Transferring tapes using audacity

[HowardKennitby]

Hello all

As some of you may recall I am transferring some very old cassette tapes to my PC as mp3 files using Audacity.
In order to get the level approximately right I listen as the recording is being done. Sometimes I get a great deal of echo; this is not present when I listen to the final mp3 file.
Does anyone know why this is happening?

thanks

Howie

[bazwillrun]

My guess is the echo is caused by a mic picking up the sound from your speakers and feeding it back into the system.

Turn off your mic, it might be one thats built into a webcam , whatever it is you need to turn it off or use headphones to monitor the recordings, less chance of the mic picking up the sound .

[rojash]

The most likely cause is that you are monitoring both the input and the processed signals simultaneously. (i.e the signal as it arrives at the sound card, and the signal after Audacity has processed it - which obviously takes time).
You can turn this off by going to preferences/ Audio I/O and unchecking Software Playthrough. If this is already unchecked, there may be a setting on your sound card (there is with many soundbalster cards) which you can turn off.

[HowardKennitby]

Thanks both

I will look into your suggestions.

Howie