Recorded playback has distortion and too much base

[Albexoner]

I have a laptop, and when I record from my computer onto Audacity, it is distorted and there is way too much base. I have checked the bit rate and other factors of quality, and everything looks fine, but it comes out distorted. Can you help?

[steve]

What are you recording and how are you recording it?
What operating system are you using and which version of Audacity?

[Albexoner]

I'm recording off Grooveshark or my own computer by playing a track and clicking the record button so it captures sound off the computer. I am using Audacity 1.2.6 for Windows, but I also tried 1.3.2 Beta. I have Windows XP.

[steve]

This is all about your sound card and sound card settings.
Check the recording settings in your sound card and ensure that the recording input is set to "Stereo Mix" (may be called "What U Hear", or "Mix", or something similar).
Check that all sound card effects and enhancements are disabled.
Sound card settings can usually be accessed via an icon near the Time/Date in the lower right corner of the Desktop.

[Albexoner]

Dang, I did all that, and it still sounds the same... does that mean the problem is with my sound card?

[steve]

Could you upload a short sample recording somewhere on the Internet, preferably in WAV format, then post a link on the forum. We may be able to identify the problem if we can hear it.

[Albexoner]

Ok here http://www.zshare.net/audio/88230275dec8b8b4/
It's an excerpt of the song If I Was You by Cataracs

[steve]

Your recording level is set way too high.
Open your sound card recording settings and turn down the recording level.
During recording, you should see the waveform appear in the Audacity track. Adjust the recording level so that the waveform is about half the height of the track.
After it has recorded you can use the Amplify effect to bring the level up a bit.

[Albexoner]

That definitely helps! It does still come out with somewhat more base than the playback on the computer. Here's a new excerpt in case you want that. http://www.zshare.net/audio/882376148671092a/ I do have a question about amplifying. It lets me repeat the amplify at the top of effects, but sometimes I don't need to double it, only like 1 1/2 it, but it usually won't let me amplify it more under "amplify" after I've done it once.