Sound Card Level Problem -ACID Product Family - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Sound Card Level Problem Posted by: spinweb Date:6/2/2004 12:51:25 PM I just bought an INDIGO io card for my IBM T30 laptop. It seems to work, except that the levels on the inputs are SUPER low. First I was recording a mic'd acoustic guitar with no preamp, but then I recorded through my LINE6 POD at quite a high level and still one can only barely see the signal on the track. I can hear it, but it seems unduly attenuated. Especially compared to ACID loops I have brought into my project or the same instruments recorded with the same equipment onto my lousy Sound MAX sound card that came with the laptop. Any ideas what might be wrong? Thanks, Rick
Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem Reply by: MyST Date:6/2/2004 5:59:40 PM "..or the same instruments recorded with the same equipment onto my lousy Sound MAX sound card that came with the laptop." Chances are you need a pre-amp for the Indigo. There's probably a pre-amp in your SoundMAX, but as you mentioned, it's probably lousy. I had basically the same thing happen to me. I had a Turtle Beach sound card that I used to record my vocals. It seemed OK, but then again, I was only playing around. I upgraded to an Echo Mia and all of a sudden I have no sound when recording. I need a pre-amp. I'll be switching to an M-Audio Delta 410 in the next little while. I'll still need a pre-amp, so I'll also get a Behringer UB802 mixer. It has two pre-amps and also a handy headphone output with gain adjustment. Not top quality equipment, but for what I do, and at about $70US, it should be plenty good. Mario EDIT: I'M not familiar with the Line6. Are you saying it has a pre-amp? If so, did you select your audio input preferences in Windows?
Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem Reply by: DKeenum Date:6/3/2004 7:12:47 AM When you move up into more pro level sound cards, they, generally, expect you to have a seperate preamp. This could be stand alone or the pre-amp from a mixing board. The main reason for this is that stand-alone preamps should be of a higher quality.
Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem Reply by: spinweb Date:6/3/2004 10:40:19 AM I have a Tascam digital 4-track that I don't use much. Can that be used as a pre-amp? Will the quality be OK? Thanks! Rick
Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem Reply by: spinweb Date:6/3/2004 11:27:58 AM <<EDIT: I'M not familiar with the Line6. Are you saying it has a pre-amp? If so, did you select your audio input preferences in Windows?>> The POD must have a pre amp in it. It's basically the mother of all guitar stomp boxes. I didn't select anything different in Windows to use it. Rick

Subject:Sound Card Level Problem

Posted by: spinweb

Date:6/2/2004 12:51:25 PM

I just bought an INDIGO io card for my IBM T30 laptop. It seems to work, except that the levels on the inputs are SUPER low. First I was recording a mic'd acoustic guitar with no preamp, but then I recorded through my LINE6 POD at quite a high level and still one can only barely see the signal on the track. I can hear it, but it seems unduly attenuated. Especially compared to ACID loops I have brought into my project or the same instruments recorded with the same equipment onto my lousy Sound MAX sound card that came with the laptop.

Any ideas what might be wrong?

Thanks,
Rick

Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem

Reply by: MyST

Date:6/2/2004 5:59:40 PM

"..or the same instruments recorded with the same equipment onto my lousy Sound MAX sound card that came with the laptop."

Chances are you need a pre-amp for the Indigo.
There's probably a pre-amp in your SoundMAX, but as you mentioned, it's probably lousy.

I had basically the same thing happen to me.
I had a Turtle Beach sound card that I used to record my vocals. It seemed OK, but then again, I was only playing around. I upgraded to an Echo Mia and all of a sudden I have no sound when recording. I need a pre-amp.

I'll be switching to an M-Audio Delta 410 in the next little while. I'll still need a pre-amp, so I'll also get a Behringer UB802 mixer. It has two pre-amps and also a handy headphone output with gain adjustment. Not top quality equipment, but for what I do, and at about $70US, it should be plenty good.

Mario

EDIT: I'M not familiar with the Line6. Are you saying it has a pre-amp? If so, did you select your audio input preferences in Windows?

Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:6/3/2004 7:12:47 AM

When you move up into more pro level sound cards, they, generally, expect you to have a seperate preamp. This could be stand alone or the pre-amp from a mixing board. The main reason for this is that stand-alone preamps should be of a higher quality.

Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem

Reply by: spinweb

Date:6/3/2004 10:40:19 AM

I have a Tascam digital 4-track that I don't use much. Can that be used as a pre-amp? Will the quality be OK?

Thanks!

Rick

Subject:RE: Sound Card Level Problem

Reply by: spinweb

Date:6/3/2004 11:27:58 AM

<<EDIT: I'M not familiar with the Line6. Are you saying it has a pre-amp? If so, did you select your audio input preferences in Windows?>>

The POD must have a pre amp in it. It's basically the mother of all guitar stomp boxes. I didn't select anything different in Windows to use it.

Rick