seanscud Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 So, I bought a nice player a while ago and it's USB. So I plug it into my computer and I play it through audacity. However, whenever I play anything, it sounds really crappy and staticy. How do I fix this? Do I have to hook up real speakers to it? I'm not very good with anything to do with this stuff so any help would be appreciated, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Why dont you guve the details on this "nice player" so maybe someone can help you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 So, I bought a nice cheap player a while ago and it's USB. So I plug it into my computer and I play it through audacity. That's why, I'm sorry to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 That's why, I'm sorry to say. Pretty much but was waiting for that detail. Pretty sure "nice players" dont have USB ports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanscud Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 This is what I have: http://turntablelab.com/collections/turntables-for-listening-alpha/products/audio-technica-at-lp60-usb-automatic-turntable-w-built-in-pre-amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daysaves Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Do you not have speakers? You always play your records through your computer's speakers? That's probably a huge reason for the crappy sound, but that turntable doesn't help either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 The essentially is a 60 dollar turntable without the usb port. I would assume that this turntable played with that built pre amp through a laptop and laptop speakers is the issue. But since that is what you have I would try moving them apart. You probably have a giant wall of distortion with all those signals? Also does you speakers have power or are they running off a jack in your laptop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanscud Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 I just play it through my computers speakers. I'm pretty sure they are made only for the computer so you couldn't unplug them and plug them in somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 So they arent even portable computer speakers but the little speaker that is built into your computer. Thats pretty much why this sounds way worse than it should Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanscud Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 No, they are portable, but like they would only be able to be plugged into my computer. So, is there an exact solution to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebiglebowski Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Yeah, man. Your whole system is pretty bad. But if you want to figure out exactly what is wrong, be a little scientific. Hook the turntable up to a receiver and speakers (a friends or something). See how it sounds. You will be able to isolate it to a turntable issue or a speaker issue. If you have a newer tv, you might be able to just run the audio into that. I've done it before and it doesn't sound "full", but it works ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanscud Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 Ok, thanks for the help guys. What would be a good turntable then that's not very pricey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbrh2001 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Ok, thanks for the help guys. What would be a good turntable then that's not very pricey? Take a look at the U-Turn TT if you want a new TT and arent willing to spend at least $400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattalica17 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Ok, thanks for the help guys. What would be a good turntable then that's not very pricey? save up some money. why would you want to keep buying cheap record players? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebiglebowski Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Ok, thanks for the help guys. What would be a good turntable then that's not very pricey? Given that you already a serviceable turntable (I won't say horrible, because there is a level of quality below yours...the $50 turntable), I would say roll with this one until you are ready to buy one more turntable for the rest of your life. If records are your thing and you plan on listening to the format for the rest of your life, be prepared to drop $400 on just the turntable. But you don't want to buy a $100 table...outgrow it...a $200 table...outgrow it...a $300 table...outgrow it...and on and on. I went $50 -> $200 and I'm regretting not just spending the $400. It really sounds like the problem is the whole USB to speaker thing. Just cause a turntable costs $100 doesn't mean there should be static and it sound crappy. It should still play the record without destroying the sound quality. I'd definitely test it out in a different situation. Maybe there is a manufacturers defect if you just got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryq Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Ok, thanks for the help guys. What would be a good turntable then that's not very pricey? I have this http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120-USB-Direct-Drive-Professional-Turntable/dp/B002S1CJ2Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364184399&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+pl120 with this http://www.amazon.com/Shure-M97xE-High-Performance-Magnetic-Cartridge/dp/B00006I5SB/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364184471&sr=1-1&keywords=shure+cartridge