Amplifier for reducing distortion.

shandy1

Hi, I'm in the process of recording music from an old game on the PS2 to my laptop and need to reduce the sound going in because it comes out distorted.
I'm running the Ps2 rca in to a behringer 202 device and then in to my laptop, using Audacity to record the music on. The track plays really distorted so I think I need some sort of amp to quieten the music before it goes in to the behringer. I've looked at a few amps on ebay but as I've never used one before I don't know what would be decent but cheap!.
Am I going down the right path or can anybody suggest something else?
Thanks.
Andy.

aliEnRIK

First up, the PS2 doesnt output a signal so high as to be distorted. I am wondering if there is some form of 'anti copying' filter in the signal though?

Assuming theres no anti copy filter, either the 202 is distorting it somehow, the lappy is or youve set audacity wrong.

First thing id do is make sure the ps2 signal plays fine through a standard amplifier then take it from there.

My first guess would be youve not got audacity set correctly.

shandy1

Thanks for the quick reply. When I play the ps2 through a stereo it plays fine, no distortion. When connected to the behringer, and I listen through the ear phones, again no distortion. Its when after I've recorded it on audacity, I play it back and its distorted.
It doesn't sound distorted in Mono.

KillerWatt

shandy1 wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply. When I play the ps2 through a stereo it plays fine, no distortion. When connected to the behringer, and I listen through the ear phones, again no distortion. [highlight]Its when after I've recorded it on audacity, I play it back and its distorted.[/highlight]
It doesn't sound distorted in Mono.

Turn the recording level down.

aliEnRIK

From audacity wiki

"
If you hear crackles, pops, or distortion when the recording is loud, or if the waveform is clearly touching the top and bottom edges of the track, you probably have clipping. Try lowering the record level using Audacity's I/O Sliders, or lower the volume of the input source (like the tape player or microphone, whatever is producing the sound, if it has its own volume control). Many sound card also have an independent volume control for each of the input connections, which gives you another place to adjust. "

shandy1

or lower the volume of the input source (like the tape player or microphone, whatever is producing the sound, if it has its own volume control). Many sound card also have an independent volume control for each of the input connections, which gives you another place to adjust.


Thanks. I've turned the input slider right down, recorded it, but still no improvement. The Behri doesn't have a volume control.

KillerWatt

You turn the recording level down in the Windows volume controls.

shandy1

KillerWatt wrote: »

You turn the recording level down in the Windows volume controls.

No luck there either, I turned the recording level right down and it still distorts when recorded. The blue sound waves fill up the whole track and the red input meters flash fully red!:(

shandy1

Think I've done it. I changed the sound quality in the windows settings to match the Audacity level. (44100 2 channel)

prowla

Was it plugged into the microphone or line-in socket?

shandy1

the behringer usb is connected to the laptop