Ok, thanks to anyone looking and thanks to all those who help.... my problem goes as such. I have a Stanton Str8-20 hooked up to my pc. (Rca to stereo then into the line in on the back of my sound card. The sound system i have hooked to my computer is very good. Everything is all the way up in settings and such, but the volume when i play a record is to low. Help me! The turntable is brand new all stock. Also how do i adjust the weight on the back of the arm? Thanks!
If your turntable doesn't have a built-in preamp, you'll need to conntect it to the phono input on your stereo. If the stereo doesn't have phono input, you'll need to purchase a phono preamp. Amazon.com carries some phono preamps from $15 and up.
From what I can see of the specs, the STR8-20 is a standard turntable. This means there's no stepup device built-in, which is usual. The output of the cartridge is about one thousandth of typical line level. Therefore, when you plug the deck into the line level input of your soundcard, it sounds very quiet. It also should sound a bit 'wrong'. What you need between the turntable and the line level input is a phono stage or phono preamp which not only boosts the output of the turntable but also fleshes out the signal correctly. Something called the RIAA curve is used to squash big bass signals into the same space as the treble signals in the grooves of your record. The phono preamp has to 'unsquash' those signals for you.
Quality phono preamps start with the NAD \P\P-2 at about $75 or the Project Phono Box for similar money. The NAD has a captive lead so it costs less.
Thanks guys! Hey if i go with the cheap ones at amazon is my quality really going to suffer alot? Im just using it for rec. use and tight on cash but if the quality is really alot better for $75 bucks i will get that one i guess. Can you guys send me the link to your fav for low cost? thanks
your pre-amp is probably the most important item because digital picks up everything: rumble, wow and flutter, and especially humm. I got a 60 s/n pre-amp and it wasn't good enough. I then got a 90 s/n with an external power supply and now I get great digital recordings.