Excuse a newbie situation please, but I can’t solve it. I’m using 1.3.7 in Windows Vista. The input from my USB turntable creates clipping on some of the vinal I’m trying to convert to CD. Website shows a controller on the input meter that should slide left to prevent this . . . but I can’t find in on my screen. Also suggested using Control Panel | Sounds to reduce input to the microphone. Didn’t change it. My Question: how does one lower the input to prevent distortion and clipping? Many Thanks! Paul
Some USB turntables have an output level control, inconveniently located on the underside of the turntable,
Some USB turntables have no adjustment, in which case the only solution is to use the analogue output of the turntable and connect it, via a phono pre-amp to a line level input of a sound card.
If you have no volume comtrol on the TT - and if you are handy with a soldering iron - then this thread http://audacityteam.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5080 has a response some way down fro Mikeymike which tells how to build an inline volume control.
WC
Waxcylinder, I think that’s the answer I need. Will visit Radio Shack today and see if I can replicate the gizmo I found from your link. Checked my TT – ITUT-201 from Innovative Technology and found no other controls that might do it, so this is my next step. Thanks for the tip. Paul
Before we get all jump up and downy over this, the USB connection carries the bitstream for a stereo performance – Left and Right. Most Windows Laptops have a Microphone-In connection and even if you manage to make the sound levels so they don’t clip and even though the microphone performance seems to be in stereo, it’s not. Mic-In is mono and you will only be getting “Left” from the vinyl record.
Koz
Koz, thanks for the warning – I checked my Dell and you’re right. I hooked up my old Sony TT (phono RCAs out to a Y-adapter mini-phono plug in). I still need to attenuate the signal from the IT turntable – why couldn’t they have included it??? – and will see if I can make the simple device that I saw, but with a USB output. It’s kinda fun tinkering with this thing, at any rate.
Windows PCs are designed to plug a headset – mono microphone and headphones – in directly and call the corporation home office in Geneva with Vonage or Skype. They’re business computers.
Macs are production computers and have high quality stereo Line-In and Line-Out both analog and optical digital. They wouldn’t have any idea what to with a microphone.
That’s why it’s not included. The larger PCs and Deskside machines have all the connections, but the laptops usually only have the microphone connection. Sometimes, some laptops do have the full compliment of connections or they have the ability to change their one connection between the two services, but that’s difficult to do well.
Even if you do manage to get the levels not to distort, you’re still going to only get one sound channel. It may be spread out over left and right, but there’s still only one. you will not hear the French Horns over on the right of the orchestra.
Koz
Sorry, I don’t think that you will succeed in this - as by the time your TT has sent the signal out of the USB services h/w in your TT the signal has already been digitized. I should not have raised your hopes with my earlier posting like that - apologies.
In the application in the thread I gave you the link for the user had a standard TT that they were sending an analog signal on to an external soundcard - and hence the attenuating device could be placed inline between thos e two devices. In your case all the gubbins is inside the TT (preamp, soundcard, USB services) so you would need to get inside the TT and re-engineer it - probably not recommended.
Have you still got the receipt for your TT, if so can you return it to the supplier as not fit for purpose. And then you can either buy a USB TT with a gain control - or better buy a standard TT (you may already have one in your attic?) and get an external soundcard. If the TT you get doesn’t have on on-board pre-amp. then it is possible to buy USB soundcards that have an embedded pre-amp.
WC
Appreciate the information resulting from my post. It’s an interesting learning curve here – been a few decades since I built my Heathkits! At any rate, yes, the little device I built worked well . . . but didn’t solve the problem. For now, I’m sorting my vinyl into stacks: these convert well with the low-end USB turntable, and these will have to wait awhile longer. Will start watching for used equipment that might do the trick! Nice to know folks are out there willing to lend a hand. Thanks!