Lousy quality during recording, and weak bass

2011-01-10 17:50:12

Pretty new to vinyl and pretty new to recording, as I just grabbed some cables and hooked it up to my sound card hoping to get my vinyls onto the computer but I quickly ran into problems.

I've got this chain; Technics SL-BD20 > Technics SU-V570 preamp, RCA cables from the Tape Rec output -> M-audio Fast Tack Pro (I use one cable for each mono-input, which are line-in) -> Ableton Live. I don't know what cartridges I got, but since everything works fine from the turntable to the speakers the problem should occur somewhere between the amp and Ableton Live (And its not the software since I can preview what is going into the fast track pro, and hear the weak bass there)

If I use my headphones to listen to the record directly from the amp, everything sounds fine, but as soon as I listen from what is going into the sound card suddenly I've lost all my bass and the trebles gone up and its just pretty bad. A friend said I had a RIAA problem, and I know its some kind of filter, but being new and all I can't really tell where this filter would fit in and how I'd know if I'm missing it or not (Since the characteristics of the sound matches that of the description of a RIAA-less signal, as in no bass lots of treble).

Am I using completely insane equipment, or do I just suck at cabling?

Lousy quality during recording, and weak bass

Reply #1 – 2011-01-10 17:59:12

By the specs, SU-V570 already has one phono pre-amp onboard (if it's in condition).
(Connect your turntable into input's intend for phono and select the playback source correctly) ... rec source as well when you 'stream' through tape rec out --> I.e. connect/use the soundcard connection just the way you would use a cassette deck when conncted to SU-V570.

Juha

Lousy quality during recording, and weak bass

Reply #2 – 2011-01-10 18:13:00

It doesn't sound like an RIAA problem.  You probably just suck at cabling.  Double-check the cables between your amp and the M-Audio - give all connectors a good twist back and fro.  You could also bypass the M-Audio entirely and run a cable from your amp to line-in on your internal soundcard.  That might tell you something.

In a situation like this, the secret is to eliminate possible trouble spots until you find the culprit. Check also that the output from Tape Rec output is OK by feeding it back into Tape Rec in.  That would also exonerate the cables.