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What are the best desktop audio recording software and equipment for beginners on a budget?

Audacity is a free and open-source audio editing and recording software that supports various platforms such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The built-in Voice Recorder in Windows 10 can record audio, but it is limited to mono recording, and the file format is limited to M4A.

Sound Recorder, which can be found in the Accessories folder in the Start menu of Windows, has been removed since Windows 10 version 2004 and replaced by Voice Recorder.

EaseUS RecExperts, a paid audio and video recording software, supports recording audio from multiple sources such as system sound, microphone, and even both simultaneously.

Online tools such as Apowersoft Online Audio Recorder and Online Voice Recorder can be used to record desktop audio without installing any software.

When selecting a recording format in Audacity, the WAV and AIFF formats are uncompressed, while MP3 and Ogg Vorbis are compressed formats, resulting in smaller file size but lower sound quality.

To record audio from a video on a website, you can use the Screen Capture feature or the Screen Casting feature in free tools such as OBS Studio or Bandicam.

To record audio with high-quality, it is recommended to use a dedicated audio interface or external sound card that can provide lower latency and higher recording quality than a built-in sound card.

For podcasting or live streaming, you can use software such as Voicemeeter Banana or OBS Studio to mix and record multiple audio sources.

When recording internal audio such as game audio, you may encounter audio delay or latency issues which can be resolved by adjusting the audio buffer size and sample rate in the software settings or the sound driver settings.

To edit audio files in Audacity, you can use the built-in functions such as cut, copy, paste, undo, redo, and other plugins and effects such as noise reduction, compression, and equalization.

When exporting audio files from Audacity, you can choose from various formats such as WAV, AIFF, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, and FLAC, with different encoding options such as bit rate and mono/stereo channel.

To record audio from a smartphone, you can use a USB connection or a wireless connection such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to connect the smartphone to the computer and use software such as Audacity or Voice Recorder to record the audio.

To record audio from an external device such as a cassette tape deck or a turntable, you can use an audio interface or external sound card that has RCA or 3.5mm inputs and outputs.

When recording vocal or instrumental audio, it is recommended to use a condenser microphone or a dynamic microphone that can provide higher sensitivity and better sound quality than a built-in microphone.

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