Very low input volume from ION USB turntable

[pwabrahams]

I have an ION USB turntable and I'm running under Kubuntu Linux. I tried to adjust the input volume using audacity's mixer, but it gives me the message "Cannot control input level; use system mixer". I have pavucontrol running and also alsamixer. Even though audacity is recording and the turntable is playing, pavucontrol gives me the message "No applications currently recording audio" in the Recording tab. All level controls in pavucontrol and alsamixer are set somewhere between medium and high as far as I can tell. The VU meter shows a level of about -24DB. The recording window shows an almost flat line at 0.

What can I do to get a usable volume level for recording?

By the way, I've given up on audio monitoring at least until I can get the level problem solved.

[waxcylinder]

The ION TT that I used to have had a harware gain control (volume knob) - but it was located in a non-bvious and very un-ergonomic position - underneath at the back of the TT (where the cables exit the device).

WC

[pwabrahams]

I finally found the gain control. It's in the same area where you plug in the USB cable, on the underside of the turntable on the same side as the power button. I'm amazed that the ION manual says absolutely nothing about it, and even the ION FAQ doesn't mention it. The signal strength is still somewhat low even at the highest gain, it seems to me, but at least it's usable.

Does anyone else have observations about the effective range of the gain control?

[waxcylinder]

When I had an ION iTTUSB I ran it with the gain control on max all the time. And yes everybody agrees its a stupid place to put the gain control - for a start it would be very unwise to try and use it while a record is playing.

But al least the ION manual that I had did mention the gain control and showed it on a diagram.

You can always lift the volume of the recording afterwards with Audacity by using the Amplify Effect. Do this as your last production step prior to exporting your audio files. The Amplify effect will calaculate an amplification to take you up yo 0dB (the max.) I would recommmend choking that back to about -2.0 dB (as some players object to 0 dB audio files - they shouldn't, but they do ...)

WC

[bgravato]

Which Host and Recording Device have you selected in Audacity's Preferences -> Devices ?

What you said suggests that you might not be recording through pulseaudio...