Input levels always too high - can't record LP

[JohntheEditor]

Recordings I try to make from LP hit the red zone and are clipped, even if my input level is set to 0.1.

My turntable is connected to an amp whose RCA "tape out" jacks are connected via cable to my Vista laptop's microphone jack.

I've tried going into to Vista's Sound control panel and setting the microphone boost to 0, but it had no effect.

If I set the Audacity input level to 0.0, no wave form appears. Audacity doesn't seem to let me adjust the input level between 0.0 and 0.1.

The amp doesn't seem to provide a way to adjust the signal that's sent through the tape out jacks.

What can I try?

[waxcylinder]

And what is the make/model of the amp?

I assume that you are plugging the TT into a phono input on the amp, right? You will need this for the necessary RIAA equalisation to be applied.

WC

[JohntheEditor]

And what is the make/model of the amp?

Well, it's a JVC JR-S201, vintage 1977.

I assume that you are plugging the TT into a phono input on the amp, right? You will need this for the necessary RIAA equalisation to be applied.

Yes. That's why I'm using an amp.

[kozikowski]

<<<RCA "tape out" jacks are connected via cable to my Vista laptop's microphone jack.>>>

You may never get there. The Microphone Input of a laptop is mono, not stereo, and it's expecting a very, very low sound level and you can't stop it. It overloads easily. Some laptops let you switch one connection between Line Level and Mic Level. If yours doesn't, you may be a candidate for an external sound card (or a Mac which doesn't need one).

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

Koz

[JohntheEditor]

You may never get there. The Microphone Input of a laptop is mono, not stereo, and it's expecting a very, very low sound level and you can't stop it. It overloads easily. Some laptops let you switch one connection between Line Level and Mic Level. If yours doesn't, you may be a candidate for an external sound card (or a Mac which doesn't need one).

I think that what you say about mic inputs was once true, but no longer. I recorded using this setup on my former laptop, a Dell Inspiron 9300, with great stereo fidelity. I'd be very surprised if my current laptop, an HP G60 whose selling point is multimedia, was different in this way. And, in fact, when I go into Microphone Properties from the Sound control panel, "L R" appears next to the jack information.

The fact that I was able to use this setup on my former laptop makes me eager to get it working on this one. I don't have much money to spend, or yes, I would have gotten a Mac.

[waxcylinder]

I couldn't find any specs or manuals for your amp on t'interweb - did find a piccie tho - nice analog meters (makes me all nostagic ...). Are you absolutly sure there is mo control over the ouput level to tape out on your amp - my similar vintage Technics did have such a control.

Otherwise, you may want to consider an external soundcard - see this thread: http://audacityteam.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477

WC

[JohntheEditor]

I couldn't find any specs or manuals for your amp on t'interweb - did find a piccie tho - nice analog meters (makes me all nostagic ...). Are you absolutely sure there is mo control over the ouput level to tape out on your amp - my similar vintage Technics did have such a control.

Yes--I could go on at some length about the pleasures of this amp, which I bought new at age 16. I don't know a way to adjust the signal to tape out, so my latest idea is to run a cable from the amp's headphone jack (which, of course, can be adjusted via the amp's volume control).

I don't trust the headphone jack on this ancient amp--it goes kkkkkshshshshshs as you adjust the volume--so I'll actually use another unit that's ten or fifteen years newer (it was my wife's before we married and consolidated our electronics). I hope that solves the problem.

Thanks to you and kozikowski for the link.

[waxcylinder]

John,
another thought - I just remembered this thread from a while back where the poster showed how to build an inline gain control to manage the signal level. See: http://audacityteam.org/forum/viewtopic ... 080#p23048

WC

[JohntheEditor]

Interesting, WC! I also use an Ortofon stylus, and when I recorded in my last computer setup, I also found that 12" singles were too loud to record without clipping. Thanks for the link.

[kozikowski]

<<<I think that what you say about mic inputs was once true, but no longer. >>>

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audioconnecto ... ctors.html

That's the difference between Stereo Line and Microphone connections. You can't cross them unless your laptop provides specific tools to do that. Headset and Desktop electret microphones depend on that battery voltage to work. No battery, no microphone. The battery goes up the cable on the wire that would normally carry "right" audio.

Most laptops manage the mono microphone signal and make two copies so it simulates stereo -- there is a right and left -- but there's only one signal on it. It's all coming from one microphone.

Laptops that switch between the two services also have to make up the difference in sound level. Microphone signals are roughly 1000 times quieter than stereo line level.

This difference in services will give you a lot of the problems you have. Overload, inability to reduce the level and clipping before 1.0 on the waveforms.

Koz