Unable to access/adjust Bass Treble,No Stereo,Too Distorted

[Gforce1000]

Yes, the output of the Pre-amp IS too loud and distorted. By the way, the Presonus people basically just want me to use their program which I have to say, is not as user-friendly as yours even with the problems I am having with your system concerning distortion,volume,and being unable to adjust the sound quality of my recordings. - G -

[Gale Andrews]

Yes, the output of the Pre-amp IS too loud and distorted

Then you need to fix that problem, so that you don't feed distorted input to the Presonus.

Might you be using a ceramic cartridge on the turntable? Ceramic cartridges are very high output. Your BBE preamp is meant for magnetic cartridges, which have lower output than ceramic. Ceramic cartridges will make the preamp distort. According to some reviews on Amazon, even some higher output non-ceramic cartridges will make it distort, and it has no gain control. Is your cartridge high output moving coil?

So you have an option there - you could if you wanted replace the BBE preamp with a more flexible one that has a gain control. Make sure the preamp supports the method of generating signal that your cartridge uses (ceramic, moving magnet or moving coil).

By the way, the Presonus people basically just want me to use their program which I have to say, is not as user-friendly as yours even with the problems I am having with your system concerning distortion,volume,and being unable to adjust the sound quality of my recordings. - G -

As explained numerous times, Macs do not normally allow you to control the input level of USB audio devices.

Audacity does not let you turn the distorted input level down, because that is not in your interest. Doing that just makes the distortion quieter, whereas what you should be doing is finding out why the input is distorted and preventing the distortion in the first place.

So, if you don't want to buy a more flexible pre-amp, use the software Presonus recommend, assuming it allows you to turn down the distorted signal when recording. Or do the same in Audacity after recording by using Effect > Amplify... .


Gale

[Gforce1000]

I actually do have a magnetic cartridge and I have been advised to do away with the Presonus Audiobox altogether, in favor of a Scarlett 2-I-2 (that's the letter I not 1) USB. Apparently, there are no pre-amps with Gain control available to me now, and I have been told that this would be a more user-friendly way of getting the job done. Your thoughts?

[Gforce1000]

One more question: by using Effect > Amplify AFTER I have finished recording, will I be able to adjust Bass / Treble as well?

[Gale Andrews]

I actually do have a magnetic cartridge and I have been advised to do away with the Presonus Audiobox altogether, in favor of a Scarlett 2-I-2 (that's the letter I not 1) USB.

Who advised that? Focusrite? If you feed distorted input to a Scarlett it will have the same problem as the Audiobox.

there are no pre-amps with Gain control available to me now

Not true. https://is.gd/bNUtSM.

I have been told that this would be a more user-friendly way of getting the job done.

If you insist on turning down distorted input rather than removing the cause of the distortion (an overloaded pre-amp), we cannot stop you. But please don't then complain that it doesn't sound good.

by using Effect > Amplify AFTER I have finished recording, will I be able to adjust Bass / Treble as well?

You can run those effects separately. Or, if you don't want to set the track volume to any specific level, you can just use Bass and Treble on its own and adjust the Volume control on that to suit.


Gale

[Gforce1000]

Thanks, I ordered a Pre-amp from the selection you referred me to. However, I still have a question: I believe that your program is superior in the fact that it is more user-friendly, having said that - every time I have tried hitting Effect>Amplify (after recording) it still does not allow me to adjust Bass / Treble - am I doing something wrong? Finally, just to be clear: is there anyway to adjust the recording volume level during or after the recording process (other than a separate volume control on the Pre-Amp)?

[Gforce1000]

F.Y.I. The Cartridge on my Technics is a Pickering XV-15 /625E

[Gale Andrews]

every time I have tried hitting Effect>Amplify (after recording) it still does not allow me to adjust Bass / Treble - am I doing something wrong?

As I said, you can run Amplify and Bass and Treble Separately.

Bass and Treble includes a volume control, but Amplify cannot change Bass and Treble.

If it was me, I would run Bass and Treble, and set the volume in Bass and Treble approximately right without distortion. That means that when you listen to the result there are no red clipping bars at extreme right of Playback Meter Toolbar. This is bad:


Then run Amplify. If you want, you can run Amplify while Bass and Treble is still open.

is there anyway to adjust the recording volume level during or after the recording process (other than a separate volume control on the Pre-Amp)?

I have already answered this multiple times. If you use a Mac, and use Audacity, you cannot change the volume level during recording except by a volume control on the equipment.

Using Bass and Treble or Amplify in Audacity is changing the volume level after recording. If the recording was distorted, this changes the loudness of the distortion, but does not remove the distortion.


Gale