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

[waxcylinder]

... the bit about connecting my regular good old trusty Technics analog pick-up, earthed to my PC chassis.

Hi Mike,
glad you found a way to get it all working.

A quick additional note on connecting a turntable to a PC: unless the TT itself has a built in phono preamp delivering line level output, then you will need a phono preamp between the TT and the PC. Otherwise you will not get the necessary RIAA equalization. In which case you will earth the TT to the pre-amp rather than the PC.

And yes, I am very ignorant of Vista - intentionally so at the moment. When I bought my laptop last year I specifically insisted that Dell downgrade the O/S to XP-Pro (and from the many Vista problem postings on the forum, very glad that I did that).

But indeed, thanks to Bam for the Vista info - this is me writing it down so that if and when I move to Vista or W7 then I will be fore-warned and fore-armed

Mr. Waxy Fonograph

[samsam09]

Hi,

Following your thread on stereo recording problems, I have had some problems as well.

I am using a USB turntable and audacity to record vinyls (modern DJ vinyls) on my Mac Book Pro (Leopard).
When I start recording, I get the two sides (left and right) recording at the same level. However on occasions one of the sides (usually the left side) fades out. This can last 2 or 3 minutes, at which point any cool effect is lost and it just sounds annoying having the sound on one side.

Sometimes the level comes back up again, sometimes not. When the fade out it too long I just copy the part from the side that worked and paste it on the side that didn't. But then any stereo effect is lost.

Is this something that is common in modern electro music (or any other type of music!), i.e. using the stereo effect to occasionnally switch off one side?

Or is it more likely due to a faulty turntable?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Sam

[steve]

I think it is more likely to be a fault - either with the turntable, leads, connections, or computer.
As you are using a Mac, it would usually be better to post questions on the Mac part of the forum rather than the Windows part of the forum.

[samsam09]

Thanks for your advice, I've posted the question in the Mac section (I hadn't seen it!).

I checked all the connections and cables and it the problem doesn't come from there. It would have to be something inside the turntable itself.

Do you know if the difference between a track recorded in stereo and a track recorded in mono and then duplicated on the other side will be significant? Will the latter do or is stereo really required?

Thanks!

[steve]

samsam09, I've sent a reply to your other post http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 13&t=13625

[mixerman5001]

Listen to BAM. He solved a similar problem for me.
In VISTA, go to your CONTOL PANEL then to the SOUNDS icon.
Then to the RECORDING tab, then to "properties" then "advanced".

Then choose, "2 Channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)" from the drop down menu and get rid of the "1 channel" setting problem!!!!!!

[steve]

Listen to BAM. He solved a similar problem for me.

When I start recording, I get the two sides (left and right) recording at the same level. However on occasions one of the sides (usually the left side) fades out. This can last 2 or 3 minutes, at which point any cool effect is lost and it just sounds annoying having the sound on one side.
Sometimes the level comes back up again, sometimes not. When the fade out it too long I just copy the part from the side that worked and paste it on the side that didn't. But then any stereo effect is lost.

Different problem.
I guess that since Sam has not posted for a month that the issue is resolved.