I bought a 'Y' adapter for the mixer to the mic input on my laptop. Recorded a mix with audacity but the sound quality is terrible. Please help!

Windows Vista Home Premium
Hewlett-Packard HP G50 Notebook PC
Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T3200 @ 2.00GHz 3.00 GB RAM 32-bit Operating System

CDJ-800's, Numark DXM-06

Did you notice your input level in audacity?

Might have been clipping and distorting. Did it sound good in the speakers when you where monitoring the mix?

no i didnt notice the input level. music sounded good in the speakers. any tips on the levels it should be at for optimum sound? im technically challenged when it comes to computer stuff but i'm a fast learner. thanks for the support

if it sounded good through the speakers, are the speakers and the line out to the other computer sharing the same volume control?

There is an input level adjustment in Audacity. It very likely could have been clipping in there. You wouldn't have heard it in the speakers.

there are gains on each channel and the master volume control as well. im going to check out the input level in audacity when i get home from work.....thanx Chad

was curious if you had a "master out" for your speakers and / or a "booth out" / "record out" for the line going into the other computer running audacity. That way you have independant control of the volumes.

"record out" from the mixer to the laptop. i do have independant control of the volumes

Your using a mic input to record a line level source, of course it's going to sound distorted. You can't use the mic input, you need a line input. Problem is, most PCs don't have line inputs, only mic inputs. You might need another external soundcard to record your set.

What konix says is true, but still, just keep an eye on your input levels in Audacity.