How to connect Turntable to PC

[cmsinger]

I'm hoping that I'm doing something dumb! I've connected my turntable through a pre-amp into the pc line-in (following advice elsewhere). Running dMC Auxiliary Input and Test Recording Level, I only have a minimum amount of green flashing at the bottom of the scale - the same amount as when I'm not actually playing anything! I've reset Line-in recording levels to max but this has no effect. I can hear the music through the pc (quietly) - increasing the pc speaker volume (or even muting) also has no effect?

[Corgi]

Re: How to connect Turntable to PC

I would think that you would need an amp in there. Turntables do not output at a very high level. You need something to increase the volume.

[petriburg]

Re: How to connect Turntable to PC

Hey Guys, CMSINGER states in his opening post that he is connecting to his PC via a Preamp!
Now, CM, to what input on the preamp are you connecting your record player? It should be to "phono in", in order to provide corrections to the output of the phono cartridge. And, given this is correct so far, from what output on the preamp are you taking the PC connection? It should be from a "line out" (or often named "record out") output on the preamp. If you are using the normal output to power amplifier, the preamp's volume control comes into play. Using line out eliminates this, and should give you the correct output voltage to drive your sound card.
(A few details of the record player might also help - is it just a run-of-the mill sort of thing, or is it an upmarket, high-end device? If it has a moving-coil cartrtidge, for instance, then another stage of amplification might be needed).
Try connecting the output from the preamp which you're using to link to the PC to a high-fi sound system, to ensure that you are getting output from the preamp. Let us know what you find after checking these few variables.

[LtData]

Re: How to connect Turntable to PC

Whoops, your right. One of the advantages of being a moderator: I deleted my post :D

[cmsinger]

Re: How to connect Turntable to PC

My turntable is an old Rega Planar 3 (about 20 years old) - I don't now what type of cartridge it uses. The preamp I bought for the job (£25) - just has left and right input and l/r output - no volume control or anything else. I have l/r output from the deck into the l/r input on pre-amp and l/r output from pre-amp to line-in on pc. If I need to connect my amplifier, should I ignore the pre-amp and just go deck to amp to pc? My amp is also 20 yrs old (a Nytech CTA 252 XD) - it only has a 5-pin din for tape and I haven't seen a 5-pin din to line in cable.

[xoas]

Re: How to connect Turntable to PC

I am not expert on the ins and outs of pre-amps. Before giving up on using your current setup, however, I would recommend that you go back and try playing from the turntable through the pre-qmp through your PC. I think this is worth a shot since you described in your initial post a situation that can arise when you have not correctly set your input source for Auxilary Input.

First, try playing from lp through your PC without bothering with Auxilay Input. Make sure you configure your sound card to play from your line input. If you cannot get adequate sound in this fashion, then you may need to go through your amplifier. I use a receiver so I am not fully sure whether you still need the pre-amp if you use the amplifier also but I would err on the side of using the pre-amp to feed the signal from the turntable to the amplifier.

If you have no problem playing your lp from the pre-amp to your PC, then you need to properly set your input source for Auxilary Input. Lt Data's link on this in his post should be helpful if you have any problem figuring this out.

Let us know how you make out.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LtData]

Re: How to connect Turntable to PC

Try these two threads to see if they help: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=9426

http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=6325&highlight=vinyl