Can't adjust sound levels -Sound Forge - PC - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Can't adjust sound levels Posted by: Rose Date:1/24/2004 5:29:21 AM Hi, using Sound Forge XP Studio 5 and recording from "line in", I can adjust playback levels fine in windows sound settings, but recording levels don't seem to have any impact on what comes through. Right now, the levels are a bit high, not unruly but not perfect either - some clipping. If I switch input devices the levels drop off or rise accordingly but it's either all or nothing. As far as I can tell I've dotted the i's and crossed the t's but can't figure this out. Is there something I'm missing or could something else be wrong? Thanks if you have any insights. I'm using Sound Blaster. [edit] I just spent some time in the search and see a few other people have had this problem, and in each case they could correct it by lowering the line in fader in recorder properties. However, mine is at the bottom. This raises a few questions. Can there possibly be a bug in win xp? Can this be a sound card problem? I don't want to buy a new one only to find the same problem. How much noise would a line control/monitor add to the original signal?
Subject:RE: Can't adjust sound levels Reply by: Big_Faced_Boy Date:1/24/2004 6:28:58 AM I doubt it's XP, though I wouldn't discount the thought just yet! It's probably worth updating your soundcard drivers, though it might be something really simple. Does your motherboard have onboard sound as well? It's possible that you're shifting sliders for an onboard device, which you probably haven't got connected up, and might explain why the signal level never varies. Look in your mixer panel: Options>Properties. The first item is a drop-down list of available audio devices. Make sure it's on the SB card, and NOT the onboard audio device (typically AC97). If it is an onboard device, you'd probably be best disabling it in your BIOS. What kind of deivce are you recording? If it's a guitar, you'll need to get the signal to line level before recording, ie run into an amp or fx pedal and take your signal from the amp's line out. Same applies to mics, (would recommend preamping mics and running to line in on your setup... SB mic inputs aren't the best). Synths, samplers, etc can go straight in, though remember that a turntable needs a preamp - any standard record out phono jacks on a hifi amp will work fine for this. An input stage is a good idea, but not really necessary unless you really believe you need it or are going pro. They start quite cheap, (I won't quote prices, cos I reallly can't be bothered to find any!) but obviously, the really good ones will set you back a bit. Take a look at Joe Meek and Tascam (I was using a borrowed Tascam USB input stage last night and it was really simple to use and good results). The USB one I used yesterday worked independently to the soundcard, which it just used for monitoring. Once the sample's in (it streams direct to disk over the USB cable), you can play it back on whatever soundcard you like, so no, it won't add noise to your input signal, and as it'll be far higher quality than your SB's input, you should definitely hear the difference. At least, that is, if your sound system is up to a reasonable standard, and by that, I mean a decent amp and monitors/speakers, which doesn't need to cost much nowadays. At home, I use a Cambridge Audio A1 amp (cost about 70quid/$100 from Richer Sounds) and a pair of JPW Mini Monitors (40quid/$60 again from Richer Sounds). Flat response is the key to making a good sound. Without seeing, that's the best I can come up with for now. Should be worth exploring the onboard thing though. BFB
Subject:Thank you, I should've known better than to trust MS Reply by: Rose Date:1/24/2004 7:40:01 AM I did a reinstall about a month ago, xp picked up the card and installed the drivers. I installed SP1a and all was fine. Windows update reported new sound drivers so I installed them. That's where I left it. So, at your prompting, I got the model number off the card, went over to the SB site and got the drivers there. Now the controls work. I should know better. Thanks for helping out.

Subject:Can't adjust sound levels

Posted by: Rose

Date:1/24/2004 5:29:21 AM

Hi, using Sound Forge XP Studio 5 and recording from "line in", I can adjust playback levels fine in windows sound settings, but recording levels don't seem to have any impact on what comes through. Right now, the levels are a bit high, not unruly but not perfect either - some clipping. If I switch input devices the levels drop off or rise accordingly but it's either all or nothing. As far as I can tell I've dotted the i's and crossed the t's but can't figure this out. Is there something I'm missing or could something else be wrong? Thanks if you have any insights.

I'm using Sound Blaster.

[edit] I just spent some time in the search and see a few other people have had this problem, and in each case they could correct it by lowering the line in fader in recorder properties. However, mine is at the bottom. This raises a few questions.

Can there possibly be a bug in win xp?
Can this be a sound card problem? I don't want to buy a new one only to find the same problem.
How much noise would a line control/monitor add to the original signal?

Subject:RE: Can't adjust sound levels

Reply by: Big_Faced_Boy

Date:1/24/2004 6:28:58 AM

I doubt it's XP, though I wouldn't discount the thought just yet! It's probably worth updating your soundcard drivers, though it might be something really simple.

Does your motherboard have onboard sound as well? It's possible that you're shifting sliders for an onboard device, which you probably haven't got connected up, and might explain why the signal level never varies.

Look in your mixer panel: Options>Properties. The first item is a drop-down list of available audio devices. Make sure it's on the SB card, and NOT the onboard audio device (typically AC97). If it is an onboard device, you'd probably be best disabling it in your BIOS.

What kind of deivce are you recording? If it's a guitar, you'll need to get the signal to line level before recording, ie run into an amp or fx pedal and take your signal from the amp's line out. Same applies to mics, (would recommend preamping mics and running to line in on your setup... SB mic inputs aren't the best). Synths, samplers, etc can go straight in, though remember that a turntable needs a preamp - any standard record out phono jacks on a hifi amp will work fine for this.

An input stage is a good idea, but not really necessary unless you really believe you need it or are going pro. They start quite cheap, (I won't quote prices, cos I reallly can't be bothered to find any!) but obviously, the really good ones will set you back a bit. Take a look at Joe Meek and Tascam (I was using a borrowed Tascam USB input stage last night and it was really simple to use and good results). The USB one I used yesterday worked independently to the soundcard, which it just used for monitoring. Once the sample's in (it streams direct to disk over the USB cable), you can play it back on whatever soundcard you like, so no, it won't add noise to your input signal, and as it'll be far higher quality than your SB's input, you should definitely hear the difference. At least, that is, if your sound system is up to a reasonable standard, and by that, I mean a decent amp and monitors/speakers, which doesn't need to cost much nowadays. At home, I use a Cambridge Audio A1 amp (cost about 70quid/$100 from Richer Sounds) and a pair of JPW Mini Monitors (40quid/$60 again from Richer Sounds). Flat response is the key to making a good sound.

Without seeing, that's the best I can come up with for now. Should be worth exploring the onboard thing though.

BFB

Subject:Thank you, I should've known better than to trust MS

Reply by: Rose

Date:1/24/2004 7:40:01 AM

I did a reinstall about a month ago, xp picked up the card and installed the drivers. I installed SP1a and all was fine. Windows update reported new sound drivers so I installed them. That's where I left it.

So, at your prompting, I got the model number off the card, went over to the SB site and got the drivers there. Now the controls work.

I should know better.

Thanks for helping out.