can someone help with my set up?????

[boboy82]

Ok. Im using Audacity to records mixes from my mixer and turntables, i have the wire connected to the back of my mixer and the other side plugged to the mic. jack on my labtop. I can get it to record and i can play it back, its just it sounds really bad the quality is bad.Is there something im doing wrong in the setting? I use windows 7.. pleeezzz help...

[Trebor]

Use "line in" connection to the computer in rather than "mic in" (mic jack) if you have the option ...
http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 339#p79339

[boboy82]

yeah all it has on my labtop is the mic. and the headphone jack.. Is that the reason???

[kozikowski]

Most Windows Laptops are missing high-level, stereo Line-In, so you have no place to put your connector. You can try one of the fine external USB sound cards we reviewed.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477

Koz

[boboy82]

so is that how its gonna sound? Because i plug it into the mic. port?? thats what causes it to sound like that??

[ctravis]

Run your turntable through the inputs of a home stereo amplifier/receiver and run the RCA outputs from the receiver to your mixer. Then run the outputs from your mixer to the mic input of your computer. Of course you will need a patch cord from the RCA cords to a stereo Min (DIN) plug. The receiver will boost the turntables output to high gain. Turntables that are equipped with USB outputs do not need a boost in gain as the USB provides this.

Also make sure you are maximizing your signal to noise ratio on the outputs from your mixer as well as your recording gain control in Audacity. Most mixers have a shaded area on the sliders that indicate maximum output at about 75%. Set both sliders there. Then adjust the Gain Control on the mixer until the input signal just clips, then back off slightly. Digital recording cannot be overdriven like the old days of analog. Of course you have to be playing a signal through the system from your turntable to do this.

After this is done, then you have to adjust the record level in Audacity on the two channels that you are recording to, using the same concept. No clipping. Take it to red, then back off slightly. This should provide you with maximum gain without distortion. Push record and go.

Good luck.

[boboy82]

wow.. I think i got all that but i use the software torq. There are alot of wires. What if i just got a usb sound card would that solve the problem??

[whomper]

maybe
drivers are an issue though
get a card with drivers that are compatible with audacity
check out the sound card reviews pages here in the forum

[kozikowski]

<<<Then run the outputs from your mixer to the mic input of your computer. >>>

That step doesn't work for most people. The computer is expecting a tiny, delicate, wispy mono (single) microphone signal. The signals from most mixers and amplifiers are powerful, high-level stereo -- two signals, not one, and as much as a thousand times louder.

Windows computers are business machines, not production tools.

The USB external sound cards give you a place to plug your stereo sound cables so the computer can accept the show with no, or minimal damage.

The Behringer UCA 202 seems to be a nice, simple way to do this.

Koz

[Trebor]

My Dell allows the sensitive mic jack to be reconfigured to much less sensitive "line-in"...

Dell_Sigmatel_software allows reconfigure mic jack as 'line-in'.png (29.41 KiB) Viewed 1744 times

I don't know how widespread this software option is.