Behringer Xenyx 1832USB Randomly Muting?

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EposVox

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Hello all,
[Disclaimer - I have emailed support at Behringer, but I need a quick solution and it's a weekend, so I thought I'd post here as well to see if you guys have any ideas.]

I've been using my Behringer Xenyx 1832USB for about maybe 6 months now. I have the USB audio out going to my main recording desktop and the Line Out going to a secondary desktop. I have an Audio Technical AT2020 and a Behringer C-1 mic hooked up to it.

It's worked amazing and flawlessly since I've had it up until maybe a month or so ago.

Since the problem has started, it appears to be randomly muting itself or dropping the audio mid-recording.
An example of this can be seen here (EDIT: it won't let me post the link)
a22b62dd6382a450ea681276bf68ec71.webp

I originally thought this was an issue with OBS, the streaming and recording program I use with my webcam. However, this has now happened (specifically, in the screenshot) through a -completely different- setup.
The original problem happened on my main recording desktop with USB connection and OBS software recording.
This has now also happened on the secondary desktop, through Line In analog connection and recording with Audacity.
The sound completely drops waveform-wise and playing it back in Sony Vegas reveals some pretty much inaudible sound at like -35db (amplifying doesn't help) and a random little pop or something, and then it randomly picks back up.

This happening on two different setups leaves me to say it's either the mixer or the microphone somehow, but I'm not sure how it's happening or why.

Maybe the Phantom Power is dropping out somehow?


Please, if you have any ideas at all - let me know ASAP.
Thanks much!
 
What's happening on the mixer itself? Do the meters there keep showing a signal even when the recording drops out? Similarly, if you plug a speaker directly into the analogue outs of the mixer, it the sound missing there too?

If both the analogue outs and USB out disappear that suggests a mixer issue (or maybe phantom which is also the mixer really). I know you said the analogue feed to a line in is also dropping but is the USB lead still connected to anything? However, if the mixer meters still show a signal, it's something computer/software related--possibly the drivers you're using for the mixer.
 
What's happening on the mixer itself? Do the meters there keep showing a signal even when the recording drops out? Similarly, if you plug a speaker directly into the analogue outs of the mixer, it the sound missing there too?

If both the analogue outs and USB out disappear that suggests a mixer issue (or maybe phantom which is also the mixer really). I know you said the analogue feed to a line in is also dropping but is the USB lead still connected to anything? However, if the mixer meters still show a signal, it's something computer/software related--possibly the drivers you're using for the mixer.

Thanks so much for the reply.

-I was assuming it was a software/driver issue until the most recent mishap in the screenshot: that occurred while the USB connected PC was off and over analog connection - audio driver on that PC are fine and there's no mixer-specific drivers needed given it's through Line-In. That has me worried about the problem.
-I actually have the mixer on a small table under the desk so it hasn't been visible whilst recording. However, I am working on relocating it on top of the desk at this moment to run some tests and see if I can re-create the issue (been unsuccessful in the past; it seems whenever I finally trust it again, this happens) so I'll throw a pair of headphones on it and see what happens and hopefully have an answer to the first part very soon.

EDIT: Been running music from my iPod through it for like 8 minutes now and no drops thus far. This is why it's hard to track down :/


-----
EDIT - a more calm reply:

-Trying to test and find out if the mixer bars and such drop if audio drops, but after say 20-30 minutes, it still hasn't happened again. Extremely frustrating as as soon as I trust it it'll just drop and botch an important recording again.
-The USB lead was still connected to a powered-off machine.

Still testing, will do a second post reply when I actually get it to drop again.

---
Also, may I ask another question for an issue with it while I'm here --
USB output to computer is very very quiet. Always needing to Normalize to make recordings usable, but this brings out a lot of ground-level noise. HOWEVER, cranking up Main Mix or individual line levels can solve issue, but then the secondary computer hooked up with analog is completely clipped out when recording with it because it's too "loud." Input level in Recording Devices on PC is all the way up. Would that be a driver issue too?
 
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Just to be clear, even if you weren't using the USB connection, was the USB completely disconnected? If not, try line out that way.

