Need some help with a microphone

[Phlakes]

I recently came into possession of an Audio Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser microphone. I'm trying to hook it up to my computer to a USB port through a Digidesign Mbox 2. I'm on XP and using Audacity to record sound.

Well, I would be, but naturally it's not recording.

What I know so far-

-I looked online, people have used Audacity with this microphone so that shouldn't be a problem.
-There's a light labelled "USB" on the box, but it's not on.
-The computer picks up the box and opens up the Found New Hardware wizard, but there's no software to download for it.
-For a bit, when I tried to record in Audacity, the little needle that shows how much time you've recorded wouldn't even move. No idea what that means.
-The options for what to record in Audacity are Internal Mic, External Mic, and Line In.

So, I need help, because I'm stuck. Completely.

And yes, it is plugged in all the way.

 

[mad825]

For Vista/Win7, go into Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Sound then the "recording" tab. make sure that your device is enabled and not disabled.

You can also check to see if there is any input as well.

 

[Phlakes]

For Vista/Win7, go into Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Sound then the "recording" tab. make sure that your device is enabled and not disabled.

You can also check to see if there is any input as well.

I'm on XP (and I'll edit that into the OP), and I went to Sounds and Audio Devices>Voice and tried the Test Hardware thing, but it didn't pick up anything. It also grayed out the volume slider on the microphone section. But the Voice tab says it is picking up the box.

 

[robert01]

-The computer picks up the box and opens up the Found New Hardware wizard, but there's no software to download for it.
And yes, it is plugged in all the way.

The computer picks up the box and opens up the Found New Hardware wizard, but there's no software to download for it.


Did you buy this headphone new? I am unsure what kind you are talking about, but I am sure if it doesn't plug directly into the computer it would need to have some kind of drivers that would need to install so Windows knows that the hell it is talking to. Try looking up the device drivers for it.

Also depending on your sound card the recording jack might get switch to something else like aux-in etc. Creative is does this a lot with the 'flexi-jack' feature. If you have sound card software installed(even on-board stuff) make sure that the mic jack is actually being treated as such.

 

[Phlakes]

Alright, a bit of an update. I found and installed hardware drivers for the box, and now it's being recognized completely by the computer. I set the recording device to be the box's input, and went into Audacity. Under Preferences, I chose the box to be the recording device again. Apparently that's all I needed after checking various sources and forum posts.

But it still won't record. Of course. I'm thinking it might be the microphone itself, because the "USB" light on the box is on now and it's been doing everything else it's supposed to. But I still don't know what to do about it.