SB Audigy 2 Platinum and REW

**jagman** · **02-19-08, 01:10 AM**

What's weird is in the Mixer, in the REC section, the "Analog Mix" selection is the only one that allows one to check "Record Without Monitoring". Yet in REW in the Souncard tab of the Settings window, Analog Mix is not an option as an Input. When I have the Mixer open and select different Inputs in the soundcard tab of the settings window, the selection in the REC section of the mixer changes accordingly. Then, as posted previously, when trying to measure the soundcard, when a 1kHz signal plays, they only settings in the mixer that allow equal input and output are when Wave Volume at 100%, Output Volume at 50%, Line-In at 100% and REC Analog Mix at 73% volume. Maybe my problem is the only setting in the Mixer REC section that works in setting the soundcard calibration properly isn't actually selectable as an input in REW? I've tried all sorts of combinations and nothing seems to work.

**jagman** · **02-19-08, 02:09 AM**

Just to try something different, I selected Auxillary 2 as the Input on the Soundcard tab of the Settings window. If you don't know, the Auxillary 2 input is a RCA stereo input on the soundcard's panel on the front of the computer. I then physically connected the Auxillary 2 input to the Speaker L&R LINE_OUT on the rear panel (since SPEAKER output is and has been seleced as the Output of the Soundcard tab of the Settings window). I did this because Auxillary 2 can be selected as an input in the Soundcard tab of the Settings window and it also is one of the selections in the REC section of the Creative Mixer. With things set up this way, I can control WAVE, INPUT, OUTPUT and SWEEP from REW and all but SWEEP actually show up in the Creative Mixer. When measuring the 1kHz tone, the Input and Output levels are equal at -13.0 to -16.0 when the Wave volume is 100%, the Output Volume is 100% and the Input Volume is 53.1%. When I hit next to measure the Soundcard, the Settings window minimizes and the REW window remains, and now "Soundcard Cal" appears towards the bottom but it says 0.0dB. When I bring the Settings window back up and click finish, the "Make Cal..." tab is still greyed out. This seems like it might be better, but it still isn't letting me calibrate the soundcard. I don't know what else to do.

**jagman** · **02-19-08, 01:10 PM**

Just to note, I've also tried adjusting the SWEEP from -16 up until about -4 and that doesn't make a difference in generating a soundcard calibration reading. Does the SWEEP level really matter? All I can tell is as it goes up from -16 to -4, the colors in the INPUT and OUTPUT level graphs change from what I interpret a safe color to a guarded color to a dangerous color. I also tried the change in my most recent post to be as similar as I can to the Creative Soundblaster sticky thread. That soundcard is different than mine but it is similar.

**JohnM** · **02-19-08, 03:07 PM**

You may find it easier and more reliable to leave the REW input and output as default, make sure your Audigy 2 is set as the default for audio input and output in the control panel audio settings and just use the Creative mixer to select inputs and adjust levels. The analog mix isn't available for selection in REW because the Creative driver doesn't expose it to audio applications.

If you look in the REW log files are there any error messages? In the meantime I'll PM you a link to the latest REW beta to see if that does any better.

**jagman** · **02-19-08, 03:12 PM**

Thanks John. I'll check tonight.

**jagman** · **02-20-08, 11:29 PM**

JohnM kindly sent me ver 4.10beta9 and I got it up and running. Unfortunately my problems aren't solved. It does however have to nice additions

.

Here is what I've done and this is what happens:

When I open up REW, I first went to Settings. Since "Soundcard" is the first heading, I went there first. I set the output device as the default output and the input device as the default input. My Audigy 2 soundcard has been set as the default audio processor.

To comply with the SoundBlaster Live external soundcard thread, I have the Creative Mixer set as follows:

Master Control:

Volume 100% and unmuted

Source:

Wave 100% and unmuted
MIDI Synth 0% and muted
CD Audio 0% and muted
Line-In 100% and muted
Auxiliary 2 43% and muted
Microphone 0% and muted

REC:
Auxilary 2 53%

Version 4.10beta9 has replay and record buffers. I left them at 32k (I didn't touch them).

