Problem with Samson CO1U

Here are some instructions relayed from someone who was able to fix a similar problme with help from Samson tech support:

The C01U is a WAV device. Therefore, adjusting the slider for your default MIC input level on the volume control applet does not adjust the gain on the C01U. You access the actual volume control for the C01U as follows:

Start, Settings, Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices
Click on Audio tab.

Under "Sound Recording", insure that Default Device is selected as Samson C01U.

Once Samson C01U is selected as Default Recording Device, click on the Volume button just below the name. A new window will pop up, with a vertical slider. This window will be labelled "WAVE IN", however it actually does control the MIC volume for the C01U.

The key here seems to be that the USB device that represents the Microphone input (as far as Windows is concerned) is not a traditional microphone, but (as mentioned above) a WAV-IN device.

On my Mac this has been a problem with my Samson USB CO1U mics that came up when I recently switched the same mics between laptops. The problem was there with Audacity and Soundstudio, and may be the same issue with other apps. I am running system 10.5.8. Also, I am using two of these mics for stereo recording, but the issue is the same for a single mic. The source of this potential issue is the fact that even though these are mono mics they have two channels, and both channels must have their gain all the way up in order to have full gain from the mic.
Go to the AudioMIDI Setup Utility in the utilities folder, select the Samson mic in the dropdown for "Properties For". Under "Audio Input" you will see the option of 1 or 2 channels. Select 2-ch. Down below and to the left the L & R volume sliders for both channels should be all the way to the right. Make them so and you have maxed the mic's internal gain, which can be later adjusted down in your recording app without affecting this internal setting. You can now put the mic setting back to 1 channel without affecting overall gain. If you use two mics for stereo, set each mic like this individually, go to the Aggregate Device Editor under "Audio" on the menu bar, aggregate the two mics, and you are done. If you need to balance the gain on these mics afterward, you can do so by selecting them individually, making any changes, and then go back to Aggregate Device as the Default Input and Properties For. Hope this helps!

I am using the Samson Q1u but had he same problem with missing msvcp71.dll but te link above takes you to the wong dll. This is the one my computer was asking for http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?msvcp71 and I put it in both the Program files SoftPre folder and windows/system to make sure now it is working again! Hope this helps someone else!

Install the SoftPre from www.samsontech.com. If it asks for the dll file, wich by the way it's named msvcr.dll download it from HERE and copy it to system folder in windws directory.

I know how to solve this problem. I have had it and it is now sorted. The cause is the SoftPre programme. You need to remove it by following the steps on the Samson website at http://www.samsontech.com/Main/misc.cfm?pageID=50 (You must follow thier instructions as it is a little different from the normal removal of programmes - but don't worry, it is a simple process). Then just plug in your mic again and it will work. The volume button is no longer greyed-out. Whoopee!

I've gone through just about everything with this mic, and I've finally got it working consistently (in XP). Here's what's going on:

*Both Windows and Sonar recognize the mic as "Samson USB Mic." I can't adjust the volume through Windows.
*The Sonar driver mode is MME (32 bit).
*SoftPre is installed, and I've cranked up the volume in SoftPre.

With these settings, the mic has fairly good sound quality, and enough volume to record guitar or similar things with little static.

What worked for me was just to install SoftPre and turn up the volume there. Sometimes, when reconnecting the mic, it's necessary to exit SoftPre, start it back up, and turn the volume up again.

So there you have it. Can't change the volume in Windows, but at least it's working properly with enough volume.

I had the same greyed-out problem. I went through all the suggestions and still the volume button was greyed out. Out of frustration I tried plugging the usb C01U cable into a different usb input on my computer and the volume button came back and worked after Windows recognized the mic all over again. Other suggestions here all helped too. Knowing the mic is a wav input and turning that up once I had the volume button back was also a key. Other suggestions on removal of the installed software also made sense. I still don't have SoftPre working because of the missing msvcp71.dll , but a quick test using free downloadable Audacity recording software proved the mic is now working well although a bit on the treble side.

If anyone has an answer to the missing msvcp71.dll I'd love to hear it. If I try to run the Softpre I get the error that says it can't open due to this missing dll.

Many thanks to BostonDave and Alan61 for their helpful suggestions and links respectively.

I had the same problem. Using XP. Turns out that Windows kept replacing the driver that had been downloaded w/the applet. Had to remember to go in & tell it which driver to use each time, or it would default to the Window one that rendered the volume control inoperable.

You do not explain all the steps in your solution.

After selecting the Samson CO1U as the Sound recording device, how do you select the Volume Button when it is greyed-out?

Of course it's going to be quiet if you don't turn up the volume.

You don't need SoftPre. Just increase the gain of the mic using the normal gain control. Go to Control Panel --> Sounds and Audio Devices --> Audio tab. Select Samson C01U as the Sound recording device and then press the Volume button. Slide the slider more near the top.