Dumb question: noise in armed track -ACID Product Family

Subject:Dumb question: noise in armed track Posted by: feign Date:8/19/2008 10:58:23 PM Dumb question of the year. I rarely use Acid for microphone recording, but I have just noticed this: When I arm a track for record, the VU meter's green bars flicker and move between the 90 to 84 marks, even though I haven't even plugged in a microphone, and all hardware input levels are set to zero. I've got a PC with an M-Audio Delta 66, and the microphone plugged into the old breakout box that used to come with the Delta 66 (with mic and instrument inputs). In this case, the mic isn't plugged in, phantom power is off, padding is off, levels set to zero. There are no power cords crossing any of the audio cables, nothing electromagnetic within 6 feet of the computer. Even if I open the Delta control panel and set everything to zero, and switch off the breakout box completely, I still get this flickering as if there's ambient noise. I assume this is some sort of machine noise from within the computer itself. Can someone explain and/or suggest ways to reduce whatever noise there is?
Subject:RE: Dumb question: noise in armed track Reply by: jackn2mpu Date:8/20/2008 8:56:22 AM I wouldn't worry about the meters moving. Remember that electronic components (resistors for one) generate noise on their own, mostly due to temperature. At the vu meter levels you cite that noise is inaudible anyway. Jack
Subject:RE: Dumb question: noise in armed track Reply by: JohnnyRoy Date:8/20/2008 9:15:19 AM What you are seeing is the noise floor of the Delta-66. At -90dB to -84dB that's pretty darn quiet and as jackn2mpu said, I wouldn't worry about it. If it really bothers you, right-click the meter and set the range to -90 to 0dB. That will eliminate -120 to -91 from the meter. ;-) ~jr
Subject:RE: Dumb question: noise in armed track Reply by: feign Date:8/20/2008 6:17:43 PM Thank you both for your replies. The more I get into self-taught audio production, the more I realize how much I need to learn.

Subject:Dumb question: noise in armed track

Posted by: feign

Date:8/19/2008 10:58:23 PM

Dumb question of the year. I rarely use Acid for microphone recording, but I have just noticed this:

When I arm a track for record, the VU meter's green bars flicker and move between the 90 to 84 marks, even though I haven't even plugged in a microphone, and all hardware input levels are set to zero. I've got a PC with an M-Audio Delta 66, and the microphone plugged into the old breakout box that used to come with the Delta 66 (with mic and instrument inputs). In this case, the mic isn't plugged in, phantom power is off, padding is off, levels set to zero. There are no power cords crossing any of the audio cables, nothing electromagnetic within 6 feet of the computer. Even if I open the Delta control panel and set everything to zero, and switch off the breakout box completely, I still get this flickering as if there's ambient noise.

I assume this is some sort of machine noise from within the computer itself. Can someone explain and/or suggest ways to reduce whatever noise there is?

Subject:RE: Dumb question: noise in armed track

Reply by: jackn2mpu

Date:8/20/2008 8:56:22 AM

I wouldn't worry about the meters moving. Remember that electronic components (resistors for one) generate noise on their own, mostly due to temperature. At the vu meter levels you cite that noise is inaudible anyway.
Jack

Subject:RE: Dumb question: noise in armed track

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:8/20/2008 9:15:19 AM

What you are seeing is the noise floor of the Delta-66. At -90dB to -84dB that's pretty darn quiet and as jackn2mpu said, I wouldn't worry about it. If it really bothers you, right-click the meter and set the range to -90 to 0dB. That will eliminate -120 to -91 from the meter. ;-)

~jr

Subject:RE: Dumb question: noise in armed track

Reply by: feign

Date:8/20/2008 6:17:43 PM

Thank you both for your replies. The more I get into self-taught audio production, the more I realize how much I need to learn.