Windows 10 update Noise

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

I’m on Audacity 2.3.0 on Windows 10 Surface Pro.

I narrate, record and produce audiobooks for Amazon et al.

Recently Microsoft automatically issued a Windows 10 update.

Before then Everything worked perfectly for me, I attach a typical recording of a page from a novel

After the update it became impossible to correct the noise factor see second attachment.

Nothing had changed other than the windows update which has stopped my production

Advice gratefully received

Grayspires
Audacity after windows 10 update PDF.pdf (175 KB)
Audacity before windows.pdf (290 KB)

2

If you didn’t change anything else, then the update most likely changed Windows Sound Processing. It could add processing you used to have, or stop processing when it used to.

https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/normalize/54779/50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxnUjiGgBaI&feature=youtu.be

Looking at the blue waves is nice, but hearing the work is even better. Post samples. Sometimes we can recognize the sounds.

https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-post-an-audio-sample/29851/1

Include some of the “silence” as well as the voice. You can go to ten seconds for a forum sample and sometimes longer is helpful.

It’s also good to know how you’re mastering for audiobooks. If that process stopped working, that can give us clues, too. Most times you can’t just read in the kitchen and post on-line.

Koz

3

There was another one. Make sure you’re still recording from your regular microphone. You can get distortions like that if you’re recording from the Surface Pro’s built-in microphone instead. One of the Windows Updates had problems with that. Looking.

Koz

4

https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/cannot-record-live-audio/54502/2

May be something in here.

Koz

5

You can confirm a microphone shift by scratching.

Never blow into a microphone, but you can gently scratch it to see if it’s active. Look up where your Surface Pro microphone is. Apparently, it wanders depending on model.

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/clips/ScratchTest2.mp3

Koz

6

well i have been facing the same issue with me still didnt find any solution for it…

7

I can’t reproduce similar on my HP W10 laptop - and I always get that latest Microsoft updates.

I tested
a) with the on-board mic in my HP Envy laptop
b) using my Sony ECM-MS907 mic connected through my USB external soundcard (Edirol UA-1EX)


I note (from your Audacity Device toolbar) that you are using a USB device - are you using the generic USB drivers from Microsoft? I am with my Edirol.

If you are using device drivers specific to your USB device (usually manufacturer-supplied) are they up to date?

WC

8

Thanks all for taking the trouble to look at my problem. I can’t believe that it is only me.

Please see and hear attached a 13 second sample screenshot of “normality” BEFORE THE WINDOWS UPDATE together with an MP3 ACX Checked sound sample of the Chapter which has passed ACX technical acceptance.

See and hear also the same thing AFTER THE WINDOWS UPDATE

Hopefully you will be able to recommend how to correct this.

Also should I now update to 2.3.3, and will it affect anything?

Kindest regards

Grayspires

AUDACITY sample AFTER WINDOWS UPDATE.png
AUDACITY SAMPLE BEFORE UPDATE.png

9

From that mp3 it sounds as if you are recording from your PC’s onboard mic rather than a proper external mic

WC

10

No, not using the compute’rs microphone. I am using a proper professional condensor mic with a Behringer interface which gives professional results as the BEFORE sample shows and which has consistently satisfied ACX Check and ACX technical check. But thanks for the thought. Grayspires

11

I just imported your MP3 and amplified the “silence” between 10.3 and 11.7 seconds,

It has a remarkably regular pattern which is odd:
amplifide silence.png
And it’s certainly not “silence”

Peter.