USB Turntable+Macbook - Am I missing something?

[Megamix]

Hi,
New forum member - wanted to pick the brains of fellow mac users as I've only moved over from the dark side fairly recently.

Bought a Soundlab USB Turntable.
Plugged USB into macbook
Turntable switched to 'Line (option of phono)
Have my speakers plugged in to Macbook via headphone socket working fine.

Used Amadeus, Garageband and Audacity as far as I can see nothing is being recorded onto the mac.

Have USB Audio Codec selected on Input of 'Sound' BUT it does state 'the selected device has no input controls'

I'm not sure if its my ignorance of the software I'm using or the macbook limitations/configuration.

Can anyone please throw some light on where the problem could be?

Thanks

Megamix

 

[superleccy]

I'm just guessing here, and you may have already tried this, but...

Look at the audio settings in whatever application you're using to record with (Audacity, etc). Even if you've set the 'sound' input to your USB turntable within the System Preferences, many audio recording applications work independently of this.

Also, what other options are there on the turntable apart from 'Line'? And what other inputs can you see in your Sound preferences other than 'USB Audio Codec'?

'the selected device has no input controls' is normal.

SL

EDIT: Found this - I think it's the OP's turntable model. Still confused as to what the phono/line switch is supposed to do.

 

[tremendous]

Hi,
New forum member - wanted to pick the brains of fellow mac users as I've only moved over from the dark side fairly recently.

Bought a Soundlab USB Turntable.
Plugged USB into macbook
Turntable switched to 'Line (option of phono)
Have my speakers plugged in to Macbook via headphone socket working fine.

Used Amadeus, Garageband and Audacity as far as I can see nothing is being recorded onto the mac.

Have USB Audio Codec selected on Input of 'Sound' BUT it does state 'the selected device has no input controls'

I'm not sure if its my ignorance of the software I'm using or the macbook limitations/configuration.

Can anyone please throw some light on where the problem could be?

Thanks

Megamix

does the turtable allow you to use it as a conventional turntable where it outputs an analog signal? because you say this "Turntable switched to 'Line (option of phono)" and I'm trying to work out what you mean.

 

[147798]

Hi,
New forum member - wanted to pick the brains of fellow mac users as I've only moved over from the dark side fairly recently.

Bought a Soundlab USB Turntable.
Plugged USB into macbook
Turntable switched to 'Line (option of phono)
Have my speakers plugged in to Macbook via headphone socket working fine.

Used Amadeus, Garageband and Audacity as far as I can see nothing is being recorded onto the mac.

Have USB Audio Codec selected on Input of 'Sound' BUT it does state 'the selected device has no input controls'

I'm not sure if its my ignorance of the software I'm using or the macbook limitations/configuration.

Can anyone please throw some light on where the problem could be?

Thanks

Megamix

I have an ion USB turntable I've been using to convert vinyl to MP3s in Audacity (the newest beta, not the older "released" version. The released version crashes more).

Go to system preferences and click on sounds (the speaker icon). Click on the Input tab (the one on the right), and select the USB line in (make sure the turntable is both plugged in and turned on). Go back to Audacity and select the same device for line in. That should do it. If it doesn't, I got nothin' else

 

[147798]

I'm just guessing here, and you may have already tried this, but...

Look at the audio settings in whatever application you're using to record with (Audacity, etc). Even if you've set the 'sound' input to your USB turntable within the System Preferences, many audio recording applications work independently of this.

Also, what other options are there on the turntable apart from 'Line'? And what other inputs can you see in your Sound preferences other than 'USB Audio Codec'?

'the selected device has no input controls' is normal.

SL

EDIT: Found this - I think it's the OP's turntable model. Still confused as to what the phono/line switch is supposed to do.

I use the USB on my Ion, but it also has an RCA line/phone as well. Maybe phone is non-amplified (like with the old record players, where you needed a receiver/amp) and line is amplified, so you can use it straight with speakers?? I can't test because I don't have any speakers to be sure, but I used to be big into stereos 15 years ago, and I think this is right. However, neither applies to using it in USB mode.

 

[superleccy]

Maybe phone is non-amplified (like with the old record players, where you needed a receiver/amp) and line is amplified, so you can use it straight with speakers??

Yeah, sounds right. Therefore this switch wouldn't have any effect on the USB output.

OP: Do you get any signal out of the analogue outputs?

SL

 

[dtklamf]

i remember when i first used garageband i thought it wasnt working because i didnt have 'monitor track' selected so it would just be silent.
oh im a dumbass aren't i....

 

[Megamix]

Thanks for your responses:

Tried the beta of audacity and checked that both my sounds settings on the mac and on audacity had the same USB Audio Codec.

The turntable can be used with a hifi as it has phono and ground - but wanted to simplify things by just using USB.

Line i think is for USB and Phono if I am using it with an amp.

My options on the mac on lnput under Sound are:

Internal Microphone, Line In and USB Audio Codec - Output is Headphones or USB Audio Codec

On Audacity I can see left and right (green/red) sound levels moving about a fifth of the way but nothing seems to be captured.

 

[147798]

Thanks for your responses:

Tried the beta of audacity and checked that both my sounds settings on the mac and on audacity had the same USB Audio Codec.

The turntable can be used with a hifi as it has phono and ground - but wanted to simplify things by just using USB.

Line i think is for USB and Phono if I am using it with an amp.

My options on the mac on lnput under Sound are:

Internal Microphone, Line In and USB Audio Codec - Output is Headphones or USB Audio Codec

On Audacity I can see left and right (green/red) sound levels moving about a fifth of the way but nothing seems to be captured.

USB Audio Codec for IN -- NOT for out (unless your turntable is suddenly a speaker!).

I plugged in my turntable to review. This is on a MacBook running Leopard 10.5.2.

In OSX System Preferences -- choose USB Audio CODEC for in, and Internal Speakers (at least, that's what I use for speakers) for audio out.

In Audacity preferences (from the audacity menu) select Audio I/O from the left, then select CORE AUDIO: Built-in Output for the playback and CORE AUDIO: USB Audio CODEC for recording.

IMPORTANT: after you plug in the turntable and turn on the turntable and select USB Audio CODEC in sys pref, shut down and restart audacity. Audacity (for whatever reason) cannot see the USB option until the device is on and the OS has been set to use it for audio out.

Hope that helps. I also have an iMac running Tiger that I do the same thing with, so it has worked on both.

ONE OTHER NOTE: don't forget, you can't have loud speakers next to your turntable playing the source vinyl or you'll get feedback as the turntable picks up the vibrations.

 

[Megamix]

Would you believe it - finally found out what the problem was THE STYLUS!
But thanks for all your comments which allowed me to check everything was correct and led me to investigate other avenues.
Megamix