How do I turn up output volume?

[Robin Pritchard]

Hello, I have an AT2020 USB mic and when I plug it in while using Cakewalk, the little volume bar goes up and down when I record but then when I play it back, I can't hear the recording. I thought it might be something to do with the output sound, so I'm just wondering how I can fix it?  How do I turn up the output volume?  Also, I have a bad laptop (e.g. it only has 120GB on SSD), so it may be that (it's very frustrating, I just wish Macbooks weren't so expensive so I could afford one with Christmas/birthday/pocket money). I just really want to make music. Please help me if you can by answering my question, I would appreciate it 

[57Gregy]

First, hit P on the computer keyboard while Cakewalk is open and then click Driver Settings on the left. Tell us what it reads for Playback Timing Master.
That would be the device that would make sound.
But, if you really want to make music, a USB microphone is not the way to go, no matter what they wrote on the ad for the mic.
You will need an audio interface with a good (not USB) mic to record with.
It could get expensive, but doesn't have to be.

[Robin Pritchard]

12 hours ago, 57Gregy said:

First, hit P on the computer keyboard while Cakewalk is open and then click Driver Settings on the left. Tell us what it reads for Playback Timing Master.
That would be the device that would make sound.
But, if you really want to make music, a USB microphone is not the way to go, no matter what they wrote on the ad for the mic.
You will need an audio interface with a good (not USB) mic to record with.
It could get expensive, but doesn't have to be.

Thanks for replying to me, for Playback Timing Master it says (Headphones AT2020USB+) and it doesn't come up with any other options to change it. When I unplug the mic, I still can't hear the recording even though it says it has recorded something. Sorry if I'm being dumb. Also, I got this USB mic because it's the same mic that a musician I like uses, and he's a successful musician with a million subscribers and a large spotify following, and his music sounds really good, but he uses Logic Pro X and I don't have a macbook so I can't use that.

[Nigel Mackay]

Right-click on the speaker icon and select Open Sound Settings.

Top of the list is Chose your output device.


What options do you have in the list? This is what I get.

[57Gregy]

Does you mic have a headphone output? Is it the AT2020USB+ or the AT2020USB? I see by your Playback Timing Master that it's the + model.
Do you have headphones plugged into the mic's output or are you trying to listen through the computer's speakers?

A track's output level is set from the Track Pane's volume slider. Or the Console View's volume slider. Or from the interface (the mic) if it has an output level control if you're listening through headphones plugged into the mic.
Select All (in green) and expand the Track Pane. You should then see the volume level control.

 

 

[Nigel Mackay]

@57GregyI suspect that when the driver for the USB devices was installed Windows set it as both default input and output.

I Googled AT2020, it is a microphone with a USB connector as its plug. There is no headphone socket. Well done Windows for selecting a non-existing headphone as default output.

Waiting for the list of available audio outputs to specify which to use.

[57Gregy]

22 hours ago, Nigel Mackay said:

@57GregyI suspect that when the driver for the USB devices was installed Windows set it as both default input and output.

I Googled AT2020, it is a microphone with a USB connector as its plug. There is no headphone socket. Well done Windows for selecting a non-existing headphone as default output.

Waiting for the list of available audio outputs to specify which to use.

I thought that at first, too, , Nigel, but the name in the Playback Timing Master is for the AT2020+, according to Robin, which does have a headphone output and presumably will act as the audio interface.
While the OP "got this USB mic because it's the same mic that a musician I like uses, and he's a successful musician with a million subscribers and a large spotify following, and his music sounds really good, but he uses Logic Pro X and I don't have a macbook " doesn't mean it will perform as well on a Windows machine.
I'm not as knowledgeable as a lot of the folks here, but one thing that is invariably true is that no one has satisfactory performance with USB mics and Windows computers with Cakewalk software that I've read about since 2002.
Maybe Robin will return and give us an update on the situation.