mcm1610 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Bare with me, because I have an incredibly bootleg, jerry-rigged set-up. I have an Ion USB turntable, but not the one that everyone and their mother has, rigged up to some computer speakers with a couple extra wires involved because they weren't directly compatible. It works, sound comes out and sounds alright, but it's really quiet. I got a preamplifier for it, and when I hook it up, the volume is drastically higher, which is what I was going for, but it constantly crackles. Is this highlighting the fact that I have a shitty, terrible set-up, or is something else up? It is a PYLE PHono Pre Amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamover Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 yeah, that's a pretty bad set up. ion makes horrible turntables and you really shouldnt hook it up to computer speakers. chances are the wires and adapters to get from the turntable to the speakers is going to add noise and loose quality. it's possible that the preamp is too much for the computer speakers. i'd first get new speakers, once that don't require ton's of adapters. that should make a difference, then think about a new turntable eventually. you could get a decent gemini for not too much. when i had issues with my set up, it was the cartridge i was using. a good cartridge makes tons of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcm1610 Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 I'm slowly, slowly upgrading. I've got speakers on the way for Christmas, then someday I'd like a better turntable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamover Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 cool. the speakers should help a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcm1610 Posted December 19, 2008 Author Share Posted December 19, 2008 Yea, I just thought maybe a pre-amp could help short-term, but I guess not, so it'll sit lonely back in its package and wait until someday it might be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melikecheese Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 I got a preamplifier for it, and when I hook it up, the volume is drastically higher, which is what I was going for, but it constantly crackles. Is this highlighting the fact that I have a shitty, terrible set-up, or is something else up? It is a PYLE PHono Pre Amp. If your hooking this from the turntable to the pre-amp to the PC your probably have several options for volume...maybe? If possible can you adjust a few volume settings. I feel like your getting the super crakles due to the volume being pushed way up in one place, like the PC, then waaaay low in another, like the pre-amp. If your taking a really weak signal into the PC and then blasting it your going to hear all the little snaps and pops but if you can increase the volume cleanly before you hit the PC you might not get such a push. I am having trouble putting this in words, but its like when you have your PC volume really really low in windows and then you plug speakers in and put that speaker dial volume all they way too the max. It doesnt sound so good, it sounds better when your PC volume is about half and then the speaker dial is about half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcm1610 Posted December 19, 2008 Author Share Posted December 19, 2008 It's not hooked to a PC, just speakers for a PC. On my as-is (non-pre-amp) set up, the only volume control is the speakers themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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