Extremely low sound in Level Wizard

[JSounds]

I am attempting to use Spin It Again with a USB turntable hooked up to a laptop (running Windows 7 if it matters), and am getting very low volume in the Level Wizard. In fact too low to register. The system volume is set to max, in fact the "voice" is very loud, so the speakers in the laptop work.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Do you have any way of increasing the recording volume for your USB turntable? Some USB turntables have a gain knob.

The volume you adjusted was the playback volume, not the recording volume. You can also try right-clicking on the small volume control icon in your Windows task bar, right-clicking on your USB recording device, selecting Properties, and adjusting the recording volume level on the Levels tab.


Greg

[JSounds]

Greg:

The turntable in question is an Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB, and I do not see any mention of a gain knob in the manual nor do I see one on the turntable itself.

Regarding Windows, the volume is up to 100%.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

How is the Phono / Line switch set on the back of the turntable?

What version of Windows do you have? Can you get into your Windows control panel? Look in the Hardware and Sounds section and find "Manage Audio Devices."

Greg

[JSounds]

Switch is set to "Line".

I am using Windows 7, and yes I was able to find Manage Audio Devices. Volume is set at 100%.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Actually, the Phono / Line switch doesn't affect the USB connection, which is what you're using, correct?

If you go ahead and record something anyway, does the volume seem too low?

Greg

[JSounds]

Yes, I am using the USB connection. If I go into Control Panel and check for devices, the USB Audio Codec shows up.

I went ahead and recorded a portion of a song. The volume is quite low; in playing back the recording (in the screen where you separate tracks) Spin It Again boosted the volume to 141%, and it was still pretty soft. It also had some distortion to it, which I really don't understand.

[Charlie35956]

Yes, I am using the USB connection. If I go into Control Panel and check for devices, the USB Audio Codec shows up.

I went ahead and recorded a portion of a song. The volume is quite low; in playing back the recording (in the screen where you separate tracks) Spin It Again boosted the volume to 141%, and it was still pretty soft. It also had some distortion to it, which I really don't understand.

I don't use a USB turntable, so I don't know if it has a headphone out or not. If it does, connect a cable from the headphone out to the sound card mic input. This should give you plenty of gain. I use a small mixer, an RCA SA-155, to connect my source devices to the sound card. It has a volume control I can use to adjust headphone output level. If I use the line input setting on the sound card, the gain is too low for recording, hence my use of the mic input (or mic input setting). I have a RealTek sound card.

[JSounds]

I would like to resurrect this old thread, as I still am having the same problem only with my desktop computer (in addition to the laptop). We just moved from California to Arizona and am in the process of getting everything hooked up to my desktop computer (also running Windows 7). I still am playing the vinyl on an AT-120-USB turntable with the following settings in Spin It Again:

Playback Device-speakers HD Audio
Recording Device-USB Audio Codec

The volume in SIA is too low to successfully complete the level wizard. What I really do not understand is that I used this same USB turntable and SIA successfully when we lived in California but now that I have hooked it up here in Arizona it isn't working correctly. Obviously I have done something wrong but I can't figure it out and it is driving me crazy. I have also tried using Audacity and the sound is low but audible but distorted. And I really would prefer to use Spin It Again because I understand it and know how to use it.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Jerry

[srconrad]

Hi, Jerry. I just got the same turntable and just got it setup today! I'm not having any issues. My volume is fine. My only suggestions are to make sure you have the phono/line switch on the back set to line and that the USB Audio Codec recording device is set to Line and that the balance is up on Line.

I'm running on a Dell desktop on Windows 8.1. Good luck.

[JSounds]

Thanks for your response srconrad, however I am afraid I need a little clarification. I am not sure what you mean by saying "the USB Audio Codec recording device is set to Line" and "the balance is up on Line". You are dealing with a non-techie here so if you could clarify these I would really appreciate it.

The phono/line switch on the back of the turntable is set to "line". That one I understood!

[srconrad]

By the system clock, right-click over the Speaker icon > Recording Devices. You should be in the Sound dialog on the Recording tab. Mine shows Microphone and Line. Under Line, it shows that it's using the USB AUDIO CODEC. Make sure this is the default device. Next, right-click over USB Audio Codec > "Properties". Select the Listen tab, I have "Listen to this device" checked. Next, select the Levels tab. Make sure the level is towards the max. Finally, select the Advanced tab. In the "Default Format" section, make sure the drop down menu is set to "2 channel 16-bit 44100 Hz".

I hope this helps.

-Steve

[JSounds]

Steve:

Thanks for your excellent clarification, I could follow it perfectly. Under the "listen" tab I did not have "listen to this device checked" so I checked it. Under the levels tab I have it all the way to the max. And my default format settings are exactly as you had.

So I tried running the level wizard again and unfortunately it is still too low.

What do you have for the settings within Spin It Again? I have:
Playback-Speakers (high definition audio)
Recording-AT Turntable (I renamed line in to that)-USB Audio Codec

This is driving me crazy.

Jerry

[srconrad]

It's a bummer it's not working for you. It sounds like you have everything set up correctly. I'm wondering if your phono/line switch isn't working on your AT-LP120-USB? My understanding is this is what activates the internal amplifier.

My settings in SIA:

Playback Device: Speakers (Realtek High Definition)
Recording Device: Line (USB AUDIO CODEC)

Do you have any other USB inputs on your computer you could try? I don't know. Just throwing out some ideas.

-Steve

[outteh]

Can you also pick a different audio output? Check the properties on this also.