Recording levels

[OZDavid]

I am running Windows XP and have used Audacity v 1.2.6 with great success to transfer my cassette collection to MP3’s, using a Fission USB cassette player/recorder. I now want to do the same with my vinyl records, using a new Fission turntable with USB connection (it has no output gain control).

I was able to adjust recording levels from the USB tape deck using Audacity's slider control but it will not adjust the recording levels from the USB turntable – Audacity is over-recording / distorting from the recordings from the turntable.

Any ideas ? Or, is there an earlier version of Audacity I can download that will work on Windows XP or with the Fission Turntable ?

[kozikowski]

I think the surprise is that the cassette machine worked, not that the turntable didn't. Throw-away turntables aren't very well thought of on this forum. They create all sorts of problems.

Typically, USB devices have fixed sound levels and that creates all sorts of additional problems as you're finding out. The volume controls in Audacity reach out and change system values and sometimes you can do that manually in Windows Control Panels.

Let's say this problem has come up before...

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... uter_or_CD

Koz

[tilli]

I too have a recording level problem. I am using Audacity with Windows XP with an external cassette tape player connected through the aux audio input on the back of the computer. The input level in Audacity is always too high that I am always getting clipping in my recordings no matter how low I set the mixer input slider's volume level ( I can turn the slider all the way down to .1 and still get clipping!). Is there a way to decrease the input volume so that I can set the slider at .5 and get no clipping? Thanks for any help that anyone can offer.

[steve]

Make sure that you have plugged into a "Line Input" on the back of your computer and not a "Mic Input".
Microphone inputs (Mic) are about 1000x too sensitive for a cassette player output (they are also only mono and have a 5v voltage on one of the contacts which will not be good for the cassette player).

[waxcylinder]

Try having a look at this page in the Wiki: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... turntables

Although this is primarily about USB TTs, the advice also applies to other USB devices like USB cassette decks and external USB soundcards.

WC

[OZDavid]

Good people ... Thank you for the advice. Yes, I'm an amateur in Sydney, Australia and I apologise for invading your forum.

I was hoping that someone would tell me if an earlier or perhaps a more recent Audacity version might solve the problem of uncontrollable volume levels from my 'el cheapo' USB Turntable which I bought purely to transfer my small vinyl collection to MP3 as it would be nice to re-live some past musical memories.

[billw58]

The input level in Audacity is always too high that I am always getting clipping in my recordings no matter how low I set the mixer input slider's volume level ( I can turn the slider all the way down to .1 and still get clipping!)

Can you adjust the input level using the Windows sound control panel? It appears that Audacity is just taking whatever it gets from the sound hardware and scaling it down before recording it. The signal that Audacity is getting is already clipped, so adjusting the input volume slider won't help.

You could also try using the latest build of 1.3.11 http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... tly_Builds
Recent changes have ensured that the Audacity input level slider controls the input volume of the sound card.

-- Bill

[billw58]

Good people ... Thank you for the advice. Yes, I'm an amateur in Sydney, Australia and I apologise for invading your forum.

I was hoping that someone would tell me if an earlier or perhaps a more recent Audacity version might solve the problem of uncontrollable volume levels from my 'el cheapo' USB Turntable which I bought purely to transfer my small vinyl collection to MP3 as it would be nice to re-live some past musical memories.

No apologies needed!

See my reply to tilli, as it appears you have similar issues.

-- Bill

[tilli]

Thanks everyone for the quick response. I do appreciate it. Now, I do have the tape deck plugged into the line input on the back of the computer and not the microphone. I have also played with the Window's sound control volume and it does nothing in solving my clipping issue. I have also noticed that the gain and pan slides do not affect recordings, granted i haven't play around with those enough to make sure i am using it correctly. Any other suggestions? Please help me out.
Thanks a bunch!
Tilli

[steve]

The recording level sliders in Audacity only work IF (big "if") the sound card drivers support it. For sound card drivers that do not respond to Audacity you need to adjust the levels using the sound cards own interface - you can access that through the Windows Control Panel (look in "Sounds" or "Sounds and Audio Devices").