How to set up a turntable with an S4 MK3

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ashey99
ashey99 Member Posts: 1 Newcomer
edited October 2024 in Traktor Software & Hardware

Hello all,

I've reccently got my first vinyl player (Audio Technica LP120) and am having trouble setting it up to run through my S4 MK3.

The problem is the volume level. I have to turn the gain to max and even then it's still not peaking / clipping. The vinyl player has an inuilt pre-amp I think, but my plan is to play it enitrely through the S4 so currently have that switched to line (on the turntable) rather than phono.

I am running the turntable into channel D using the live input and whilst this does produce sound, it's a bit lacking when compared to MP3's

I have tried plugging into channel B, switching to live deck and then switching to the phono option using SHIFT + EXT but that creates a large amount of distortion (the song is louder however)

Is there a way to fix this issue (I'm sure it's user error) I have read that there will be a difference in output volume between vinyl and MP3 but surely it can't be that wide? The vinyls I'm using are recent releases of modern songs if that makes a difference.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

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Answers

  • lord-carlos
    lord-carlos Member Posts: 4,181 Expert

    Have you tried the combination of phono on the turntable, and phono (SHIFT + EXT) on s4?

  • The Sarge
    The Sarge Member Posts: 188 Advisor

    nearly the same problem here:

    new S4Mk3 (self-gift @Xmas)

    turntable Omnitronic DD-3120 & 4250 - swapped both, but none is hearable on Channel B, only Chanel A is executable

    and there is always rumbling noticable on the LED-line up to 5 blue LEDs flashing! also when I have no Vinyl on it and needle protected, and ofcourse is the cable with the metal-end placed on the GND-screw

    so for me(!) there seems to be something wrong with the last charge of S4Mk3-controllers 🤷‍♂️

    ok, then I´ll only use 1 Vinyl + my FLACed CDs and my own STEMS/Rmx-decks 😥

  • alec.tron
    alec.tron Member Posts: 79 Pro
    edited January 2023
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47972#Comment_47972

    Nope, it's been like that from the beginning. So if you purchased a new unit recently, it just means they never fixed the original issue that's been flagged multiple times...

    I purchased and returned ~5 units in the first year after release (i.e. 2020), and settled for the one with the lowest hum (i.e. 3 bars on full gain... I had others that had 6 to 8 bars...).

    Mind you, it still means the S4 mk3 isn't usable for what I intended to use it for. i.e. play vinyl through for a gig (at home for testing works... ish...), let alone recording vinyl through it, so I still am keeping an separate mixer setup for that... Bummer really.

    See:

    https://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/s4-mk3-phono-white-noise.421457/


    c.

  • The Sarge
    The Sarge Member Posts: 188 Advisor
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/47975#Comment_47975

    oh, didn´t knew that it´s an old problem, sorry that I hadn´t read about it due to exploring Traktor

    now i know what´s the retoure-reason of this one was: bought retoure at an unbeatable discount but it looks like never touched (only display-covers aren´t there if they were ever been on it)

    damn, should i drive now nearly 1 hour to the shop where I bought it in the hope of getting a better one, but possibly could get a more worse one? 😥

    @alec.tron is the issue with "channel B doesn´t function as PHONO" also known?

    thanks for the explanation

  • djexpression
    djexpression Member Posts: 2 Newcomer

    so this is true about not being about to use turnatables with the s4mk3 ? i just paid 2k for a collection of records that i wanted to use with this… so who do i contact to get a swap or money back…. helpppppp

  • lord-carlos
    lord-carlos Member Posts: 4,181 Expert
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/158993#Comment_158993

    What problem are you facing exactly?

  • djexpression
    djexpression Member Posts: 2 Newcomer

    When I select phono on the s4 mk3 the volume is very distorted, and have read many threads that this is the case and nobody wants to admit the issue.

  • lord-carlos
    lord-carlos Member Posts: 4,181 Expert
    edited June 2024 Answer ✓
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/159031#Comment_159031

    I just tested it.

    20240611_153639.jpg

    You can see gain is at 10 to 11 O'Clock and recording is hitting close to 0db.

    When I stop the vinyl I get around of -40 db noise. I don't have experience enough to say if that is low or high.

    It does sound fine to me. The only time it's low is when I disable the pre-amp on the s4.

    s4mk3_test.zip
  • PK The DJ
    PK The DJ Member Posts: 2,774 Expert

    @djexpression

    When I select phono on the s4 mk3 the volume is very distorted

    You haven't given details of your equipment, but if you've done the same as the previous poster (set the turntable to output line level) then yes you will get distortion, because you're overloading the S4 inputs.

    Set the turntable to phono AND the S4 to phono.

  • Muon
    Muon Member Posts: 22 Member

    Well this is disappointing! Was just about to record a mix using my S4mk3 with 2 x 1210's attached but wanted to get the sound quality a bit better (feels a bit crunchy overall and 3 bars of hum when nothing is happening) but seems this is just standard? is there any way around the hum? I don't really have room for a standalone mixer and it was kind of the point of buying the mk3 in the first place.

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