Why is there this phasing effect when I record?

So, when I’ve attempted to record, everything runs smooth until I try and change dynamics. The moment I change from soft to loud, I loose like 50% of my sound and there’s this strange wah-phase sound. I tried turning the input down (did nothing) tried making higher quality. What’s going on!?

By the way, I’m using an H.P. laptop, with my amp mic’ed with a condenser mic, and plugged into a peavy mixer. I use the stereo tape out channel to record to my computer. I use the mic. input to record to audacity.

But did you turn off Windows Enhanced Services?

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_recording_troubleshooting.html#enhancements

Koz

I use the stereo tape out channel to record to my computer. I use the mic. input to record to audacity.

I don’t know that I would do that. The Tape Out of the mixer is powerful stereo and the Mic-In on a conventional Windows laptop is very sensitive – and usually mono.

Did you go into the Control Panels and look at the laptop connection setups? Some laptops let you switch one connection between stereo and mono.

Most Don’t.

For you, we have the Behringer UCA202.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/peaveyUCA202Lenovo.jpg

This has the advantage of being the headphone mixing point if you want to do overdubbing and sound-on-sound.

Koz

Do you think using a preamp would do the trick? I’m guessing that there’s too much contrast. I’m thinking a preamp would lessen the effect.

If your computer looks like this Lenovo:

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/PCLaptopSound.jpg

Then there are no stereo input connections. The pink thing is designed to do this and pretty much only this:

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/computerAnalogMicrophone.jpg

So if the preamp you have in mind is a USB device like this Arts unit.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBPhonoPPS/

Then yes. Go for it. That gives you the USB connectivity, stereo connections, and a volume control.

Koz