and I currently have no complaints. obviously, I "don't know what I'm missing", but I have at least $100 more in my bank account than I'd have had I bought something for $400 also, I used to have this http://www.amazon.com/Sony-PS-LX300USB-Stereo-Turntable-Black/dp/B0015HOFZI/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364184670&sr=1-2&keywords=sony+turntable and the only complaint I had was that some records would skip like crazy (which you can either blame on the record player for not having an adjustable counterweight and whatnot, or you could blame it on the pressing plant for pressing records that don't play on cheap players that play 90% of records perfectly fine) as for your original question, here are my ideas: you're not using the built in pre-amp (is there a switch on the back? try flipping that and see what happens) you need to mess with how audacity (or your computer) brings in the sound. I record and make mp3s using the line-in jack, and doing it on my laptop took a little more care than it did on my desktop (desktop had a dedicated line-in, whereas laptop has mic/line-in combo, and you don't want it to be a mic...) anyhoo, good luck. and I think your speakers are ~fine -- I connect my red/white RCA cable to an "RCA female to a 3.5mm female Y-cable", which then connects to a "3.5mm male to RCA male cable" which then goes into a big CD player / speaker system thing I bought 10 years ago (btw, my CD player is more than 2 ft from my record player, hence the weird cable setup). if this works for me, your setup should sound fine for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I have this http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120-USB-Direct-Drive-Professional-Turntable/dp/B002S1CJ2Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364184399&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+pl120 with this http://www.amazon.com/Shure-M97xE-High-Performance-Magnetic-Cartridge/dp/B00006I5SB/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364184471&sr=1-1&keywords=shure+cartridge and I currently have no complaints. obviously, I "don't know what I'm missing", but I have at least $100 more in my bank account than I'd have had I bought something for $400 also, I used to have this http://www.amazon.com/Sony-PS-LX300USB-Stereo-Turntable-Black/dp/B0015HOFZI/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364184670&sr=1-2&keywords=sony+turntable and the only complaint I had was that some records would skip like crazy (which you can either blame on the record player for not having an adjustable counterweight and whatnot, or you could blame it on the pressing plant for pressing records that don't play on cheap players that play 90% of records perfectly fine) as for your original question, here are my ideas: you're not using the built in pre-amp (is there a switch on the back? try flipping that and see what happens) you need to mess with how audacity (or your computer) brings in the sound. I record and make mp3s using the line-in jack, and doing it on my laptop took a little more care than it did on my desktop (desktop had a dedicated line-in, whereas laptop has mic/line-in combo, and you don't want it to be a mic...) anyhoo, good luck. and I think your speakers are ~fine -- I connect my red/white RCA cable to an "RCA female to a 3.5mm female Y-cable", which then connects to a "3.5mm male to RCA male cable" which then goes into a big CD player / speaker system thing I bought 10 years ago (btw, my CD player is more than 2 ft from my record player, hence the weird cable setup). if this works for me, your setup should sound fine for you Jesus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearchuck Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Jesus. Yes, Father? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Chuck is batting 1000 today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearchuck Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Chuck is batting 1000 today. And with that, I'll see you guys tomorrow. You're a wonderful crowd. Thank you, thank you ... TheRareCreature 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannibal Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I have this http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120-USB-Direct-Drive-Professional-Turntable/dp/B002S1CJ2Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364184399&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+pl120 with this http://www.amazon.com/Shure-M97xE-High-Performance-Magnetic-Cartridge/dp/B00006I5SB/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364184471&sr=1-1&keywords=shure+cartridge you need to mess with how audacity (or your computer) brings in the sound. I record and make mp3s using the line-in jack, and doing it on my laptop took a little more care than it did on my desktop (desktop had a dedicated line-in, whereas laptop has mic/line-in combo, and you don't want it to be a mic...) I have isolated the only two things that you should take from this post. First the 120 and the shure are fine. I know, i'm not supposed to reccomend it, but I think its much better than some of the other abominations people can buy. Put the shure on there and I can say it will be OK. Second, I would place a large sum of money and the interation between your table and your computer as the culprit. Your turntable is sending a line level, your computer is amplifying it as a mic level input. Result, distortion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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