Need help with now malfunctioning recording quality.

[Funkadelicious]

Hey, all, I need some help. :/

I've been a user of Audacity for a few years, and I've used the same crappy mic, same plugs, instruments, and line-in jacks since I've got it. Last month, my old computer was destroyed - it's okay, it was outdated anyway. All the songs and files I created went with it. I have a new computer now, which is great, except that now any recording through Audacity sounds like an angry synthesizer.

Recording was fine before, but now that I've made the computer switch, recording sounds completely awful. Voices come out the best, but drumsets sound like they're in an old Beatles video with wet plates for cymbals. Bass guitars sound like overly distorted guitars, and keyboards just sound angry and obnoxious. Where the heck did my quality go?

I don't know where to start to fix this. I'm not even sure where the problem is - audacity or a possible soundcard issue. Can anyone lend me their helping hands?

I can upload a sample if it would help.

[steve]

If it's a new computer with an on board sound card, the sound card would be my bet.
In the olden days the manufacturers used to put in $15 worth of sound card, now they've got it down to around $1.

Spending around $30 to $40 on upgrading the sound card is likely to make a world of difference.

[joelle]

The same thing is happening to me. Angry synthesizer is the perfect word for it. An acoustic banjo sounds like a distorted electric guitar. But I have not switched computers. The only thing that is different from last time I used Audacity is that now I'm recording from cassette tape as opposed to vinyl record. What could be the problem here?
Thanks.

[steve]

The same thing is happening to me. Angry synthesizer is the perfect word for it. An acoustic banjo sounds like a distorted electric guitar. But I have not switched computers. The only thing that is different from last time I used Audacity is that now I'm recording from cassette tape as opposed to vinyl record. What could be the problem here?
Thanks.

You have something set up different?