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Sound Card Calibration Help

Discuss Sound Card Calibration Help in the Subwoofer Equalization | Calibration forum; Sound Card Calibration Help I am getting a message that I have a low signal level. Not sure where to look. I appears that ...

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Old 04-28-08, 08:48 PM   #1 (Link)
 
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Sound Card Calibration Help


I am getting a message that I have a low signal level. Not sure where to look. I appears that I have things hooked up correctly. I am not able to adjust input volume on the settings page because it is greyed out.

Here is what I have so far. The graphs tell me that I am getting a reading from the SPL Meter but is it strong enough?

Any Ideas what this means?

Attachments
File Type: jpg Low signal level.JPG (35.6 KB, 72 views)
File Type: jpg settings page.JPG (112.9 KB, 72 views)

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Old 04-28-08, 08:52 PM   #2 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Here is the sound card calibration graph and the impulse graph. The would not attach to the first post.


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Old 04-28-08, 08:57 PM   #3 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Here are the missing graphs. Too big on the first attempt

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File Type: jpg New cal.JPG (83.6 KB, 73 views)
File Type: jpg New impulse.JPG (57.1 KB, 73 views)

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Old 04-28-08, 10:10 PM   #4 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Why is there signal on both the left and right channel. You should have a short cable going from the left channel line-out to left channel line-in. The right channel should be left open.

Adjust the input level with the Windows mixer..

brucek


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Old 04-29-08, 04:42 AM   #5 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


What soundcard are you using?


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Old 04-29-08, 08:52 AM   #6 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Quote:
JohnM wrote: View Post
What soundcard are you using?
I am using the Soundmax Integrated digital audio from my PC
It has a plug in for a mic, output, and what appears to be the input to the far right.


I have followed the set up diagram and i am using the stereo splitters in both the line out and line in.

Does the loopback connection split the signal for calibration?

I have also disconnected everything and only used the right(red) out and connected to the right(red) line in. I still show input to both channels. Hmm.

Could it be the sound card not splitting the channels?

Thanks


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Old 04-29-08, 09:27 AM   #7 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Quote:
Could it be the sound card not splitting the channels?
Or do you perhaps have 'monitor mode' turned on?

brucek


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Old 04-29-08, 09:34 AM   #8 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Quote:
brucek wrote: View Post
Or do you perhaps have 'monitor mode' turned on?

brucek
Where do I check for this? I do not see a monitor mode setting for my integrated sound.

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File Type: jpg volume mixer.JPG (32.0 KB, 67 views)

Last edited by eye1 : 04-29-08 at 09:41 AM.

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Old 04-29-08, 10:26 AM   #9 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


It would be a feature of the Soundmax Integrated application itself that would be accessed from the Control Panel.

They sometimes have a goofy name for it like "what you hear", or "mixed", etc..............

brucek


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Old 04-29-08, 10:39 AM   #10 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Quote:
brucek wrote: View Post
It would be a feature of the Soundmax Integrated application itself that would be accessed from the Control Panel.

They sometimes have a goofy name for it like "what you hear", or "mixed", etc..............

brucek
Wow, that appears to be the issue. Line in was disabled. Now it is now enabled. I will give it another go.

Thanks


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Old 04-29-08, 10:58 AM   #11 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Careful - Line In should be disabled for playback, but selected for record. Worth posting screenshots of your playback and record mixer settings.

Also on your main volume control turn the Room EQ Wizard volume up full.


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Old 04-29-08, 02:26 PM   #12 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Thanks for your patience Bruce and John.

I had line in enabled for playback and record line in was enabled. This may be why I was having so much feedback.

Here are shots of my new settings. I will retry again.

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File Type: jpg play back.JPG (33.5 KB, 58 views)
File Type: jpg Recording.JPG (45.8 KB, 59 views)

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Old 04-29-08, 03:01 PM   #13 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


When you select the Speakers in Playback, you want to set them to Default. Then when you select their properties, you want to be sure that the Line-in is disabled. When line-in is enabled in Playback, this is the monitor feature. You want it disabled.

In the Record properties, you want the Line-in enabled of course.............

brucek


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Old 04-29-08, 04:41 PM   #14 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Quote:
brucek wrote: View Post
When you select the Speakers in Playback, you want to set them to Default. Then when you select their properties, you want to be sure that the Line-in is disabled. When line-in is enabled in Playback, this is the monitor feature. You want it disabled.

In the Record properties, you want the Line-in enabled of course.............

brucek
In device usage there is no selection to Default and in properties there is no Line-in to disable.

I do not seem to be able to get there with this on-board sound card.

I can get there with line-in for record.


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Old 04-29-08, 05:21 PM   #15 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


If Line In does not appear in the properties of Speakers that's OK. Re-enable Speakers, in the properties for speakers check that there are no odd controls on the "custom" tab (if there is one), make sure the levels are OK on the levels tab, and select the box to "disable all enhancements" on the Enhancements tab. Also disable enhancements on the properties for Line In and make sure the levels are OK on its levels tab.

Make sure the 3.5mm plug on your stereo splitters looks like the picture in this thread: http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...on-basics.html
There need to be 3 connections on the plug, there are lots of "stereo" splitters that just have a mono 3.5mm plug that is linked to 2 RCA sockets, they are no good for this purpose.


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Old 04-29-08, 07:42 PM   #16 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Thanks, I think I am making progress now. I referred to another recent thread showing a comparison of a Turtle Beach card to the Vista card. I did find the settings to get it set up with no feed back.

I adjusted all levels on the sound card tab with good results and good graphs. When I get to the Make a measurement step and check levels I get a level is Low message.
The receiver volume is quite high and there is noticeable hum. When I turn up the receiver more I still get the Low Level message. Any Ideas on what I should try?


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Old 04-29-08, 08:08 PM   #17 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Are you checking the Levels with a Subwoofer calibration signal using a subwoofer with the mains turned off?

brucek


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Old 04-29-08, 08:35 PM   #18 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Quote:
brucek wrote: View Post
Are you checking the Levels with a Subwoofer calibration signal using a subwoofer with the mains turned off?

brucek
I dont think so, still using the noise from the main speaker. Its like at this point the SPL is not giving an accurate read to the line in on the sound card. I will see if I can post screen shots soon.


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Old 04-30-08, 03:30 AM   #19 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Just ignore the levels check on the measurement screen and see what levels you get during the measurement itself.


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Old 04-30-08, 08:28 AM   #20 (Link)
 
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Re: Sound Card Calibration Help


Ok, Here are screen shots of my settings and a graph. Can you see anything that is suspect to causing issues? The first step of the measurement screen runs the tone and says the level is good but when I go to measure this is the message that I get.

I will also mention that I have not been able to completely isolate the signal on the graph to one channell during the sound card calibration but the graph seems to look good.

On the playback line levels I have muted all the choices except playback volume control.
Thanks for the help! I have too much time in to give up

Attachments
File Type: jpg playback line levels.JPG (50.5 KB, 50 views)
File Type: jpg recording levels.JPG (37.8 KB, 50 views)
File Type: jpg make a measurement window.JPG (59.8 KB, 50 views)
File Type: jpg rew sound card settings.JPG (117.6 KB, 47 views)
File Type: jpg Low signal level.JPG (73.7 KB, 49 views)
File Type: jpg graph.JPG (84.2 KB, 49 views)

Last edited by eye1 : 04-30-08 at 08:50 AM.

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Old 04-30-08, 11:26 AM   #