first time user and not a wizard....

[jtwrace]

HELP!

I've installed the latest software and bought a Creative Sound Blaster X Fi sourround 5.1 external sound card. I'm using my RS Digital SPL and my laptop. I've been able to get through the sound card calibration and check levels on my main speakers. When I check the levels on the subs though I get a level too low. I adjust the volume and nothing I do seems to help.

Now it's all messed up and I'm getting really frustrated as I can't get anything to work properly.

Thanks

[tonyvdb]

Has your laptop got a proper soundcard installed that has "line" input not a "mic" input?

[jtwrace]

tonyvdb wrote:

Has your laptop got a proper soundcard installed that has "line" input not a "mic" input?

Yes, and I'm using the line input. RCA out from SPL then into a Y (RCA to 1/8")

[brucek]

You have to begin with a soundcard calibration before ever connecting an SPL meter.

Connect a single cable from right channel line-out to right channel line-in (using appropriate stereo adapters to break out the right and left channels). The left channel is not used.

Run the soundcard calibration routine and lets see the graph.

BTW, set you graph to LOG and not LIN (as you have it).

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

You have to begin with a soundcard calibration before ever connecting an SPL meter.

Connect a single cable from right channel line-out to right channel line-in (using appropriate stereo adapters to break out the right and left channels). The left channel is not used.

Run the soundcard calibration routine and lets see the graph.

BTW, set you graph to LOG and not LIN (as you have it).

brucek

brucek

I am going to show you the card cal file. How do I set the graph to LOG?

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

You have to begin with a soundcard calibration before ever connecting an SPL meter.

Connect a single cable from right channel line-out to right channel line-in (using appropriate stereo adapters to break out the right and left channels). The left channel is not used.

Run the soundcard calibration routine and lets see the graph.

BTW, set you graph to LOG and not LIN (as you have it).

brucek

Is this the LOG? Here is the sound card cal...I just re did it as well. I don't have to do this everytime I use REW though. right? I used the cal I did yesterday....we'll start fresh.

[brucek]

How do I set the graph to LOG?

Click the Freq Axis icon button in the top right hand corner of REW.

Is this the LOG?

hehe, no that's LINear. Don't you remember what LOG paper looked like in math class?

I don't have to do this everytime I use REW though. right?

No, and I'm afraid you haven't been successful this time.

Have you read the REW HELP files and the REW Cabling and Connections Basics.

Also note the REW information Index and the Download Page.

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

Click the Freq Axis icon button in the top right hand corner of REW.


hehe, no that's LINear. Don't you remember what LOG paper looked like in math class?


No, and I'm afraid you haven't been successful this time.

Have you read the REW HELP files and the REW Cabling and Connections Basics.

Also note the REW information Index and the Download Page.

brucek

I have attached the same in a LOG...

I have read everything that you have listed as well as other posts. That's why I'm here. I don't know why I'm struggling so bad but I am. Very frustrating..

[jtwrace]

OK. This is another cal of the sound card that I just did.

[jtwrace]

and another....

[brucek]

I have attached the same in a LOG

OK, those are all quite bad.

Let's start from scratch. I'm sure we can figure out the problem.

Can you post a pic of your settings page.....

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

OK, those are all quite bad.

Let's start from scratch. I'm sure we can figure out the problem.

Can you post a pic of your settings page.....

brucek

the settings page...

[brucek]

I'd like to see if the card is actually being recognized by REW.

Can you pull down the Output and Input Device Lists and actually select your card, and then select the line-out speaker and the line-in?

Here's an example of my Envy24 card with all the other correct settings. You can see once I select the cards that nothing is grayed out...



brucek

[jtwrace]

yes, I can see all of that...how are you posting that page in the post?

[brucek]

yes, I can see all of that...

Can you show me the Settings page with all that set ?......

how are you posting that page

Place the mouse over the page of interest and select ALT plus PrtScr keyboard keys.
That copies the screen to the clipboard.
Start Windows Paint and Paste the clipboard to the app.
Save as a jpg of the correct size and post.

brucek

[jtwrace]

try this

[brucek]

Select Line-in and not Mic-in........

Also select 48Khz sample rate........

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

Select Line-in and not Mic-in........

Also select 48Khz sample rate........

brucek

there is not an option for line in...

[brucek]

I suppose it must auto detect then.....

OK, all that seems fine then.

Let's carry on.

Tell me about the connection from line-out to line in that you're using to do the soundcard cal routine.

Do you have 1/8" stereo plugs that splits the right and left channels out, and then you connect a single cable from the line-out right to the line-in right?

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

I suppose it must auto detect then.....

OK, all that seems fine then.

Let's carry on.

Tell me about the connection from line-out to line in that you're using to do the soundcard cal routine.

Do you have 1/8" stereo plugs that splits the right and left channels out, and then you connect a single cable from the line-out right to the line-in right?

brucek

I'm using a Y 1/8" plug on one end and RCA (L&R) on the other. but I'm only using the R ch wire. It is a loop on the sound card.

[brucek]

Yep, looks correct.

So, you press the Measure button on the Settings page with the sweep output set to -12dB to -6dB FS and then you click Next and see the output VU meter at -12dB, then you adjust the Input Volume thumbwheel to set an RMS level of about the same -12dB to -6dB. Then you click Next a couple times and the Measure is done.

Is this what is happening or not?....

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

Yep, looks correct.

So, you press the Measure button on the Settings page with the sweep output set to -12dB to -6dB FS and then you click Next and see the output VU meter at -12dB, then you adjust the Input Volume thumbwheel to set an RMS level of about the same -12dB to -6dB. Then you click Next a couple times and the Measure is done.

Is this what is happening or not?....

brucek

pretty much other then my sweep is about 17dB otherwise it will clip. But other then that yes all is matched.

[brucek]

OK, how about the soundcard application settings.

Can you show me a pic of what the soundcard settings are?

You have to be sure monitor mode is off, and all equalizers and effects are off, and the mode should always be stereo with all soundfields off.

The monitor mode is especially important to be off. (read through this thread) It may have ideas on creative app settings problems.

brucek

[jtwrace]

brucek wrote:

OK, how about the soundcard application settings.

Can you show me a pic of what the soundcard settings are?

You have to be sure monitor mode is off, and all equalizers and effects are off, and the mode should always be stereo with all soundfields off.

The monitor mode is especially important to be off. (read through this thread) It may have ideas on creative app settings problems.

brucek

Yep, I have that all correct...I could show you all the screens but there are multiple ones with this soundcard.

[jtwrace]

I might be onto something....What about this?