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Subject:I've tried everything
Posted by: aelson
Date:10/9/2009 8:31:12 AM

I posted here awhile back and got a couple of good suggestions, but I've tried everything and nothing works. Here's the problem: I used to use Sound Forge 7, until my computer died. I bought a new computer with Vista 64, and installed Sound Forge 9. When I record new material, the sound is distorted. When I say record, what I do is feed spoken word interviews from a cassette player into the computer to edit in Sound Forge 9. When I open old files in the Sound Forge 9, the sound is perfect, but the new material comes out distorted. I've tried lowering the input volume to almost nothing and that doesn't work, I've tried changing the bit rate from 16 to 24 (or is that the sampling rate?) with a 44,100 bit (or sampling) rate. I've tried recording on one track and recording in mono, and it all comes out the same: distorted. Kind of like the speakers are underwater. At times I can make out what they're saying but it's still distorted. This is driving me nuts. It might be something in the default settings, but if so I can't figure out what. Does anybody have any suggestions? Thanks

Subject:RE: I've tried everything
Reply by: musicvid10
Date:10/9/2009 10:15:23 AM

What kind of sound card?
What drivers are you loading in Sound Forge?
What inputs are you using? (You should be using "line," not "microphone.")
What outputs from your cassette deck are you using? (You should be using "line," not "headphone."
If you are lowering your input volume in Sound Forge, you are not necessarily lowering the input levels to your sound card. You do that by your sound card's "Record Input" or "Mixer" controls.

Can you upload a clip of your recorded audio somewhere for us to look at?

Message last edited on10/9/2009 10:16:42 AM bymusicvid10.
Subject:RE: I've tried everything
Reply by: aelson
Date:10/9/2009 11:34:49 AM

I'll try those suggestions and upload a couple of sound clips later today. I'm using a Sanyo transcription machine to feed the analog sound in. There's no line out per se, the jack I've been using says "monitor," and then there's a smaller jack that says "remote," but the 1/8 jack is too big for that. I used the monitor jack in the past with the Sound Forge 7 and it worked fine. I'll try adjusting the sound on the sound card. I'm sure it's something to do with the settings on the new computer, I just haven't figured out what. Have to run some errands but I'll tackle this when I get back. Thanks.

Subject:RE: I've tried everything
Reply by: aelson
Date:10/9/2009 1:45:39 PM

Musicvid, you're the greatest! I think this is the third time you've solved my issues. I thought I'd done everything but I went and checked all the sound settings, followed the sound troubleshooting suggestions (it's a realtek high definition audio sound card), switched from mic to line-in (I'd tried that earlier but because other things weren't working I switched back and forth), set all the defaults, replayed the tape that was coming out with muddy sound and this time it sounded fine. You can hear some of my prior sound clips at audiomurphy.com. I truly appreciate the help.

Subject:RE: I've tried everything
Reply by: musicvid10
Date:10/9/2009 2:48:03 PM

No problem at all.
Every time I see a response like yours I am reminded of when I was (already) an old rocker trying to make the transition from 20+ years of analog recording experience to digital (with Sound Forge XP). I would have felt truly lost if there hadn't been a few patient souls here to step me through . . .

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