Any issues with REW on VISTA?

**bpape** · **08-27-08, 11:35 AM**

I use REW quite a bit. I need to get a new laptop but it's almost impossible to get one without Vista. I could always just overlay with my current XP but if VISTA will work, I might try it.

Just wondering if there are any known issues with REW under VISTA.

Thanks

Bryan

**brucek** · **08-27-08, 01:07 PM**

Quote:

I need to get a new laptop but it's almost impossible to get one without Vista.

Yeah, with a laptop, it's almost always necessary to use an external USB soundcard, since the internal ones don't usually support line-in (only unsuitable mic-in).

As such, you require an external card that has appropriate Vista drivers. This has been a problem. I came up with a working card to use with Vista and wrote a review on the setting up of its use and the ways to use Vista and REW.

Since then, the Vista driver for the SoundBlaster 24bit external card has been written and apparently works fine, so there's two cards you can choose from.

brucek

**bpape** · **08-27-08, 01:33 PM**

Sounds good - thanks. I actually read that thread when looking to see if there were any issues. As long as the basic app runs OK, I think I'm good to go. That was my one big hangup with going to VISTA.

Bryan

**tonybradley** · **01-17-09, 09:59 PM**

My Vista laptop has one Input, but when you input the cable, I get a window asking if this is Mic In or Line In. When I right Click on my Speaker icon at the bottom and choose Recording Devices, I have the Microphone/Line-In.

I'm assuming my Laptop soundcard will suffice since I can choose Line in or Mic in. Just checking if that makes sense??

**thewire** · **01-17-09, 10:50 PM**

Quote:

tonybradley wrote:

My Vista laptop has one Input, but when you input the cable, I get a window asking if this is Mic In or Line In. When I right Click on my Speaker icon at the bottom and choose Recording Devices, I have the Microphone/Line-In.

I'm assuming my Laptop soundcard will suffice since I can choose Line in or Mic in. Just checking if that makes sense??

Yes that should work. I have gotten better looking results using my internal soundcard when I had tried that. It looked like there was less noise on the line-out than when using my external sound card, but the difference was not appreciable. A window pops up on mine and I click on the line-in option, then it fades away. I have to select also that the left mic input is not on with the slider, or the windows default options which I was unable to find will add noise to the left channel input channel in REW. My external soundcard reaches the system better because the USB cable is longer than my RCA connections with adapters that I needed to use.

**tonybradley** · **01-18-09, 08:02 AM**

Thanks. I just need to order the L/R RCA to 3.5mm Stereo adapters and I should be ready to go.

Is it acceptable to run the soundcard calibration test with just one wire (In to Out) or have all the cables ran according to the Basic Cabling drawings before doing the calibration?

**brucek** · **01-18-09, 08:05 AM**

Quote:

Is it acceptable to run the soundcard calibration test with just one wire (In to Out) or have all the cables ran according to the Basic Cabling drawings before doing the calibration?

It is a requirement to only test with just one channel (in to out) for soundcard calibration. Where do you see that the soundcard calibration requires "all the cables"?

brucek

**mswlogo** · **01-18-09, 09:00 AM**

As I see more and more on this site I run both the EMU USB 0404 and the TASCAM US-144 under a Vista Laptop and they both work. The TASCAM is nice because it has the Phantom powered Mic input so you can plug ECM8000 right into it and you are still completely portable because it's USB powered (everything can run off laptop battery when needed). The EMU unit works fine for REW but I also use one of these units at work for WinAmp to Meridian Digital Active speakers and the EMU vista driver flakes out every now and then.

Both units have true analog Headphone amps with an analog volume control after the DAC.

They also both support ASIO which is not a big deal for REW yet but it is for other applications.

Both units will work with the realtime left channel feedback calibration.

**tonybradley** · **01-18-09, 10:11 AM**

Ok....I think I worded that poorly. When I do the Soundcard test, do I need to worry about all the other cabling (i.e. the cable to the SPL meter and to the Surround Receiver), or just run a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable from the In to the Out and then once I have that cal file, then hookup the rest of the equipment). I think you answered it...just use the one cable In to Out when doing the calibration.

**brucek** · **01-18-09, 10:20 AM**

Quote:

When I do the Soundcard test, do I need to worry about all the other cabling (i.e. the cable to the SPL meter and to the Surround Receiver)

The other cabling could not be connected at the same time since you have a loopback cable on the channel (i.e. right channel) that you are calibrating.

1. select the channel to calibrate. (i.e. right channel)

2. connect a loopback on that right channel only (no connection allowed on the left).

3. run the soundcard calibration routine and save the file.

4. remove the loopback cable.

5. connect the SPL meter and receiver to the calibrated right channel and measure.

Do you see how it would be impossible to do what you propose?

brucek

**tonybradley** · **01-18-09, 11:43 AM**

Awwwww....yes I do. It sometimes takes a kick in the head to get common sense working. Thanks!!!!

I assume once you calibrate, and you have adjusted the Level adjustments, those must stay the same when running REW, or does the calibration file take care of that? I would like to run the calibration test now, save the file, then begin actual room measurements next weekend. I just want to be sure if my Levels change in the Soundcard adjustments, that it won't have an effect with the calibration file I will be using with REW in the near future.

**brucek** · **01-18-09, 12:40 PM**

The soundcard calibration file (created once), and the SPL meter calibration file (downloaded from our site), are both saved in your computer and then pointed to by REW unless you clear them. They compensate for the imperfect response of the soundcard and the SPL meter. The calibration files render them flat.

The input / output levels (as set up in the Check Levels / Calibrate SPL / Set Target Level) routines, need to be run every time you use REW. Those only take a second to run and setup.

Hopefully you have read and are familiar with the REW HELP files and the REW Cabling and Connections Basics.

Also note the REW information Index and the Download Page.

brucek

**mswlogo** · **01-19-09, 11:52 AM**

Why wouldn't you use the full time loopback and leave the cal file out. It works both ways but it seems cleaner to use the loopback cable. And if you change anything it will track.

**brucek** · **01-19-09, 02:10 PM**

Quote:

Why wouldn't you use the full time loopback and leave the cal file out. It works both ways but it seems cleaner to use the loopback cable. And if you change anything it will track.

What will change in the soundcard that would require re-running the calibration routine?

Reasons why you should not choose the "Left Channel Calibration" method:

1. It requires more cabling. Generally, we can say that 3.5mm stereo connections are about the single worst connector system ever invented. The possibility of a poor connection are extremely high, and you wouldn't know when it had failed.

2. The S/N ratio will not be as good, since crosstalk is quite high, especially in cheap soundcards.

3. The entire routine of creating and saving a soundcard calibration file, and then measuring the loopback, are an extremely good vetting process to affirm that everything is working properly.

4. REW does not have to dynamically read and adjust on the fly when using a cal file.

5. There is no confirmation that the response of the left and right channel are identical.

brucek

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