You mention no mixer specific drivers and, while it's true that Behringer USB mixers will operate using the Windows MME drivers, I have heard many tales of stability issues working this way since the generic drivers are shared with everything else in your computer. Even if we sort out the current fault, I'd suggest that you download Behringer's ASIO drivers from HERE. They should cut your latency too!

Aren't intermittant faults fun!
 
No, USB wasn't completely connected. Currently trying the USB to my Main PC, as that's where I've had the issue most often and I need to be working 100%.

Ah, yes, sorry - I am using the 64-bit ASIO drivers from Behringer and have always been - never really got it working with any sort of generic driver.

--
 
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Okay, so in trying to fix my issue, I've actually learned a ton about this mixer.
However now I'm slightly confused.
I have Audition set to use the ASIO driver and input/output for recording/playback.
However..
Recording works just fine! Sounds a lot better than it did before. (actually it never worked in Audition, but I got it sounding better than Audacity.)
But playback I can't get to play out of anything. It doesn't playback to my PC speakers. It doesn't show the signal going to the Speakers option for the mixer in Windows Playback Devices, and I can't hear anything for it with my headphones in Phones, Control Room Out, or Mon Out.
What do I need to make playback work like that?

----EDIT
Okay, I got it somewhat giving audio into my mixer - unmuted MON. (le derp)
HOWEVER I only get a strong signal/sound if I press down 2-TR/USB to Main which then prevents me from recording, and it sounds terrible quality and distorted :/
 
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You''ve just bumped your head on one of the stupid limitations of the Xenyx 1832 and, frankly, most of the Xenyx range. Routing the USB return only to the main mix is just plain stupid design.

A quick look at the manual makes me think you might have a work round available by using one of the Aux sends to do your monitoring. The manual says that Aux one actually goes to a separate monitor output, completely with fader. If you bring the analogue out from your computer (even just the basic built in sound card would probably do) then use the Aux send controls on the necessary channels to create a mix you can listen to. Note that for this kind of operation you need the Aux to be Pre Fader. The manual (I admit I only did a quick skim) doesn't seem to specify whether Aux 1 is pre or post fade but, if you can't use that, Aux 2 has a pre/post switch.

Not elegant but it should work.
 
That is pretty great i guess. I was looking forward to it. Looks like it will prove to be very great.
 
You''ve just bumped your head on one of the stupid limitations of the Xenyx 1832 and, frankly, most of the Xenyx range. Routing the USB return only to the main mix is just plain stupid design.

A quick look at the manual makes me think you might have a work round available by using one of the Aux sends to do your monitoring. The manual says that Aux one actually goes to a separate monitor output, completely with fader. If you bring the analogue out from your computer (even just the basic built in sound card would probably do) then use the Aux send controls on the necessary channels to create a mix you can listen to. Note that for this kind of operation you need the Aux to be Pre Fader. The manual (I admit I only did a quick skim) doesn't seem to specify whether Aux 1 is pre or post fade but, if you can't use that, Aux 2 has a pre/post switch.

Not elegant but it should work.

Thanks for the ideas. Something to consider for sure, but since I use Optical out to go to my main audio equipment, I don't think I'll be able to make that work.
And besides, when using Audition with the device set to ASIO mode (which works the best so far) I can't (that I can tell) use another output besides the out that goes back to the mixer. So I can't see how I'd be able to run it through a separate output or I'd just run it to my monitor speakers or something. :/
-----------------
Also, what about any sort of music in to this device? Playing from something like my iPod (was gunna set up a sound board or something) sounds really, really bad. Just running 3.5mm out of the iPod into ground loop isolator to 1/4" adapter into a line in on the board. Sounds distorted and muffled.
 
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One of my setups has an Alesis mixer for recording/playback. The only way that I can record with it is to send to AUX. Recording on the main while tracking with previously recorded tracks 'feeds back' trashing the sound if I try it any other way. You may not be able to use the optical the way you planned.

In Sonar, there is a track option to 'monitor' the recorded track from the DAW (instead of doing this from the interface (echo input)). Having this selected on a track can also cause a similar problem for me.

Glen
 
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