distortion when recording from vinyl

[vinyl-john]

Hi

Audacity version 2.0.3
windows 7 downloaded from .exe

I am having problems when recording vinyl records. I have a stand alone record deck and amplifier. I have phono leads connected to the tape
outlet from the amplifier through a connector to a usb lead connected to my laptop.
The Audacity editor screen has no input control level. I have read your detailed and in depth information about this and have done the necessary update driver
downloads etc. I have checked the output of the recording device on my computer for 'line in' (multimedia audio device )and have set this to the minimum level (0).
When attempting a recording the output is distorted. There appears no way to turn down the level any further.
After fiddling around for some time I decided to try to record from both CD and tuner. This was succesful and the line output was less for some reason. I have sort
of come to the conclusion that maybe my phono stage on my amplifier is maybe too strong and if this is the case what can I do about it.
I have lots of vinyl records that I would like to get to mp3 - any help, assistance would be greatfully appreciated.
Thanks,
John

[waxcylinder]

Is there no gain control on the pre-amp/USB device?

Can you give us details of the kit you are using?

WC

[vinyl-john]

Hi

Thanks for getting back to me.

I have a standard sort of set up - amplifier, tuner, cd player, record deck, tape player.

The amplifier is a AVI Laboratory Series integrated amplifier. These are the specs from the manual for the phono stage:

Sensitivity 2mV 47K ohms
Input impedance 47K ohms
Headroom +26dB
Distortion -76dB

I have to admit the above means very little to me.

The connections to my laptop (windows 7) is via phono leads from the tape out. These then go into a phono to usb converter box.
I have gone into the recording devices tab on the computer and set the slider to the minimum level for usb line in.
There seems to be no other way to reduce the input from the amplifier.

Thanks for your continued support.
Regards
John

[DVDdoug]

The connections to my laptop (windows 7) is via phono leads from the tape out. These then go into a phono to usb converter box.

Your phono-to-USB box has a phono preamp with RIAA equalization. You are connecting a line-level signal from tape-out, which does not need to be re-amplified or re-equalized after the signal passes through your integrated amp with it's own internal RIAA equalized phono preamp.

The solution is to bypass the integrated amp and plug the turntable directly into the phono/USB interface. Or, if your USB interface also has a line/phone switch, or line inputs, you can feed it from your tape-outputs.

[vinyl-john]

Thanks for your reply.

I have tried plugging the turntable phono leads directly into the phono to usb converter box, and although the output level
did reduce considerably, when I then played back the track it sounded awful - really tinny.

I don't think there is any pre amp gain in this converter box as it is simply a small plastic box with phono connections one side and usb on the
other. It's made by Roxio and simply says 'audio capture usb' it is part of a package to convert vinyl to mp3. Funnily enough, that didn't work
either for the same reason ie. the output was always too high.

John

[vinyl-john]

Thanks to everyone on this rather odd posting.

I have tried anther amplifier with the same set up and now all seems to be OK.
Maybe the phono out of the AVI amp is too strong.

Thanks again,
John