wrote:

Update: I returned the other ADC because it's purposes didn't suit my needs and I got the Behringer U-Control UCA222 USB Audio Interface. Now, this device is being recognized by my computer and Audacity as an input. However, when I select the device in Audacity to be the recording device, my laptop speakers to be the playback device, and hit record, nothing actually ends up being recorded. Does anybody know how to troubleshoot this issue?

You need to set your audio source in 2 places:

1 - In Audacity - Recording Device (CORE Audio may be your only choice there.)

2 - In Audio MIDI Setup (in your Applications/Utilities folder.) Make sure the Behringer device is selected as your INPUT source there. Despite its name, Audio MIDI Setup is not just for MIDI; it controls all audio input & output on your Mac.

To make a recording, start recording in Audacity then hit Play on your cassette recorder.

To monitor the audio while recording, in Audacity Recording options, enable Audible Input Monitorig.

Here are links to the Audacity Reference Manual and the Audio MIDI Setup Guide.

blindbongo wrote:

I believe your assessment is both right and wrong. I wasn't using the usb output from the device to connect to my mac, I was using an optical cable that is converted to usb. However, as another community member pointed out, the issue was with my optical-to-usb cable because it's uni-directional. It can only relay from usb to optical, not the other way around as I was wanting to use it.

That clarification is critical and I'm glad you got it cleared up.

I appreciate your suggestion to use the RCA to USB C connection, but it's my understanding that I'm not able to go straight from the analog output of the stereo tape cassette straight to the digital input of the mac. After doing some research it seemed necessary to me to use an analog to digital audio converter. If I am wrong on that let me know, but that's why I am using it.

It is true that you cannot go straight from the analog output of the cassette to the digital input of the Mac. Yes, an ADC is required. ADCs come in many flavors. The one you have is an example, but its features are aimed at a little bit different application.

The Cubilux capture card I linked in my earlier post will do exactly what you are wanting to do. It is itself an ADC that can convert your cassette's analog audio output via RCA to digital signal input for the Mac via USB-C.

blindbongo wrote:

Is using a speaker-to-line-level converter the only way to get this system to record using audacity and a laptop?

Since your Sanyo GXT255 player only has speaker outputs, that's the only way. And you still need the Behringer device to convert the line-level signal to digital (USB). If you had a regular cassette deck with tape outputs you could go directly to the Behringer device.

Up to this point I thought you were using a cassette deck that had line out (aka tape out) connections. It's good that you revealed that you were connecting the speaker outputs to the line input of your Behringer device.

Line-level is a standard method of connecting analog audio devices to each other, with the audio level, voltage and impedance all standardized & matched. The voltage, for example, is between 0.5-1.0 volts; the audio level is unaffected by the volume control; and the output impedance is 100-600 ohms.

Speaker level is very different. The output voltage is typically at least 10 volts and can be as high as 50-100 volts depending on the amp's power and how high you turn up the volume control. The audio level is variable based on the volume (gain) control and the output impedance is usually only 8 ohms. That's why you don't want to connect speaker outputs to a line input.

Exactly what "optical to usb" device are you using? Is it a cable? A converter? Make? Model?

Also check the specs, some of these cables/converters are uni-directional. If that's the case it may explain why your Mac only sees the device as an output.

Check the user guide for that ADC.

I just took a quick look at the Amazon item and it does not appear to output audio via USB-C. It looks to me like that port only supplies power.

❝【analog to digital audio converter】Converts RCA or 3.5mm AUX analog stereo audio signal to Digital Coaxial audio and Toslink Spdif Optical digital audio simultaneously.❞

Oh no ... no ... no. You cannot go from speaker out directly to line in. Speaker out is an amplified signal that is very low impedance and is electrically way hotter than line-in and you risk burning out the Behringer device. You need to use a speaker-to-line-level converter like this to go from your speaker out to any kind of line-in. There is a way to build your own using resistors but it's much easier & better to get one prebuilt.

Also, pls. do a screenshot from AudioMIDI Setup. You must select the Behringer device there. Here's an example from my own setup using my Mackie ProFX mixer as input. In your case, select your Behringer device then click the Gear icon and select "Use This Device for Sound Input."

FYI, the OP said he is also using an "optical to usb cable," which would appear to be an additional converter of sorts. There are such cables and in my searching I found that some of them are uni-directional (optical-to-usb, not usb-to-optical). I asked him earlier to identify exactly what he has.

In the picture the OP posted you can see that the unit only has speaker outputs.

If the unit has a headphone out on the front, it may be possible to connect that to the Behringer device. Guessing from the vintage of the player it would probably be a 1/4" jack.

Exactly what brand & model ADC are you using?

What optical to usb cable? USB-C, yes, with no adapter?

It will help if you post 2 screenshots:

Your Audio MIDI setup showing the Behringer device as input

Your audio input recording selection in Audacity.