Transfering LP’s to burn CD’s. Unit is a Dell Dimension 3000 with Windows XP. I’m Using a Memorex turntable Model: 2650mmo with USB cable directly into computer. Using Audacity 2.0.2. LP’s are mono and I’m recording them into 2 channel stereo. Tracks record evenly. Material is full orchestra with no vocals. I stopped recording after about 2 mins so as to play back and check the sound. Low passages record well but as orchestra builds in intensity, the sound is distorted and over modulated. I have no way of controlling the recording input. I seem to recall earlier versions of Audacity having both input and output controls. Is there a reason the input control has been removed and is there anyway to help control input? I can’t find anything in the manual or in FAQ to assist. Can someone help? TheVanOnTheGo
Do you get blue waves that fill the timeline from +1 to -1? Do you have the Overload Indicator set? View > Show Clipping. In Windows I believe you can change the recording level of a USB device with the recording slider on the main edit window.
Koz
Koz,
I set the Clipping (under view) and get almost solid red on heavy passages. It still distorts. No blue wavy lines you mentioned.
Under preferences/recording there is no slider for volume control that I could see. Any other ideas
Adjust the input volume in Audacity Mixer Toolbar:
If Mixer Toolbar is missing, look in View > Toolbars to turn Mixer Toolbar back on. Or go to Sounds and Audio Devices in Windows Control Panel, then in “Sound Recording”, select the turntable. Press “Volume” and turn the level down. If that “Volume” button is greyed out, you cannot control the turntable input with the computer, and the Audacity input slider will be greyed out too.
If you are in that position, see if there is a volume knob underneath the turntable or connect the RCA leads of the turntable to the line-in of the computer (if it has a line input). This is explained at http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/USB_turntables#Recordings_too_loud_or_soft which is linked to from our USB turntables tutorial.
Gale
Gale,
Thanks for the input. Went into VIEW>all tool bars are on. Next went to “Sounds & Audio” in Control panel and then into “Audio” (not “Sound Recording” and then turntable) as they were not available choices. Turned down that Audio Bar and went back to try a recording. And it works. The distortion and overmodulation is gone. By the way, my Memorex has no underneath the turntable volume control so my next move would have been to link up through the RCA leads which I may still try to see if I have an alternate way to do things.
Looks like problem solved. Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it. Sometimew, may be someone can tell me why such a seemingly easier step would have been to just be able to use the Mixer Toolbar to control this problem rather than greying it so its of no use? Anyway…Thanks from The Van On The Go
Thansk, yes, to clarify for others on XP, you have to click the “Audio” tab in “Sounds and Audio Devices”, then you should see the “Sound recording” panel, where you can select an input to make it default and adjust its input volume and other features.
The “greying out” if Audacity cannot control the input slider in the operating system is noted in the Manual ( http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/mixer_toolbar.html#input ). It seems inconvenient but if we enabled Audacity’s input slider when it could not turn down the system slider, it would achieve nothing but make the distortion quieter rather than preventing it.
Gale
Gale,
Thanks for explaining that about the input and the way Audacity would then function. Again, I sincerely appreciate your assistance. The Van On The Go