Distortion when recording from USB turntable

[dpdoug]

It is uncommon for a USB device to produce a signal that is too strong; most of them err on the side of caution and produce a signal that is on the weak side, hence the questions about the soundcard drivers.

Going back to the wiki page, the drivers should be the latest available (which you've confirmed), must be 64-bit, and preferably should be made by the hardware manufacturer rather than Microsoft.
Have you got all those things?

If you have, then does your turntable have a level control that you can use to reduce the input signal?
Some do, and others don't, and those that do sometimes hide them on the underside of the turntable.
What is the make and model of the turntable?

PO'L

It is a Ion iTTUSB05.

[waxcylinder]

I just spoke with the guys on the ION UK technical support team - they tell me that there is no hardware gain control on the Ion iTTUSB05 and that you need to manage the gain level in software from the Windows sound control services.

I can't tell you exactly how to do this in Windows 7 as I am still an XP user, sorry.

WC

[steve]

I can't tell you exactly how to do this in Windows 7 as I am still an XP user, sorry.

I don't use Win 7 either, but according to this page: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer ... trol_Panel

On Windows Vista / Windows 7, the quickest way to access the mixer is to right-click over the speaker icon in the System Tray > Recording Devices. Or click Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound (if you're using "Classic View" there's a direct link to "Sound" in the Control Panel), then click on the "Recording" tab.

It is common on Vista and 7 that not all recording inputs are automatically enabled in the Recording tab. This means they are invisible in that tab, and also invisible to recording applications like Audacity. So you need to make them visible, then enable the one you want to use, thus:

1. Right-click anywhere inside the Recording tab and choose "Show disabled devices" then "Show Disconnected Devices"
2. Right-click specifically over the input device you want to record with (for example, line-in or "Stereo Mix"), and choose "Enable"
3. For a device having a physical input like line-in or microphone, connect the required cable and make sure it fits tightly - a physical device not connected may show as "currently unavailable"
4. Right-click once again over the input device you want to record with, click Properties then the Levels tab and ensure the volume slider is turned up

Obviously when you get to step 4 you need to turn the volume down.
From what I hear it is common on Windows 7 to have the volume turned down very low.

Here's a better Link: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/USB_t ... ista_and_7

Windows Vista and 7

Stereo recording

External devices such as USB turntables usually default to mono recording on Windows Vista and 7. This means that if you are recording a stereo LP into a stereo Audacity track, only one channel of the LP will be transferred, and this will be duplicated in both channels of the track. To record in stereo:

1. In Audacity, go to the Audio I/O tab of Preferences, select "USB Audio Codec" in the "Recording Device" dropdown, and choose "2 (Stereo)" in the dropdown under that (in Audacity 1.3.8 and later this will be in the "Devices" tab of Preferences)
2. Right-click over the speaker icon in the System Tray > Recording Devices. Alternatively, click Windows Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, then the "Recording" tab (in "Classic View", there's a direct link to "Sound" in the Control Panel).
3. Right-click over USB Audio Codec and hit Properties
4. On the "Advanced" tab, in the "Default Format" section, change the dropdown menu to "2 channel 16 bit 44100 Hz"
5. If the input into Audacity is too loud or distorts, even when using the Audacity Input Level Slider, also click the "Levels" tab in "Sound" for the USB Audio Codec and move the slider to the left.

[dpdoug]

I can't tell you exactly how to do this in Windows 7 as I am still an XP user, sorry.

I don't use Win 7 either, but according to this page: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer ... trol_Panel

On Windows Vista / Windows 7, the quickest way to access the mixer is to right-click over the speaker icon in the System Tray > Recording Devices. Or click Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound (if you're using "Classic View" there's a direct link to "Sound" in the Control Panel), then click on the "Recording" tab.

It is common on Vista and 7 that not all recording inputs are automatically enabled in the Recording tab. This means they are invisible in that tab, and also invisible to recording applications like Audacity. So you need to make them visible, then enable the one you want to use, thus:

1. Right-click anywhere inside the Recording tab and choose "Show disabled devices" then "Show Disconnected Devices"
2. Right-click specifically over the input device you want to record with (for example, line-in or "Stereo Mix"), and choose "Enable"
3. For a device having a physical input like line-in or microphone, connect the required cable and make sure it fits tightly - a physical device not connected may show as "currently unavailable"
4. Right-click once again over the input device you want to record with, click Properties then the Levels tab and ensure the volume slider is turned up

I tried this and it still does not work. Oddly enough, if I choose Listen To This Device in the USB Audio Codec input properties, the record plays directly and the sound is fine.
Obviously when you get to step 4 you need to turn the volume down.
From what I hear it is common on Windows 7 to have the volume turned down very low.

Here's a better Link: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/USB_t ... ista_and_7

Windows Vista and 7

Stereo recording

External devices such as USB turntables usually default to mono recording on Windows Vista and 7. This means that if you are recording a stereo LP into a stereo Audacity track, only one channel of the LP will be transferred, and this will be duplicated in both channels of the track. To record in stereo:

1. In Audacity, go to the Audio I/O tab of Preferences, select "USB Audio Codec" in the "Recording Device" dropdown, and choose "2 (Stereo)" in the dropdown under that (in Audacity 1.3.8 and later this will be in the "Devices" tab of Preferences)
2. Right-click over the speaker icon in the System Tray > Recording Devices. Alternatively, click Windows Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, then the "Recording" tab (in "Classic View", there's a direct link to "Sound" in the Control Panel).
3. Right-click over USB Audio Codec and hit Properties
4. On the "Advanced" tab, in the "Default Format" section, change the dropdown menu to "2 channel 16 bit 44100 Hz"
5. If the input into Audacity is too loud or distorts, even when using the Audacity Input Level Slider, also click the "Levels" tab in "Sound" for the USB Audio Codec and move the slider to the left.

[dpdoug]

Stevethefiddle, I tried this and it still does not work. Oddly enough, if I choose Listen To This Device in the USB Audio Codec input properties, the record plays directly and the sound is fine.

[steve]

Oddly enough, if I choose Listen To This Device in the USB Audio Codec input properties, the record plays directly and the sound is fine.

I see there is a note to that effect on this page: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer ... trol_Panel

5. Right-click once again over the input device you want to record with, click Properties then the Levels tab and ensure the volume slider is turned up

Note: On Windows Vista and 7, some users report that to make the "stereo mix" device work, you need to right-click over it, click Properties then the Listen tab, and check "Listen to this device"

Glad it's working now and thanks for the feedback. Tips like that can be very useful for other users.

[dpdoug]

Stevethefiddler, I think that you misunderstood. What I meant was that if I play the record straight to the speakers without going through Audacity it plays clean without distortion. It still is distorted if I try to record it with Audacity. I have tried everything and it still doesn't work. But, thanks for your help.

[steve]

Yes I did misunderstand.
Have you been able to turn down the recording volume in the Windows Control Panel?

[dpdoug]

Yes, I have. But that did not help.

[steve]

Did it make any difference?