how to connect pre-amp

[coonsanders]

hi guys

now an update...the preamp doent always amplifly lps or 78s then im forced to use the amplifly option in audicity to fix it.i red the instructions about how to connect the
preamp and it said that i have to connect it to the regular amp besides the new preamp.when i did this i got alot of distortion as i played the 78.any suggestions would help.

lenny

[kozikowski]

<<<im forced to use the amplifly option in audicity to fix it.>>>

That's probably correct. I bought a Phono Preamp with a volume control on the front.
http://www.phonopreamps.com/tc750lcpp.html

If I didn't do that, then I would have needed to adjust the volume of each record in the Windows Control Panel. Or set one low level and apply Amplify in post production.

Somebody has to adjust levels somewhere. Records are processed, but they still have volume variation.

You also have to not fall in love with the modern idea that all audio has to peak at exactly 0 on the green playback meter. You can have up to 6dB variation before anybody notices anything different. Records are never going to come out exact plus, pops and clicks on the record mess up many of the auto volume tools.

Audacity 1.3 has the ClipFix tool that can do a good job of getting rid of those.

Koz

[coonsanders]

hi koz

ok i just learned that i dont need a preamp as my reciever already has it...but i still cant get any higher than the 0.5 mark on the wave editor...could this be aq soundcard problem?

lenny

[kozikowski]

That almost always happens when you plug into the Low Level Microphone Input (Mic-In) of your sound card instead of the High Level Line-In. And it distorts and crunches, right?

Koz

[coonsanders]

hi
well there is only one input on this card and its used for both mike and everything else...

lenny

[kozikowski]

That usually means it has a driver or other software package to switch between the different services. This is not crazy-talk. There are soundcards that do this pretty well. If there is no sound management or other driver package, then you have a microphone input and you can't easily do what you want with the existing hardware.

So you can add (buy) hardware.

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

Microphone level and Line level are very different. You can't make one box that will handle both without some fuss. For no other good reason, Microphone connections are usually Mono and Line is Stereo.

I keep trying to generate a good real-world concept example. If Line Level was the electrical power in the neighborhood power lines over your house, then Microphone Level would be the size of a flashlight battery. The two voltages are reeeeely different and the same equipment will not manage both.

Koz

[coonsanders]

hi koz

so your saying i need another soundcard?that i cant do what i want to do with this card?when i used the on board soundcard i had no problems and there were only one line in
for microphone and everything else....how can u explain this?

lenny

[coonsanders]

hi

if i can find a 24 or 16 soundcard with 2 seperate holes for mike and the other for line in ill be able to do what i want to do?

lenny

[kozikowski]

<<<i cant do what i want to do with this card?>>>

Wait. What card? I read over the posts and you only tell us about a separate phono preamplifier, a phono preamplifier built into your bigger music amplifier, and a Mystery Hole in the side of your computer.

Yes, if you can't get the Mystery Hole to do what you want, then a USB sound card with better connections may be the ticket.

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

Koz

[coonsanders]

ok let me catch u up .....i HAD an encore soundcard but it wasnt the rite bits..it was a 32 bit.so i bought a soundblaster 24 bit which is what i have now.my amp has a preamp built into it so i dont need a preamp.so im going into new york city to get a a 2 input soundcard.

lenny