How bad is my current setup???

Hi
Here are some fault finding questions :

Are you using max. Line in volume in Windows Record Control settings ?

- Should be as high as possible

Can you hear the hiss when you just listen with Windows sound controls and not using Audacity ?

- If so, it could be the soundcard.

If you set the output level from mixer to zero, can you hear the hiss when you just listen ?

- If yes, it could be the soundcard.

- If not, it is not the soundcard

If you do a recording with max. Line in volume in PC and mixer output level to zero, can you hear the hiss ?

- If yes, it could be the soundcard.

- If not, it is not the soundcard

What type of cable are you using between the mixer and the line in port of the soundcard.

You should use a cable with stereo mini 1/8" male connector to the soundcard, a mono mini 1/8" male connector will short circuit one of channels and can be the cause for noise/hiss etc.

Use the cable that smoking dog suggest or this type of cable
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hosa-Stereo-Ycable-Mini-MaleTwo-RCA-Males?sku=333055
and connect RCA connectors to the tape out on the mixer ( tape out is connected in parallell with main out)

I am using a more low cost soundcard ( SB Live! 24 bit 5.1) than your soundcard and a UB802 mixer and have no problems with hiss/noise

I think most of the problem is the way you have the mixer patched into the PC :wink:
Also Kalle has a good point about Volume settings, they should be as high as possible without clipping. Clipping can be more of a problem with a standard sound card, sometimes you won't notice it until you hear the playback. You just have to experiment a little with the levels :D --the dog

Thanks for the considered replys guys... :)

I will experiment and get back to you...

I have 2 guitar leads as my connections and the one to my 'line in' has an adapter...

I will defo hunt down one of those strereo leads smokin...

Cheers...

I will post a wee sample when im happy with the quality ;)

Hey dudes. My setup is sounding much better now. I have those stereo leads and i can really hear the guitar and it sounds good.. :D

But that damn hiss is still there... it doubles when i layer a new track.

I tried all the things you said kalle and its defo on every track. If i hold my pc speaker to my ear (anytime) i can hear the hiss so its not my mixer or guitar...

I tried all the things you said kalle and its defo on every track. If i hold my pc speaker to my ear (anytime) i can hear the hiss so its not my mixer or guitar...

Try lowering the gain on the mic channel on the mixer a tad..I've noticed that when use the mic and turn up the gain to get the required volume, I start hearing a hiss. This is with my Tascam 414 4-track, but the same thing probably holds for your mixer. In my case, I am think it is the cheap mic I picked up from some going out of business sale at some kind of media store.

Yeah i tried all kinds of things but the hiss is there. Its always there in the background...

What kind of mic are you using? Are you using a crt monitor? ( that would make more of a hum I would think)

Along the same lines as Ken is saying, is everything in the room on the same circuit? Do you have a dimmer switch in the room? Florescent lights?

Another thing, if it does it all the time, have you tried using different speakers on your system?

Hi Dan

Can you do a 30 sec recording of the hiss ( background sound) and email ( as a .mp3 file) to me.
Then I might be able to find the probably cause.

Kalle
Hey dudes. My setup is sounding much better now. I have those stereo leads and i can really hear the guitar and it sounds good.. :D

But that darn hiss is still there... it doubles when i layer a new track.

I tried all the things you said kalle and its defo on every track. If i hold my pc speaker to my ear (anytime) i can hear the hiss so its not my mixer or guitar...

@Smokin - I dont know much about mic's. I have an optimus 33 - 3030 omnidirectional dynamic mic, impedance 500ohms... but it is rarely used (yet) and doesnt affect the hum.

@Mike - The lights, sockets etc have their own circuit breakers but not sure how its all wired up. I dont have a dimmer or fluros... didnt realise things like that could affect my pc... I did think it could be my speaker which was a crappy surround sound rear speaker which i salvaged. I unplugged it various times when i recorded to see if it changed the sound but it never.

@Kalle - Yeah sure i can do that :) Still a bit of a noob at mp3's but will figure it out...

Cheers.

Hey guys... i have some new info to report that should assist in the investigation ;)

Whilst recording my hum for Kalle i noticed Audacity was up to something...

I recorded the hum... turned up the input to get max volume. This worked well. The hum increases/decreases with the input setting.

Then i have tried to add another track to the hum to show the doubling up effect... BUT... audacity now wont let me turn up the input!? I move the slider up but it just resets itself to zero! But the weirdest thing is now i can record my guitar (with the input sticking to zero) and add extra tracks without the hum increasing in volume! But the input is on zero! And i can perfectly hear my guitar!!

WEIRD!

BUT GOOD!!

Well it seems very strange to me. Can anyone please explain?

EDIT* Hey Kalle. I tried to export my hum file as an mp3 from audacity. It tells me i need to use the LAME mp3 thing... so i download it but cant get it to run. Very annoying but i have to go to bed... figure it out laters.

Hi Dan
You can export the hum/hiss file as Ogg Vorbis, I can handle that soundfile format without any problems.

Quote from Audacity FAQ; "How do I download and install the LAME MP3 encoder?"
For Windows

1. Go to the LAME download page.
2. Click on any link from the list of identical "lame-3.96.1" links.
3. When you have finished downloading LAME, unzip it and save the file lame_enc.dll anywhere on your computer.
4. The first time you use the "Export as MP3" command, Audacity will ask you where lame_enc.dll is saved.

The lame thing is a pain :evil: It took me about 1/2 an hour to figure it out. Go to the audacity web sit, I think they have directions somewhere :idea:

It's very easy: enter 'lame.dll' in google, download it. Select the file when audacity asks for it and you're done.