i have a denver vpl-120 that has a built-in plug for recording vinyls.
it uses a pc cable that plugs into the computer (or laptop in my case) and uses audacity to record. it also uses the playback function in audacity.
when i listened to the recording i noticed a lack of bass.
i followed the manual (see below) and i was wondering what settings i need to change to get bass.
FYI. Audacity has no relationship with your denver vpl-120. They are simply using Audacity to help sell their product.
Audacity is free for anyone to download and to download. You can get the most recent version here: Audacity ® | Downloads
Audacity makes no changes to the audio while it is recording. After you have completed a recording, do Ctrl+A=Select All, then Effect > EQ and Filters > Bass and Treble and make your desired adjustments, then Play.
Does it sound OK when you plug headphones directly into the turntable, or when you connect the turntable to your stereo?
If the bass is slightly weak, Audacity can fix that, and it might just be the particular record. But if the bass is missing completely, that’s another problem and simply boosting the bass may not work.
Make sure to directly select the USB device as your Recording Device.
Audacity won’t mess with the sound while recording, but sometimes Windows does… Audacity just “captures” whatever Windows is feeding it.
It’s possible that the turntable is defective.
Audacity can play audio but it’s not intended as an everyday audio/media player. When you are done recording and editing, you can export as WAV, MP3, or FLAC, etc., and play it with Windows Media Player or whatever you normally use. It’s not necessary to make an Audacity Project file… That’s optional and those files can only be opened in Audacity.
…This won’t help with your bass problem but there are Several Tutorials in the Audacity manual about digitizing analog.
I bet I know. The sound in a phonograph record is intentionally distorted so the music “fits” in the groove. The bass sounds are intentionally reduced and the high sounds boosted to help with noise according to the RIAA standards. And that’s where the RIAA came from.
If the turntable gives you the raw cartridge sound, it will be gutless with no bass. The sound has to go through a “Photo Preamplifier” to put all the tones back there they’re supposed to be.
There is a further problem that different cartridges will deliver different volumes. You can thank Promotion and Publicity for that one—but you do have to pay attention.
Oop. One more. If you do have the raw cartridge sound, it will typically be accompanied by a thin black wire with a metal fork at the end. That’s the ground wire. A “real” phono preamp will have a screw or thumb fastener to connect it.
The turntable will almost certainly hum if you don’t connect that.
It’s remarkably difficult to find a picture of this. I hear my camera calling.