Why can't I record in stereo with my USB turntable ?

[Mike.Devos2]

Hi Audacity People,

I have been trying out using Audacity as recording software with my newly-bought USB turntable, but it turns out that all vinyl stereo tracks are being recorded in mono.
I have set Audio I/O preferences to Recording: Channels: 2 (Stereo) naturally, but out come only mono recordings.

Is there any other software setting that should be adjusted ? Or might it just be my USB connection that is faulty ? I have tried two different USB sockets on my PC, both with the same result.

I use version 1.2.6 under Windows Vista Business Edition.

Anybody of you have any ideas ?

Mike

[steve]

I have set Audio I/O preferences to Recording: Channels: 2 (Stereo) naturally, but out come only mono recordings.

Are you getting one channel of sound and one of silence?

[Mike.Devos2]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for taking an interest in my problem.

No, the stereo signal input of my stereo records are mixed into a mono recording, coming in equal balance from the left and right speaker; that's why I didn't even notice at first when I played the first few recordings back through my PC speakers.
I was when I recorded the first side of a lovely old stereo sample demonstration record (one of the very first from 1958 !) that I noticed that the trains and cars weren't running from left to right, but all sounded right smack dab in the middle (:-)))

[steve]

Most USB turntables have both a USB output and a pair of analogue outputs (RCA connectors).
The USB connector should obviously go to the computer, and the RCA connectors can optionally be connected to an audio amplifier for listening to the record while it is playing. Have you, or are you able to connect the turntable to an amplifier and test if the sound is mono or stereo from there?

[Mike.Devos2]

I have, and it is definitely stereo that comes out of the RCA Line-Out

[steve]

It sounds to me like you may have a faulty turntable.
I'll ask one of the other forum regulars to drop by to see if he has any other ideas. (someone that has actually used a USB turntable).

[waxcylinder]

My diagnosis, from your testing, is that it it is a fault in the wiring of the USB services or the ADC inside your TT. Since the analogue signal via the RCA outputs delivers stereo for you and you have clearly tested the USB output with your test record - then the only conclusion is that the USB services are at fault. Therefore you will need to return the device for a refund or replacement.

BTW if you already have a good or even reasonable TT and preamp/amp with phono input, then you may be better off getting an external USB souncard (assuming thta you want/need to go the USB connection route). The other way is to use the analogue RCA outputs of your USB TT and feed these into the line-in (NOT the mic-in) on your PC - this will bypass the ADC & USB services on your USB TT and will use instead the ADC/internal soundcard on your PC.

As Steve says, I used to use a USB TT (The ION iTTUSB) - but soon "archived" it in favour of resurrecting my old Technics/SME deck from the attic which I treated to a home service and a new cartridge - and bought the Edirol UA-1EX USB soundcard - much better results than the ION on which the electronics were good but the platter was too light so it gave too much wow ( as in wow&flutter).

WC

[Bam42685]

In Vista you need to go to the control panel and select "Sounds." From there go to "Microphone: USA Audio CODEC." This should be selected as the default as it is your turntable. Highlight that and click "Properties" right below it. Once the properties open, go to the "Advanced" tab. Make sure the Default Format is 2 Channel. Based on the problem you described you're probably on 1 Channel format. I use "2 Channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)" Hopefully you didn't disconnect everything, go all the way to the store, argue with the clerk, get home, reconnect everything only to find that you had been given bad advice from an "expert."

[steve]

That could well be it Bam42685 - I'll drop him an e-mail and see if we can catch him before he has a row at the shop.

(I never did claim to be an expert on either Vista or USB turnrtables - good job we have a "disclaimer"..... what's that? - there is no disclaimer? - well here's my disclaimer;
"Sometimes I'm wrong".)

[Mike.Devos2]

Audacity People..... AMAZING People !!!!

Thanks so much, guys, for being so supportive and putting your thinking caps on for me.
No worries about me "rushing off at the first suggestion": I'm that laid-back kind of guy, gathering information from different sources first, and Steve's and his pal's suggestion actually did work just as well - not the bit about the rushing back to the shop and whacking the shopkeeper over the head with my faulty USB-turntable, but the bit about connecting my regular good old trusty Technics analog pick-up, earthed to my PC chassis.
I tried that solution just before Bam came up with yet another Vista weakness (hell, no, I'm quite OK about Vista really) to be corrected manually in the Sound applet of the Control panel.
Not too friendly on USB-turntables yet, apparently: connecting the analog red&white jacks to the blue line on the back of the PC has Vista choose "2 Channel stereo CD quality" for the Line-in peripheral automatically. Restarting my PC with this time the USB-turntable plugged into a USB-jack, the same Sound applet just "naturally assumes" we would like all our stereo records to be recorded on a default "1 Channel Mono" !
Now how dumb is that, indeed !
All down to Vista, guys, you either now about a particular little tweak or you don't, that's all there is to it. I didn't, Steve didn't and Mr Fonograph didn't yet, but we all do now, and will be able to help others with the same annoying little problem in future, thanks to Bam-thank-you-Ma'am. That is exactly the sheer magic of these Software Forums: guys & girls exchanging their best guesses and coming up together with a better solution !
I am equally grateful to ALL THREE of you for responding so swiftly to my call for help.
I'll be having my trains run from left to right and Her Majesty's Guards change from right to left now !

Yours very happily, and hope to meet you again soon,

Mike