What's Wrong?

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dudethatdrums

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I'm a drummer, recording myself using a USB Mixer, the mixer is the XENYX 1204 that plugs through a USB cable, I have four inputs, (Snare Drum, Bass Drum, High Tom, Low Tom).
My issue is, when I plug my headphones straight into the 'Phones' jack on the mixer, everything sounds exactly how I want it to, all mixed and ready, although, once I press record on Audacity,
thats when everything messes up, I listen to the audio on Audiacity and it's entirely different! It's all muffled, distorted and overly sensitive.

What I think is that it is my sound card which is the Realtek (High Definition), I'm only 15 so I'm new to this, please don't hesitate and telling me what I'm doing wrong, I am prepared to purchase a new soundcard
if that is the issue after all, please help, forum.

Dudethatdrums
 
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Tell us a bit more about your monitoring etc.
Realtek HD is probably your internal soundcard rather than your graphics card.

I don't know that Xenxy well, but I presume it has outputs as well as inputs?
If it does, you should be using these instead of the built in soundcard.

Also, where abouts are your software meters on playback? Do any of the recorded tracks clip?
 
Sorry, I'm VERY new to this, If I were to run the output cables of the mixer, where would I connect them to?
With my current setup, all there is is a USB Cable plugged into my computer, thats IT. No cables connect to my sound card at all.
For monitoring, if you mean my device to playback my recording, I have tried multiple things, Sony SA-VA15 surround sound speakers, Phillips Specked Headphones, all of it.

The key difference is, when I plug my headphones straight into the Mixer, I get a vastly different quality (better) then if I was to plug my phones straight into the audio jack of the computer.
The mixer's brand is Behringer XENYX 1204USB, I can't post links at the moment, sorry.
 
Have you set the record levels on the Audacity also (the little record meter - I don't use Audacity, but check that the signal from your board is getting into Audacity - most programs like this have a little meter that shows the incoming signal level)? Your board is sending a signal independent of the headphone volume knob on the mixer that feeds your headphones.

The recorded sound should not be "vastly" different. The realtek isn't top of the line, but it can do OK. I recorded my wife reading an intro to a book on one and it came out fine.
 
Morning Dude....

First things: Unplug the 1204 usb lead from the computer. Next, go into Device Manager and disable* the Realtec internal soundcard, you do not want or need it. Whilst hacking, look at Sounds and Audio Devices and set Windows Sounds to "None" or "No Sounds". The latter will kill those irritating and destructive (for music purposes) Win bleeps and crashes. Reboot.

Now plug in and switch on the mixer (or refer to the manual but I think this is the way to go). The pc should find the device and more importantly, JUST that device for sound purposes (tho' Win 7 is a bit different from XP in this regard. Needless bloody tampering IMHO!).

Setup the system as per page 5 of the mixer manual which you can download if you don't have it. The 1204 usb converter is simply a boxed in UCA 202 AFAIK and they are not bad, not Prism you understand but not bad (better than Realtec!) 16bits only but if you keep peaks below -8dBFS or so you should be fine. Re peaks: Take NO BLOODY NOTICE of the mixers LED level display! It is the software meters in Audacity that are important...As alway(!) I shall suggest trying the free MAGIX Samplitude Silver download. Much better meters than Aud' and a generally more "pro" looking DAW GUI.

*Do not just "uninstall" the pc will simply find and re-install on re boot. Better in fact to kill OBSound in the BIOS but this IS the nooob section!

Dave.
 
Thank you for that, although, disabling the Realtek Sound Card also disabled all outputs eg. Speakers and headphones. It didn't work.
 
For some reason, I have also noticed that everything is A LOT more sensitive then it once was, now me saying something gets picked up, it wasn't always like this, I'm yet to find a working solution.
 
In your system tray (bottom right on my PC in XP), there's a little "speaker" icon that might have something to do w/ the REaltek levels. You can check those and move them around to see if it helps your Audicity levels get to where they need to be.

Under the options on mine there's an "audio input" option I think. (I have 2 sound cards and it's disabled on mine right now, but it should be there).
 
dudethatdrums said:
Thank you for that, although, disabling the Realtek Sound Card also disabled all outputs eg. Speakers and headphones. It didn't work.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would do. You should ONLY route all audio thru one soundcard and that is now the mixer.
off to work now, talk soon.
Dave.
 
Update

Alright, so now, I have trialled with all of the suggestions you guys have given, and my fault was, the device that was recording was actually a webcam, but I now have a new dilemma.

The LED lights on my Mixer signal they hear sound, although, in Audacity, now sound is received? Yes, I have made sure that the device was the mixer, although, I'm almost sure that I have messed something up in the settings.

Thank you guys for the extensive help, really appreciate it.
 
First of all forget the section towards the computer. Check in the mixer. If there is any clipping of any tracks then lower the gain or volume knob. If there is no clipping in the mixer lets move to computer section. Check your recording software source. Is it selected for your XENYX mixer? If no, select it.
Then check your monitors are sounding good by playing anything through your recording software. If it is good then play your drums through the mixer.
Is it clipping? If yes then minimise the main output from mixer until decent sound is received.
If minimizing from mixer doesnt work then its because of you siftware input level. Try minimizing the input level in the software.
Make sure you haven't applied any inserts or effects to the track like bass boost, distortion, etc that will change the sound.
 
One other thing to check - I think the Realtek has both a mic in and a line in on back of PC. Make sure you use the line in for the signal coming off the mixing board. Sorry - I'm not much help on the rest - I only send audio straight into the card - my setup is different.
 
smili said:
One other thing to check - I think the Realtek has both a mic in and a line in on back of PC. Make sure you use the line in for the signal coming off the mixing board. Sorry - I'm not much help on the rest - I only send audio straight into the card - my setup is different.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yes, I had not thought of that^ It might be esier to retain the Realtech and run Skype as normal thru' that. Then, IF the PC has separate line input feed the output of the mixer (guitar signal) into that.

But if this can be done it needs some care about levels. The line input will be fairly high sensitivity, -10dBV and the mixer at an indicated "0" LED will put out a volt or so. Best solution is an attenuator in the mixer's op line but since this is the noob section, just turn things down!

Windows 7 sound devices and level settings are a trial, several layers to work thru' but work thru them you must until you get things right. This will certainly be so if you do not have a line in as above since you will have to adapt the mixer to the Skype purpose.

Were we still talking XP I could walk you thru' the sound settings...Do this, set that, bish-bash-bosh, job's a good'un...FKnows what they have done in Eight!

Dave.
 
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