Sound Dropouts

I've been experiencing this problem for a while now and can't figure out how to make it stop. In between songs on the bands, the sound completely drops out for very short periods of time.

Here's a recording of it from Steve Winwood's Higher Love (volume is kinda low):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/af6le22q6vrog41/sounddropouts.wav?dl=0

I'm using an Audio Technica ATLP120, but it's happened on another turntable as well.

 

Well, I think I figured out what the problem is. Poor cables.

 

Sorry for the triple post, but it still does this even without extra cables. I cannot figure it out, and it's driving me crazy.

 

It would help to know what your equipment is.

I assume you're being serious when you say "between songs in the bands the sound will totally drop out"; meaning that there should be sound there, albeit quieter sounds.

 

Usually, I just play through my computer aux input (I don't have any kind of setup at all).

I'm am being serious about it, though. I should be hearing normal surface noise. It's hard to explain it, and it doesn't happen with every record either. The sound clip I posted it what it sounds like, it's just that it happened in the fadeout of that song.

 

They're there all right. Here's a picture of them - the dropouts are just to the right of the markers. The first and biggest of them is 4.6 seconds into that clip.




Could you describe the whole recording chain?

 

Make sure that no Windows audio enhancements are enabled for the recording device and playback device that you're using. Some audio drivers include extra enhancements to "improve" the audio. Enhancements like compression, volume leveling, EQ, echo cancellation, resampling, etc. Make sure all of those sorts of things are disabled both for the recording device (input) you're using and for the playback device you're using.

You could also try using pro style recording software that is able to bypass the standard Windows audio drivers. These programs bypass the standard audio drivers and their audio enhancements by using WASAPI or ASIO. Audacity is an example of one program that is able to do that.

 

I plug the audio cables from the turntable into a cable with a headphone jack output, and that is plugged into the aux port on my computer. I use Audacity to record.

This same problem also happens on an external stereo even when the turntable audio cables are plugged directly into the red/white inputs without extra cables.

 

What are you using for a phono stage (phono pre-amp)? From what you say, you've tried changing everything else (turntable, stereo system) so that's all that's left, apart from the LPs themselves which I assume we can rule out.

 

Does it happen when listening to your system with speakers, or only on the computer recording? Sounds like it might just be a gate is being applied in the computer somewhere, that it's a software/computer issue, not a stereo equipment issue, if that's the case.

 

I'm using the built in preamp in the turntable (which I know isn't the greatest, but I'm afraid to remove it).

It doesn't happen with every record though, not even the Steve Winwood album I posted the sound clip from didn't do it on a second playing.

 

Both. But I can play some records and it won't happen at all, and others it will happen between every 2 or 3 songs.

When I first got the turntable, it didn't do it at all.

 

Well, I think I have it figured out. It's the built in preamp.

Here's a couple of samples of from Robert Plant's Pictures at Eleven, side two in between Worse Than Detroit and Fat Lip

Sample 1 (No preamp; volume amplified with Audacity):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xhvdyum2nw0irty/rpsample1.wav?dl=0

Sample 2 (Preamp turned on):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6y7gb00qdq1xk4r/rpsample2.wav?dl=0

So now my next question: if I were to buy a separate preamp, and turn the switch to Phono, will the internal preamp still affect it?

 

YOU figured it out? I thought it was ME who said the pre-amp was the only thing left!

Just kidding - I'm glad you've found the answer.

If you get an external pre-amp, and de-select the internal one, I don't see how the internal pre-amp could possibly cause any more problems. You've already shown that in your samples.

Good luck!

 

You were right, but I just didn't reread it before I posted.

Thanks for the help, really appreciate it. Also thanks to everyone else who posted.

 

Now, I don't think it's the internal preamp causing it. I think it was a misaligned cartridge. After I realigned it (correctly), all of the records I had this problem with now play with no problem whatsoever. Strange...

 

Is it still happening, then? A misaligned cartridge way well cause distortion but there's no way it can cause sound to disappear altogether, even momentarily. A loose connection to the cartridge might do it, though, or even a dirty connection.

 

I'm not home right now to try it again, but no, it's currently not doing it anymore. I'll try to test it out some more tomorrow.

 

Seen it before. Those are digital dropouts. Your computer is too "stressed" while recording, and it's taking processing power away from the sound card. Try setting the video to a lower resolution.

 

A simple thing to try is the program Process Lasso. The free version is enough. It throttles back any Windows process that tries to monopolize the processor, leading to the sound dropouts in this case. Then it releases that process. You can watch what it does in a real time graph, or just X it and let it run in the tray.

Bitsum »

The free version will run at startup 100% of the time, and it will pop up a closeable nag screen from time to time (like once a week), but it is fully usable and good enough. It has many options - you do not have to do a thing, you won't make things any better. The paid "Pro" version has even many more options. Both versions are the same - if you pay you just unlock more options in the free version you have installed. I have the paid Pro version on all of my machines just because. It has been around many years, it is thoroughly debugged, and it will cleanly uninstall if you don't like it, which I can't imagine. Even the free version will pop up an Update Now screen every couple weeks automatically because the programmer keeps tweaking it, now for Win 10 and everything before.

 

I appreciate this, but it also does (or did) it when it's not hooked up to my computer. I still might check it out though.

 

OK, but you said it was happening with your second turntable too?

 

Yes. It's an ATLP60, which I don't use anymore (and yes, I know it's not a good turntable, but I didn't know at the time.)

I just tried another record that had this problem (Elton John's Rock of the Westies; on side 2 between tracks 3 and 4) and it played through perfectly fine. I'm going to keep trying albums out for now and see if it starts doing it again.

 

I took a look at that site and I'm going to be honest, I have no idea how to use that.

 

You do not have to know a thing about it. If you ever have any stuttering video or sound problems, like playing Youtube videos, or if your mouse cursor seems to stick or stutter at times, it will greatly help or completely smooth out those problems. If you're doing one high processor thing like rendering a video edit while trying to watch a Youtube video at the same time, normally without it you absolutely would get stuttering problems with both and the mouse cursor.

You don't have to know or do a thing except install it. The default settings are about 99% perfect for everyone. There are 500 settings you could fool with, but I promise, you do not have to. Just X it and let it work.

(I wish he would make a version that didn't look like a nuclear plant control room. Just X it and it just works. After it's installed and your next reboot, it just hides in the tray and doesn't bother you except the weekly nag screen or biweekly update if there is one, usually due to a Windows update that he re-tweaks for.)