Audacity Forum

Running Audacity 2.0.2 on Vista Service Pack 2. Installed Audacity from a disc that came with a USB turntable...upgraded to 2.0.2 online with exe.

I'm in the midst of a huge vinyl recordiong project.

Doing the comedy albums was fine, but now I'm doing music.

When the source volume is hot, I don't see waves...I just see a solid line of "wave level".

Fair enough.

But when I lower the input levels (in Audacity or in Windows itself), all it does is makes the height of the solid wave smaller, but it's still a solid...no visable waves. It's uncontrollable "pinning". I know it's the levels 'cuz on fade-out, I see waves.

Hope this description makes sense.

Is there some other way of actually lowering the audio levels coming into my 'pooter so I'm not slamming the levels?

It sounds like you are overloading an input prior to the Windows recording level control. A typical cause of this is if a high level signal (for example from a headphone socket) is connected to an input that is designed for a much smaller signal (for example a microphone).
What equipment are you using and how is it set up?

steve wrote:It sounds like you are overloading an input prior to the Windows recording level control. A typical cause of this is if a high level signal (for example from a headphone socket) is connected to an input that is designed for a much smaller signal (for example a microphone).
What equipment are you using and how is it set up?

Using an Innovative Technology turntable connected via USB into an Acer Aspire 3050 Laptop running Vista.

I've now gone to plan "B", and it works!

Solution: The turntable also has RCA outputs. I'm using those into the mic input. The levels are much more controllable.

Whew...

Yaklovitch wrote:... The turntable also has RCA outputs. I'm using those into the mic input.

Beware that the microphone input probably is mono and is designed for signals much weaker than the line level signals the turnable produces.
Since the Acer 3050 is one of few laptops that actually is equipped with a line level input, you should use that. Socket 9 in the picture. And, just to make sure, have you tried lowering the levels from the USB connection via the sound control panel?
Note that they recommend lowering from the default 100 to only 3-8. --
Ragnar