Setting up Soundcard,have questions

[jdeanmc]

I just received my soundblaster live external card and im hoping to get started taking my first measurement tonight.
I havent even got the card home yet and i have questions
In order to use as few cables as possible can i hook JUST the 3.5to3.5mm from line in to mic in to run the calibration loopback,then disconnect it and hookup the mic in/line in to the spl meter and to the processor or do all these have to be connect to run the loopback(i do understand that i can disconnect the loopback before i take measurements)
The cable and adapters i have are...
3.5 stereo male to rca jack female adapters(2)
y cable to connect the 1 rca cable to both the L and R of the receiver
y cable 3.5mm male to 2 rca female
female to female rca adapters(2)
plenty of rca cables.
Also i have the hsu Vtf mk3 ho with turbo and the hsu mbm12 connected with y adapter at the receiver sub out.I assume i need to test with just one sub at a time then both combined?
Thanks
Dean

[brucek]

can i hook JUST the 3.5to3.5mm from line in to mic in to run the calibration loopback

The mic-in jack is not allowed. It must be a line-in.
And no, it's really not a good idea to simply jumper a stereo 3.5mm to do the loopback for the soundcard cal test. It can (and has for many) cause problems. You require an adapter to split out the left and right channels and the loopback is temporarily used on the right channel for the soundcard cal test and then removed after the check is made.

assume i need to test with just one sub at a time then both combined?

Some say yes, some say no. I say one at a time and then both..

brucek

[jdeanmc]

Ok ill swap the adapters for one more 3.5 male to dual rca female,i think then ill have all the cabling.I did mean line in not mic in,but the soundblaster live doesnt have a line out?i have "phones"optical out and spdif out, which is used as line out?

[brucek]

but the soundblaster live doesnt have a line out?

Sure it does.... Front out is line-out analog stereo.....

brucek

[jdeanmc]

Thanks(sorry for the ignorance)
Ill have graphs up(i hope)by the weekend