I'm just a dumb radio guy who never records music, but I do use Audition. Have you checked Windows audio control from the control panel?
Every once in a while it goes wonky and you have to go into it and adjust levels.
That's one reason for my voicework I prefer using digital recorders (Zoom, Tascam, etc.) and only editing on a PC. But my stuff is pretty simple and often on the fly as in mobile.
Re:"have had many Best Buy specialist assist me" was the best laugh of the morning!