Windows 10: cannot mute analog "line-in" playback volume

I connected my Audio-Technica turntable (analog with preamp) to my desktop PC's "SB X-Fi" sound card via the line-in/microphone flexi-jack and set OS and Creative to use "line-in". Plays perfectly thru the speaker output of the same sound card but I cannot mute or adjust the playback volume except with the Windows master volume. When I open Audacity (or any audio editor) and monitor the "line in" for recording, I then get a second audio stream but with a slight latency. It's nasty sounding. This second audio stream is the only audio I want.

Searching the forum here, I found a workaround from 2017. In Audacity, set the device to "Windows WASAPI" and set the input to "Speakers...(loopback)". But as stated in the original post, the recording volume is then too low to be usable.

Besides, this must be an OS or hardware issue, not the sound editor, as I cannot control the line-in playback volume no matter what. As soon the needle drops on the record, I have audio, without even launching any audio player software. The audio can only be controlled by the master volume in Windows. I have experimented with every sound setting in Windows that I could find, including any Creative SB settings. The smoking gun is in the Advanced Sound Options (App volume and device preferences), where there is a volume control specific for "Line-in (Creative SB X-Fi), but adjusting that volume slider has no effect. I did not have this issue with Windows 7. Creative and Microsoft support is useless. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Pat
Windows 10 Pro 1903

:)

 

Volume Mixer not showing muted app

The application was muted on Windows 10 with November update. Now I am using Anniversary update, on build 14393.10

The initial step did not help make Banished show up in the Volume Mixer, nor did the article.

 

Windows 10 Volume Mixer fails to keep System Sounds muted over Remote Desktop Connection

The problem:

after having muted the System Sounds on the remote desktop machine, it shall unmute itself after several seconds. This pattern is persistent.

The physical setting:

I use my laptop at work, and use Remote Desktop Connection to access my desktop machine left in my apartment.

The software setting:

I have enabled Remote audio through the Remote Desktop Connection, and chose Remote audio playback --> Play on this computer. Thus, I get audio streaming on my laptop at work.

My attempt:

I have tried to find a way to mute System Volumes through a shortcut, and the following pages appears to be helpful:

1. HowToGeek suggested to create a shortcut with the following executable command:
   
   “C:\Path\To\nircmd.exe” mutesysvolume 2
   
2. The same source also points me to the shortcut for opening the Volume Mixer. %SystemRoot%\System32\SndVol.exe. Yet, I failed to find a stable way to mute System Sounds through AutoHotKey.
   

The problem for the suggested approach is that, on Windows 10, nircmd.exe no longer take the option "mutesysvolume 2" as designed. Instead of toggling the System Volumes, it is toggling the Device Volume. This is different from what the specs have suggested: NirCmd - Windows command line tool

 

Volume goes to zero and mute.

Hi William,

If the volume of your computer automatically mutes, it could be that the audio drivers are corrupted or damaged, or that there are software conflicts occurring within the system. As a first troubleshooting step, we suggest that you run the audio troubleshooter
and lets Windows find and automatically resolve problems with your audio. Here's how to run the audio troubleshooter:

• Select the Start button, then type troubleshoot, and select
  Troubleshoot from the list of results. From there, select
  Playing Audio > Run the troubleshooter.

If the troubleshooter does not help resolve the problem with your volume settings, we suggest that you check Device Manager and update your sound card drivers. Updating would replace any corrupted or damaged components of the audio driver. Here's how to
update your audio drivers through Device Manager:

• Open the Start button, then type device manager, and select
  Device Manager from the search results.
• Under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click your sound card driver, then select
  Update Driver.
• Select Search automatically search for updated driver software.

If Windows doesn't find a new driver, you may look for one on the device manufacturer's website and follow their instructions on how to install their driver.

If the above steps doesn't resolve the problem, feel free to post back to us.