The next section down in the "Soundcard" tab is "Calibration". I click "measure" and set up the wires as directed. I have the 1/8" stereo plug plugged into the speaker out at the back of my computer. The other end of the wire has two RCA plugs. I have them plugged into the "Auxillary 2 in" RCA plugs on the front of the computer. I used to have only the right one plugged in, but now have both because Version 4.10beta9 checks "Out", "Left" and "Right". Since I have the wiring done properly (I think), I clicked next. The next help menu talks about setting the "Sweep Level" between -6 and -12 so I set it at -9. I click next. The Help menu then states a 1kHz tone is playing. With the Wave Volume at 100%, the Output Volume at 100%, the Input Volume at 53.1% and Sweep Level at -9.0, the three bars to the right light up. The "Out" meter measures -6.0 at the top and -9.0 at the bottom. The "Left" meter measures -5.9 at the top and -8.9 at the bottom. The "Right" meter measure -6.0 at the top and -9.0 at the bottom. Since that looks great, I click next. Immediately, the "Out" meter turns grey, the "Left" meter turns black and the level drops dramatically to the point that it's completely black and states approximately -70 at the top and approximately -81 at the bottom. The "Right" meter also dropped instantaneously and has similar readings. While that happens, the help menu says "the soundcard can now be measured. Press Next to start he measurement... ". So, I click next. The Settings window minimizes and I'm left viewing REW. There is a plot on the screen that shows the target response and the Mic/Meter Cal (which has already been entered). At the bottom of REW, it shows the legend for the plot. The Soundcard Cal is greyed out and says 0.0dB. When I pull up the settings window, the text in the Help menu is the same as before I hit next, but it says Finish or Cancel at the bottom. I click Finish and it brings me back to the main Soundcard tab and it looks like I never tried to calibrate the soundcard. Under Calibration, "File: None" is present, "Browse..." is black, "Clear Cal" is grey, "Measure..." is black and "Make Cal" is grey.

It seems obvious that it isn't measuring the soundcard even though it should. I don't know why. Hopefully this can help Bruce or John. Literally the only things I've done are load the meter calibration file for my specific meter (the new RS digital SPL meter) and try to calibrate the soundcard. I've done everything as described. The only other thing I've done is go through the SoundBlaster Live external soundcard thread and made sure any EQ is off digital out is not checked.

Bruce, John, anyone... am I missing something obvious? Can you tell what I'm doing wrong?

BTW, this is the thread I'm referencing:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...nal-setup.html

**JohnM** · **02-21-08, 03:37 AM**

Click the VU meters button to bring up the meters so that you can see them when the settings dialogue minimises after clicking "Next" to make the soundcard measurement. What happens on them, does the "out" meter come back on and show level? Are levels shown in the input meters?

Is the measurement dialogue appearing when the settings dialogue disappears?

What sweep length do you have selected and how long are you waiting for REW to finish the measurement?

If you look in the REW folder in your home directory at the roomeq_wizardxx.log files are there any error messages in them?

**jagman** · **02-22-08, 12:51 AM**

Quote:

JohnM wrote:

Click the VU meters button to bring up the meters so that you can see them when the settings dialogue minimises after clicking "Next" to make the soundcard measurement. What happens on them, does the "out" meter come back on and show level? Are levels shown in the input meters?

Is the measurement dialogue appearing when the settings dialogue disappears?

What sweep length do you have selected and how long are you waiting for REW to finish the measurement?

If you look in the REW folder in your home directory at the roomeq_wizardxx.log files are there any error messages in them?

When I first turned REW on tonight, things went just as you asked in the first paragraph. All meters stayed lit and were essentially equal. Then I desided to be bold and calibrate the SPL meter. And, with my luck, things went back to how they were 2 posts ago. Not only that, but sometimes I have to have the input and output devices set to default, and sometimes I have to specifically select Auxilary 2 as the input and SPEAKERS as the output. I'll try one and sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't. If one won't work, then I'll try the other. Eventually one will work to the point that a signal goes across, but the meters still go grey and drop when I click "Next" below the window that says "the 1kHz tone is now playing". The odd thing is the SPL meter shows approx 145 dB when the 3 meters are lit, and then drops to 75dB when they go grey.

I don't know how long the sweep length is. How do I set that? I will let it wait 15 minutes and nothing happens.

When I look in the roomeq_wizardxx.log files there's a ton of text, but I don't see "error" anywhere. Lot's of "Exeption in thread... " and "at Java... " and a few "at roomeqwizard...)

**jagman** · **02-22-08, 12:54 AM**

And, when the settings window minimizes after pressing "Next", the measurement dialiogue box on the left side of REW stays grey. Is that what you were asking about?

