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Topic: Numark TTusb troubleshooting (Read 10397 times) previous topic - next topic
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Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Hello there Hydrogenaudio forums. Firstly please forgive my 'noobness'. Although I've been ripping vinyl/tape by various methods for around a decade or so to play on my mp3 player, therefore I have not necessarily been striving after the highest quality transfers, just something that I can happily listen to. I've never had any particular problems until today and I was wondering if someone here can perhaps advise me:

About 6 months ago I purchased a Numark TTUSB specifically for the purpose of continuing to rip vinyl since my ancient 80's hifi system had finally given up the ghost. I got it running and configured (I use Audacity or Soundbooth to record and Cool Edit aka Audition to edit) I was happy with the results.

Cut to today - I haven't used the turntable for a couple of months so I dusted it down and fired it up again. The problem a now seem to have is the playback, although recording 2 balanced channels of sound they are both coming the right channel. I've tried different software alternatives with no change, so I'm assuming a problem has developed with the turntable?

I've uploaded a clip to Soundcloud so you can hear the difference. The first part is from a rip I made years ago with the proper stereo. The second is from today where you can hear the right channel only in both speakers.

I was also wondering if this means the cartridge is damaged somehow:


I noticed the bottom right contact is discoloured (golden yellow/brass like) slightly? Other that I can't see anything peculiar. The needle doesn't look bent and all the electrical connections/contacts on both the cartridge and the player seem sound.

Can anyone please offer some ideas help as to what may have gone wrong here?

Thanks.

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #1
Try the easy stuff first:

- double-check your software to be sure it isn't set to send right signal to both channels
- swap in a new USB cable
- try a different USB input
- use canned air to blow out the end of the tonearm where the headshell screws on; do the same with the end of the headshell you show in the photo
- not sure if the discoloration you mention means anything, but RadioShack and similar stores sell contact cleaner that you can use
- if the cartridge has a user-replacable stylus assembly, pull it off and be sure all is clean in there; clean with contact cleaner
- carefully pull off the headshell wires from the cartridge and put them back on; may be a short of some sort or dirty connection between wire and pins; be sure to note which color goes to which pin
- get a new headshell; I believe that is a standard screw-on mount
- get a new cartridge

Let us know what happens.

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #2
Quote
...the playback, although recording 2 balanced channels of sound they are both coming the right channel.
I think I understand that....  (When I click on the Soundcloud link, the SoundCloud site comes up, but I get a "can't find" message.  FYI - You can upload a 30 sec sample to HydrogenAudio here.)

There might be some driver options/settings on your computer (depending on your drivers & operating system).  There may be an option/configuration for a mono USB microphone.  (My system has an option for sending the mono analog mic input to both channels.)

I assume you're using the USB connection?  According to the Numark website, your turntable also has line/phono switchable analog outputs.  You might try the analog connections.  If those are OK it would prove that the cartridge is OK.  (If I understand the problem, I doubt this is a cartridge or connection problem.  It would require two defects...  an open connection breaking the left-channel signal, plus a short connecting the right-channel signal to both outputs.)

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #3
Thanks, will try those out as well as trying to replicate the problem on my old XP laptop rather than the Win 7 desktop I have been referring to. I have been having a lot of problems with all manner of out of date drivers on my Win 7 desktop, maybe this could be another symptom of that.

Here is a link to the clip as you mentioned: TEST

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #4
I’ve listened to the file (through headphones). The result is very simple:

The first part is a fragment in STEREO coming well to both channels in stereo.
The second part is a fragment in MONO coming well to both channels in mono.

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #5
OK so I tested the turntable on my old XP laptop and it worked just fine so turntable = not guilty

@ Fedot L: I agree the second fragment is mono but it is mono made from the right channel only. You can tell this by how out of balance the 'guy on the radio voice' is with "Marvin here" Sorry I wasn't explaining myself very well in the first place!

One of my first thoughts was my Soundbooth software was set to recording in mono but it was definitely in stereo when the problem first arose.

So I'm guessing its another Win 7 driver type problem? Can anyone please suggest the best way to ensure my audio drivers are all up to date?

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #6
Since it worked properly at one point, you might try rolling back the sound card driver and reboot.  Maybe it got updated as part of a Windows Update.  If that works, turn that particular update off so it doesn't apply again.

What brand/model sound card/chip do you have on the Win7 system?

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #7
Since it worked properly at one point, you might try rolling back the sound card driver and reboot.  Maybe it got updated as part of a Windows Update.  If that works, turn that particular update off so it doesn't apply again.

What brand/model sound card/chip do you have on the Win7 system?


It's listed as an "8 Channel Realtek ALC883 High Definition Audio" as part of an ASUS motherboard "ASUS M3A: AM2+, DUAL DDR II, S-ATA II, 3 PCI, 2 PCI-E"

 

Numark TTusb troubleshooting

Reply #8
I found a solution that works and it's always the straight forward things you overlook.

For reasons I have to admit are beyond me, I can only record in if  I set the default recording device (Control Panel\Manage Audio Devices\Sound) to 'Microphone' (3-USB Audio CODEC). I then looked at the advanced properties for the microphone to find they were actually set to mono. Changing this back to stereo has fixed it.

Not the most elegant solution, but it does seem to work

Thanks again to everyone for their input, cheers!