Help: RS meter reads +4 dB during level check

**thsmith** · **09-22-08, 11:33 PM**

This has probably been covered to death and I did look but did not find an answer before my patience ran out.

Alot of people make this look easy and my aplogies if the answer is simple.

I think I have calibrated my sound card and trying to do the next step level check. I have a TB SMR sound card and latest gen RS analog meter. I am connected to the AVR and RS SPL meter.

I have sound out of the speakers but the RS meter reads +4 dB no matter what scale I set it on. I have tried lowering various inputs but no change.

Any help is greatly appriciated and MANY THANKS to all who contributed to REW.

Tracy

**atledreier** · **09-22-08, 11:50 PM**

I have that with one of my RS meters as well.

Here's what I do:
I disconnect the meter from the soundcard. It then reads normally. So I adjust the test tone until it reads 75dB, reconnect the meter, and do the level calibration.

**JohnM** · **09-23-08, 04:12 AM**

That can happen if the soundcard has mic power on the input. Try plugging into the other channel, sometimes the power is only on the Right channel.

**thsmith** · **09-23-08, 07:29 AM**

Thanks Maverick and John. I will try these suggestions tonight. I read so many times to not be intimidated by REW just jump in and it gets easier to understand.

I just could not by an eq without knowing just how bad or good my room is. Once I have REW working it looks like it will be sub shuffle all over again, a good thing. There is just so much you can do with RS meter, test tones and excel.

Thanks again

**thsmith** · **09-23-08, 08:51 AM**

Quote:

JohnM wrote:

That can happen if the soundcard has mic power on the input. Try plugging into the other channel, sometimes the power is only on the Right channel.

John, is there a way to turn the mic power off, just in case ?

How do the sound card calibration look, right ?

**brucek** · **09-23-08, 09:53 AM**

Quote:

How do the sound card calibration look, right ?

Looks fine.

Quote:

is there a way to turn the mic power off

Not usually. This is a low DC voltage used by inexpensive computer type mics. Look in your soundcard user manual and see if the line-in port is a combination mic/line-in type and you'll know if there is DC there, or plug a cable into the port and measure the DC on the tip and ring of the plug with a meter.

brucek

**thsmith** · **09-23-08, 09:59 AM**

Thanks Bruce for confirming the soundcard calibration looks good. I bought the TB SRM based upon your report. I am using XP but may go to Vista at somepoint so I wanted something I could grow into.

I have looked at the SRM manual for whats going on with my RS meter. I will look closer at your recommendations tonight.

I can not believe how useful and powerful REW is and the great support from this forum.

Yep, I do plan to make a donation to the site.

**brucek** · **09-23-08, 10:15 AM**

Quote:

I bought the TB SRM

Ahh, I didn't know the soundcard you had. No, the Turtle Beach SRM does not have DC on its line-in port, since there is a seperate mic input port.

Your problem is something else other than the DC problem.... (unless of course you are making the same mistake another member made and used the two jacks on the opposite side of the card, which are mic and headphone)....

brucek

**thsmith** · **09-23-08, 10:23 AM**

Thanks Bruce. I don't think I used the wrong connections but I was pretty fried at the level check section.

I will check again tonight with a clearer head....

**thsmith** · **09-23-08, 08:44 PM**

I have gotten past the level check and the only thing I can figure is that Bruce was right, I used the wrong connections on the SMR.

I have also gotten past the SPL calibration. I loaded the RS calibration file under the mic section as well.

Thanks to all for your ideas and confirmations.

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