Crackle recording from USB tape player [SOLVED]

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

When I record music from a tape I experience crackling noise and break down in recording Could one please advise.

Ken

2

Please provide more information.
What sort of computer, which version of Windows, how are you recording the tapes… any other information that may be useful.

3

thanks for you prompt reply.
My computer is a Sony All-In-one, RAM 2.00GB, 32-bit Operating System. and windows is Windows 7. When I start recording I press the record button and start the tape player. After a few seconds or minutes it starts to make crackling noises similar to static noise.

Thank you Ken

4

Is that a USB tape player?
Make and model could be useful.
Is it one of those little (portable size) USB cassette players, or a “full size” cassette player?
Does it have a headphone output, or an “Aux” or “Line” output?
Are you hearing the crackling during the recording, or on playback of the recording?
If you are hearing the crackling during the recording, how are you listening to it? Headphones plugged into your computer?

5

The Tape recorder is a USB connection it is an EnVivo EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter. It does have a headphone output but I do not use this as I can hear what is being recorded from the computer speakers. The size of the player is 11x 8 cm. I have recorded with this before with no problems.

Kenneth1

6

Additional to my last message I am hearing the crackling during recording and listening to it without using headphones. Thank you

7

Crackling when recording from USB is often an indication that the system is struggling to keep up with the constant stream of audio. Little bits of data get dropped and that is heard as a crackle or in worse cases as “stuttering”. It seems that the condition is borderline in your case as it usually starts off OK.

Turning off “Software Playthrough” (in the “Transport” menu) will probably cure it, but you will lose being able to hear it through the computer. Anyhow, if you could try that then it will indicate if we’re on the right lines with the diagnosis. If you really want to hear it through the computer then there are some other things that we can try, but please try that first.

Also, the USB player should be connected directly to a USB port on the computer, not via a USB hub. I assume that you are not using a hub, but if you are then that could be the problem.

8

Hello Steve.
I have done has advised and switched off the software play through and I have played a complete side of a tape and I had no problems all the way through. So it appears that what you suggested has worked. Thank you very much for your valuable assistance.
Kenneth1