**jagman** · **02-22-08, 01:10 AM**

Now I just went through trying to calibrate the soundcard again and while I entered and the meters were grey, the SPL meter in REW said about 26 dB, then the 1kHz tone played and it shot up to about 97 dB. Then I clicked "Next" and the VU meters turned grey and dropped as indicated a few posts back. As they turned grey, the REW SPL meter dropped back down to about 26dB. I clicked "Next again to measure the soundcard. The Settings window minimizes... and nothing happens. I'm left with REW and the measurement box to he left has a greyed out "Measurement notes are entered here after taking measurements".

**jagman** · **02-22-08, 01:22 AM**

BTW, I forgot to mention, if I have the VU Meters showing, they stay grey after the Settings window minimizes. There is a reading in the "Out" meter... it's 12 but grey. The "Left" and "Right" meters are black... the top has blue numbers that fluctuate around -72 and the bottom numbers are blue and fluctuate around -83.

**JohnM** · **02-22-08, 06:14 AM**

Those exception messages are the errors, could you please email me some of the files with the exception info in them to see if we can track down the problem, john_mulcahy at hotmail.com.

**jagman** · **02-22-08, 12:22 PM**

Will do. I won't be home until tonight, though (10 hours from now).

**jagman** · **02-23-08, 03:05 AM**

e-mail sent.

**JohnM** · **02-24-08, 04:51 PM**

Krister,

Thanks for the additional debug info. Good news and bad news, the bad news is the problem is caused by a bug within Sun's Java Runtime Environment and there's nothing I can do in REW to correct it. The good news is there are workarounds. The bug is triggered by running a non-standard XP theme, so if you revert to one of the standard themes (Control Panel->Display->Theme) the problem should go away. It may also go away if you install JRE version 6 (you can get it from java.com). It would be helpful to know what theme you are running that is triggering the problem, though.

**jagman** · **02-26-08, 01:28 AM**

John,

Thanks for your help. I couldn't do it without you.

Your advice was taken and sure enough going with the "Classic Windows" theme did the trick.

Now... my calibration plot looks like . I e-mailed you on this. What do you think?

**jagman** · **02-26-08, 01:40 AM**

I just tried another calibration... looks like I have a feedback loop. Not sure how to get rid of it as the only REC selection that allows one to click "record without monitoring" is Analog Mix. Since REW can't work with "Analog Mix"... am I stuck?

**JohnM** · **02-26-08, 04:13 AM**

That plot is not a feedback loop, looks more like noise pickup from an unconnected input. In the XP audio properties set the Audigy 2 as the default device for input and output. Use Line In on the Audigy 2, select Analog Mix as the REC source making sure "Record Without Monitoring" is checked and in the Audigy mixer source box make sure that Wave and Line In are NOT muted but everything else is muted. On the REW soundcard settings leave both the input and output set to "Default Device". That should be correct settings for the soundcard side, the next thing to check would be the cables and connections.

**jagman** · **02-26-08, 12:17 PM**

Thanks! Things are definitely heading in the right direction

. Hopefully I'll be able to take it from here and not take up so much of your time.

**jagman** · **02-27-08, 04:56 PM**

I think I have a loose connection. I set it up as John recommended. With the theme set as "Windows Classic", the program works as advertised (that is windows pop up as they are supposed to) but the right/left meters don't work as predicted. When I jiggle the LINE_IN connector, the numbers fluctuate. I The problem is when I turn the wires around and put the opposite connector in, it also feels loose. I think the problem might be with the soundcard jack and not the adapter plug

. We'll see. I'll return mine and try another to see if that fixes it. Otherwise, I think I'll buy a cheap external soundcard for my laptop. At least then I won't have to deal with SoundBlaster.

**jagman** · **03-07-08, 12:34 PM**

Well, I tried exchanging out cords and still had a lose connection. So, I picked up a M-Audio Transit external soundcard. Set it up and within about an hour I had REW fully set up with calibrated soundcard, calibrated SPL meter, levels set appropriately, etc. By then it was time for bed, but I tell you, the M-Audio Transit may be simple and inexpensive, but it works marvelously for REW. Since I won't be using my SB Audigy 2 Platinum soundcard for REW anymore, I'll start a new thread and post my measurements. I should have time this weekend to get 'em up.

Before stopping this thread, I would like to once again thank JohnM for his help. He really put a lot of time in and I greatly apreciate it

.

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