Audacity Forum

Hi and thanks whoever spends the time in reading my topic. im a Dj trying to record a mix cd. I have a rca cable that connects to my mixer(Pioneer djm600) from record out to my computer(dell 8400) mic jack . Is this the way to record and have best results? Is there a way i can use line in? because i would think that would reduce distorion which is a big problem when i record. Do i have the connections right? When im recording and have no music playing yet i get a nice big fat distorion line. Is there a way to minimize this? Ive played around with the recording settings in the volume control options and ive even put the mic record volume all the way down and i get a whole lot of hissing distortion. but i can remove that with noise removal but when i do that and play back the music it doesnt sounds the same. it sounds computerised like its lost something when i use noise removal. Also the meter tool bar is really high(the red bar in audacity when i record) i put the main volume down from my mixer and it helps a bit but its have to be really low in order for it to not have the sound clipped. my soundcard is soundmax digital audio. which i think is basic that came with the computer. should i get a better sound card? Thanks.

OK, I think I have enough to start.

<<<Pioneer djm600>>>

Yes, you should totally be connecting the RCA line outputs of this mixer to the line inputs of your sound card. That should eliminate the overload distortion right away.

When you open up your sound controllers in Windows, do you get two panels? In Windows 2000, the first one open was the playback panel and under options, you got the record panel. Make sure "playthrough" in Audacity is turned off. Then make sure that all the Windows playback controls are muted. Then make sure that only the Windows record control you're actually using is turned up. Mute "CD", "MIC IN", etc.

See if that fat distortion line goes away. That's probably feedback, by the way. The computer is trying to record itself and going nuts.

You won't be able to hear what you're doing, but you should get a good, clear recording. Then mess with the Windows playback panel to hear what you actually did on Audacity playback. After a while, you may find a combination that will give you everything you want, but in the meantime, this will get you out of trouble.

Koz

The distortion has dramatically lowered Thank you. I muted just like you said and it worked nicely. there is still distortion but alot less. Is there a way to have no distortion at all? But when i remove the distortion using noise removal it makes the song a lil flat it doesnt sound the same. Do you know wut i mean? How can this be fixed? is there another way to remove the extra static noise? and also about the line in. When i connect it to the computer, which is the line in with my dell comp Dimension 8400? Can you point it out please. thanks

Probably the blue one. It's the fan icon with the arrow point in. They changed the colors a while ago and I don't know any more. The picture from Amazon.com isn't detailed enough for me to get it from that.

The sound shouldn't be distorted at all. I shot the whole sound track for a short using a mixer and the Line In on a computer with Audacity.

Do you still get the fat timeline waveform if you just record nothing for a couple of seconds?

Koz

Ok ive just tried the blue one and that seems to record too. its funny cuz it wasnt working earlier. I feel like sometimes this program is playing tricks on me because then again it didnt work. i had to turn off my mixer and plug in the rca again then it started to work again....wierd. On my recording panel options on the computer for windows i check line in instead of microphone now right? I do the same under audacity too correct? Theres a bit of distortion coming in, a lil less that recording off microphone jack. So when you recorded the soundtrack you didnt get any distortion at all? even a lil? Oh and i dont get that big fat wave of distortion anymore. Also....quick question when i record with the line in in audacity do i turn the micorphone input tab all the way down? or should i have it a bit up? i notice i hardly any static when its all down.....Thanks for the help

<<<it wasnt working earlier.>>>

You can help that with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. Rub the 1/8" end of the cable with an alcohol wet towel and then dry it off with a second paper towel. It should connect every time you plug it in.

<<I feel like sometimes this program is playing tricks on me because then again it didnt work.>>>

If you have multiple problems it will seem that way. "When I stand on my left foot on Thursday, it does this."

<<<i had to turn off my mixer and plug in the rca again then it started to work again>>>

That's a little harder because there's no good way to clean RCAs. Q-Tips? Remember to dry everything off good before you plug it all in again. And plug them all in multiple times, not just once.

<<<I do the same under audacity too correct?>>>

They try and make it so you move one setting and the other one follows you, but it never works out that way because people's systems are just too different. Make sure both places are selected.

<<So when you recorded the soundtrack you didnt get any distortion at all? >>>

Nope. I produced master voice clips at 48 KHz 16-bit from a made-up sound room with furniture pads and foam board. I had to keep moving the microphone around to get rid of the air conditioning hum.

You shouldn't have any input selected except the one you're actually using. Especially the Mic In control should be turned down and muted. That one is famous for contributing noise.


If you take the RCAs from your mixer and plug them into an amplifier with speakers, does it sound OK? It's possible your sound card is broken. It does happen, but not very often.

Koz

Thanks for the tips i really appreciate it. i was wondering how i can check if its my soundcard. do i have to open up my pc and see if theres an actual crack in it? is that what you meant? And i was wondering if the distortion could be because im using cheap rca cables....these r the ones im using the red,white,yellow cables with the end of it being a small black connection which i connect to my pc line in. Could i buy a better audio rca jacks. i know i dont need the yellow plug since its for video. maybe i can buy a good one a radio shack. Will this improve the sound quality and lower the distortion? Thanks

<<<i know i dont need the yellow plug since its for video.>>>

Oh, it's worse than that. The extra connections on the plug could be causing a lot of your problems. This is what's supposed to be there. That's where the card is expecting your signals to be.



Note that on the end of your cable, you have different rings.. Put that cable in the closet and pick up the right one--Just red and black or red and white RCAs.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... age=search

Koz

I had a feeling i wasnt using the right one. Ok ill go pick on up tomorrow. maybe this will help me out alot. thank you for all the help. i will keep you updated on how things go. Thanks a million

I just bought the audio cables(gold plated Y-adapter audio cable)but now when i plug it into the comp i get a loud buzzing distorion off my mixer thru the speakers. Why is that? The other cables i had werent doing this. it seems that the distortion is coming from my computer out to my speakers where my mixer is connected too.(my set up is a dj system connected to my comp thru the rca audio cables) this is the one i bought but its gold plated..