Way back when I used a Dazzle 80 on a Windowx xp machine. When I first used it, there was a huge amount of distortion when recording using Audacity. I was primarily using the device to record vinyl, and cassettes. I got some information on changing some settings in Audacity and it cleared everything up. I do not know, hoowever where I got the information, or what it was)
Now fast forward to now. The computer has been reformatted, and I have just recently found the need to copy some more LPs. Now I have the same problem. I can hear the music, however it seems broken up and there are high pitched tones mixed in with the music. I know that there was a solution I just cannot think of what it was.
OS Windows xp, sp3
1.6Ghz
I tried an LP (I am using a pre-amp between the turntable and the Dazzle.)
I also tried a CD. The CD drive works, and the CD is good.
I tried 2 different RCA cables. everything is plugged in correctly.
If you have a desktop or tower computer with a regular soundcard you can skip the Dazzle and plug into line-in.
I also tried a CD. The CD drive works, and the CD is good.
Does that mean you are able to record CDs OK with the Dazzle and Audacity? If so, that means everything on the computer/digital side is OK and you’ve got an analog problem…
Is the CD player part of the same stereo with the record player? (If so, you may not need the preamp.)
Usually distortion is [u]clipping[/u], caused by the signal being “too loud”.
Run the Amplify effect and check the default. It scans your file and will default to whatever gain is needed for “maximized” 0db peaks. If Amplify defaults to 0dB (no gain change) your waveform is probably clipped. (If you wish, you can cancel the effect after checking the levels.) If it defaults to some positive gain value, that means you have headroom and you are not digitally clipped. (There could still be analog clipping or some other kind of analog distortion.)
Does your preamp have a gain control? That’s a phono preamp, right? Not a microphone preamp?
If you have the proper adapter cables and a pair of amplified computer speakers, try plugging the preamp directly into your computer speakers to make sure you are getting a good-clean signal out of the preamp.
No I cannot record anything. CD or LP the same results. Sorry what I meant to say was “the CD disk that I was trying to record is good”. The CD drive is a small portable one that has worked in the past, and works if connected to the audio system. Also the turntable with amp has worked, and still works when connected to the audio system.
Both of my machines are laptops and neither has a linein. I agree that if I had a linein my problem would be solved.
The same distortion is there regardless of the sound level.
I will try to see if I have another program that I can work wit to make sure it is Dazzle to Audacity OR Dazzle to anything.
John
I have gotten a little further along by going backwards.
I have an old “Windows me” machine, that also has Audacity on it. I dusted it off (literally) and installed the Dazzle device. The version of Audacity is 1.2.6. I know it is no longer supported, but perhaps I can use that to fix the latest level.
When I recorded an LP most of the distortioon seemed to be gone, but now it records very fast. I know the problem is probably related to sampeling, but I cannot figure it out.
Has anyone else experienced this type of problem, and is there a solution.
Thank you
John
Use the video recording software that comes with the product (or other video recording software) to record a video with audio only. Then install FFmpeg and drag the “video” into Audacity.
When I recorded an LP most of the distortioon seemed to be gone, but now it records very fast. I know the problem is probably related to sampeling, but I cannot figure it out.
That’s odd, but I’m surprised the Dazzle works with Audacity at all… I don’t know about the Dazzle, but most video capture devices capture audio & video together in a compressed audio/video file, and they usually only work with their supplied software.
When you have a normal audio soundcard/device, the driver communicates with the application and the hardware and the sample rate is almost never wrong.
So at this point, I assume the problem is the Dazzle… But, you never really know what the problem is until it’s solved… If it was me, I’d go-ahead and buy an audio interface.