Constant, loud static noise.

[naitzmic]

Hello!
Hoping some one can offer up any advice about this issue.

I've hooked up several things to a mixer, and then plugged the
mixer into the Line-In port on my computer (I've also tried a port
designated as Mic, but that didn't change anything).

Now, as I'm sure you understand, what
I'm trying to do is record audio from the mixer in Audacity.

First problem I encountered was severe latency.
The recordings sounded okay, but I couldn't live
with that latency.

Looking around, I learned that this is common on Windows 7,
so I downloaded new drivers for my soundcard (standard Realtek HD stuff),
and that did fix the latency problem.

However, when I try to record anything in Audacity now
there is nothing but loud static!

Looking at the monitoring bars, the microphone level
goes up really high, but there isn't anything going into it.
In fact, even if I turn the mixer off completely the
level remains peaked and the static is still there.

I've tested it with the standard Windows sound recorder, and also in
realtime through the RealTek driver control panel,
and the microphone sounds just fine there.
No static at all.
It only happens in Audacity.
EDIT: It also happens in Wavelab... so I guess any waveform editor?

Also, yes, I have enabled/set up the right devices
inside Audacity. I mean, it worked before, except for the latency.
This constant static is completely useless though.


Does anyone have a clue as to what might be the
cause of this?

[steve]

I can't quite make sense of this bit:

First problem I encountered was severe latency.
The recordings sounded okay, but I couldn't live
with that latency.

If you are just recording from the mixer - how are you hearing any latency?
Are you trying to listen to the sound as it is recorded into Audacity from headphones/speakers plugged into your computer?
For monitoring while you record from the mixer you should have your headphones plugged into the mixer - then you will get zero latency.

This leads onto the bit that really confuses me:

so I downloaded new drivers for my soundcard (standard Realtek HD stuff),
and that did fix the latency problem.

However, when I try to record anything in Audacity now
there is nothing but loud static!

How are you able to determine that the latency problem is fixed if you are unable to record anything?

I think that the reason I'm confused by this is because I do not know exactly how you have everything connected up - in particular your headphones/speakers - and I think that you may mean something different when you say "latency" to what I think of as "latency".

[naitzmic]

If you are just recording from the mixer - how are you hearing any latency?
Are you trying to listen to the sound as it is recorded into Audacity from headphones/speakers plugged into your computer?
For monitoring while you record from the mixer you should have your headphones plugged into the mixer - then you will get zero latency.

This is all correct, obviously, but yes; I was trying to get the sound to play back through my PC speakers as well,
because this particular mixer doesn't have ports for 4 headphones (band).
I realize I can just hook up a proper monitor/ spearate speaker system to it instead, but I was kinda hoping I wouldn't have to.
There's too much hardware crammed around in the locale already.

How are you able to determine that the latency problem is fixed if you are unable to record anything?

I think that the reason I'm confused by this is because I do not know exactly how you have everything connected up - in particular your headphones/speakers - and I think that you may mean something different when you say "latency" to what I think of as "latency".

This should be clear now, I guess. I could tell the latency problem was fixed because I was using
the speaker setup going out from my PC, and the static was only present inside recording software - not
elsewhere in the Windows enviroment, where I could hear everything clear with no delay.

Anyways, I do appreciate the response. Thanks for that.

---

Now, I was actually able to fix the problem myself after some more tinkering though.
Turned out to be yet another Windows 7 audio issue though, so Audacity
wasn't to blame for any of it.

[steve]

Now, I was actually able to fix the problem myself after some more tinkering though.
Turned out to be yet another Windows 7 audio issue though,

I could guess at how you did that, but it would be interesting to hear what you actually did (and could help other users with similar problems)

[naitzmic]

I could guess at how you did that, but it would be interesting to hear what you actually did (and could help other users with similar problems)

Well, it's more of a hotfix that worked out for me than an actual solution,
but sure. If it can help anyone else then that's good.

I downloaded this file.

It's actually the trial version of a small application,
but that's not important at all, since you won't be needing it.

Inside that zip-file there are two folders (x86 for 32-bit windows, and x64 for 64-bit Windows).
Each of those folders contain a small .exe file named Audio Repeater, that basically
overrides the stupid stuff going on in Windows 7.

So, just disable any monitoring/feedback done through the recording software you're using,
or Windows itself - quite often one and the same - and then run the Audio Repeater
along with the recording software instead.

There's a few different settings you can play around with
in the Audio Repeater (remember to select the devices you're using... heh),
but I belive setting the buffer to 50 and the priority to "realtime" should
help overcome most of the audio feedback issues Windows 7 has.

[steve]

Thanks naitzmic.
Well it's not the way that I thought you'd done it, but glad that it has sorted out the problem for you.
For anyone reading this that's interested - the "trial version of a small application" in question is "Virtual Audio Cable".