Sudden strong scratchy static noise while recording

[RecordRecords]

Help! I'm a beginner and am using an Ion USB turntable with a Macintosh running OS X 10.5.4 to convert my vinyl. I am first cleaning the records, then recording. But after a few tracks, suddenly this loud scratchy static noise begins, which cannot be removed with noise removal without losing too much of the music. It doesn't seem to be dirt on the record -- during recording I also have the turntable hooked up to my boom box, and this noise doesn't come through there. When I try it just on boom box, it's fine; when I start re-recording static is there on computer in audacity version, and if I try re-starting at beginning of record, it tends to then do it even on the tracks that previously had recorded just fine. But if I wait awhile and then start anew, it's gone. Could this be static buildup? I'm sure that it's very dry in my house, as the AC is going non-stop this summer. If so, can you suggest ways to alleviate this? I'm staring at a huge box of my records and this is gonna get old very fast if I have to keep re-recording and praying the sound doesn't start up in the middle of a record. THANKS!

[RecordRecords]

I thought I searched this topic before I posted, but just now found an extensive thread dealing with the problem. I guess it's off to Radio Shack for me.

Maybe I could record just 2 tracks at a time, and then piece them together? I'm falling out of love with my old records as we speak.

[kozikowski]

<<<just now found an extensive thread dealing with the problem.>>>

And there have been a number of extensive threads. This is a common problem.

Given you get all the problems licked, you will begin to seriously run out of steam about the second or third day of doing this. About long enough so you can project how long it's going to take to get them all in. Let's see. Three albums a day times four packed shelves, plus the ones in the garage....

Koz

[RecordRecords]

Yes, I am running out of steam. Yesterday, I found another extensive --and vitriolic-- thread on the Ion site, and through its 12 pages I eventually became convinced to go in the Audio Midi Setup on my Mac and change input to USB Audio CODEC with 48000Hz instead of 41000. (which, by the way, you have to do each time you record) That seemed to be the solution until just now when I got not only static, but skipping. Maybe I just throw these records out, return the Ion turntable to Costco, and buy the music I miss on CD and be done with it, as so many before me seem to have done.

I have a very nice, hardly used Bang & Olufsen turntable that we bought years ago before vinyl started on the wane. I wonder if I could figure out how to use it with Audacity?

[kozikowski]

..B&O...

Certainly. Did you keep the preamp? You'll need that.

Plug the Tape Out or Line-Out of the Preamp into the Line-In of your Mac and go. You never came right out and said which Mac, but all the modern ones except the Air have Line-In.

You won't need the little female to female adapter in this list. Just the cable.

USB Turntable--Analog Solution
http://audacityteam.org/forum/viewtopic ... 8840#p8840

Koz

[waxcylinder]

... return the Ion turntable to Costco

And hopefully get your money back. I started out with an ION, which is now gathering dust in my attic. I manged to get it to work with Audacity on my PC/WINDOWS XP - but eventually junked it as I was getting way too much wow&flutter probably due to the very light turntable platter. Like you I recussitated and old record deck (I serviced it and bought it a new cartridge) and the amp that went with it (per Koz' posting above). This has produced excellent results.

... and buy the music I miss on CD and be done with it, as so many before me seem to have done.

This is probly the best route to follow if you can - I did replace alll the records that I had that were commercially available on CDs (those at sensible prices anyway). This left me with a stack of unavailable LPs to transfer - and this reduced sub-set has still taken me just over two years (and I haven't sarted on my wife's collection yet ...).

... Maybe I just throw these records out

Noooo... many will have good residual value, you can try selling them on eBay, sell them to a record dealer, sell at a record fair - or even donate them to a charity/thrift shop. Vinyl is much in demand these days.

WC

[RecordRecords]

..B&O...

Certainly. Did you keep the preamp? You'll need that.

Koz

Uh...a preamp? When we used the turntable to play our records, we had it running through our Yamaha RX-730 receiver, which is still going strong. Is it possible that the turntable has a preamp built into it already? (as you can tell, I don't know much about this; I was never the person who did the connect-the-components-together) The B&O is a Beogram RX2, which I believe was the last radial to be made by B&O. My Mac, which I just got, is a MacBook Pro running OS X 10.5.4. Really appreciate your help with this...it *should* be so simple but of course is not! If I knew how to chain what I've got together, that would be great. Meantime I also have to look locally for some more discwasher fluid to clean my disks!
RR

[pdxrunner]

Meantime I also have to look locally for some more discwasher fluid to clean my disks!
RR

I have some Discwasher fluid I bought from a local used record store. But I tell you, it sure smells just like the isopropyl alcohol solution I mixed up. Discwasher probably has other additives (maybe a wetting agent), but sure seems like its primarily an isopropyl solution. I mix up a solution of 90% isopropyl and distilled water in a 1-to-3 ratio. DON'T use an alcohol solution on old 78's, but everything I've read says it won't affect vinyl.

Ken

[RecordRecords]

Re: using my B&O turntable with my MacBook Pro, what about the following, which I found as a product description for Final Vinyl at http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/morei ... &mode=info --

"Audio application that allows users to easily record their collection of old vinyl records using just the Griffin iMic and their turntable. Previously users wishing to record their old record collection had to hook up their entire stereo system just to power their turntable. Now users can connect the record player directly to their iMic, and using Final Vinyl record and save all their old albums. "

I also have some of my parents' 78s to do. From what I've read about them, I should play them last if I care at all about my needle, plus I have to figure out a different solution to clean them with since I think they're Bakelite, not vinyl.

Would iMic and Final Vinyl work? Really wading into water up to my waist here....looking for a raft. Don't know how Final Vinyl compares to Audacity and worry about using USB connection, since from what I've been reading, the 'U' in USB must really stand for unstable.
Appreciate your patience as I ask for help in figuring this out!

RR

[steve]

Uh...a preamp? When we used the turntable to play our records, we had it running through our Yamaha RX-730 receiver, which is still going strong.

The Yamaha RX-730 has a phono pre-amp built in. It sounds like you still have the Yamaha RX-730, so just connect the turntable to the phono input of the Yamaha, and connect the "tape record output" to your computer "Line in".

The manual for the Yamaha RX-730 is available here: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/manual/english/ ... iv_code=av

Warm water and a bit of washing-up liquid, followed by a final rinse in distilled water (battery top-up water) is fine for Bakelite.