How do I get rid of feedback from my cpu

[aron816]

I run cool edit on my computer with varies external equipment running through my VM-3100 mixer into the computer and I'am having feedback problems. Basically I'am getting levels on the meter of cool edit even when I'am not recording anything. I turned off all my external equipment to see if that was the problem but cool edit was still picking up levels. I'am assuming its feedback from my computer thats being picked up because even when I turned off my mixing board or turned down all the volume on all the equip ment, levels were still being picked up staying at the same peak whether things were turned on or off. I really need help!!

 

[Jim Y]

What level is it db wise?
What audio interface do you have in the pc?
If it uses a digital connection to the mixer you shouldn't get any noise, but analog input soundcards will always have some, although with a good card and cables it ought to be well below -60db.

 

[aron816]

What level is it db wise?
What audio interface do you have in the pc?
If it uses a digital connection to the mixer you shouldn't get any noise, but analog input soundcards will always have some, although with a good card and cables it ought to be well below -60db.

The levels are a lot higher than -60db, the left channel is peaking at about -42db and the right channel is peaking at about -31db. I'am sorta new to this whole recording thing so I really don't know if my soundcard is an analog input, its nothing fancy I know that, its just the one that came with the computer. As far as my mixer it says its digital. Thanks for your help

 

[ocnor]

Make sure to use a good set of shielded cables. Route your audio cables as far from the power cables as possible. Check your Windows/software mixer to make sure the levels are correct and shut off things that you are not using.

 

[manning1]

try this routing mechanism - bet your feedback disappears....
mic>>>mixer mic ins>>>>sound card line in
heres where it gets interesting....
sound card line out>>>a line mixer(if an 8 channel type plug sound card left out into channel one of line mixer and pan to left, sound card right into channel 2 of line mixer - pan channel 2 right)
(plug headphones into line mixer headphone jack for monitoring while recording)
line mixer stereo out >>>>studio monitor amp or home hifi receiver>>>>stereo monitor speakers.(which you can turn off while recording-
radio shack have a switch box if you need to switch between different monitors)).
the reason i mention the above is i come across a lot of folks new to recording who get your type of problem because they use a small mixer for both recording AND monitoring. thus they get problems.
hope this helps. this is how my own set up works.
peace.

 

[Jim Y]

Aron said the noise was there even with the input disconnected or turned right down at source.
Looks like you're using a generic type of AC97 soundchip, probably one built in the pc motherboard, these are notoriously noisy on record, but those levels are particularly bad. The stereo mini-jack inputs are analog.
Check the Windows record mixer/selector. It could be that you are recording from other than the line input, maybe a "Stereo Mix", in which case you are getting everything coming out of the soundchip mixed back in with the input too.
You may have a poor quality cable too as Ocnor says, some of these mini jack adpters aren't very good. Keep the cable well away from any AC or transformers, but if the noise is there with it unplugged, it isn't the cable at fault.

The VM mixers were pretty good, so I would suggest getting something better in the pc, maybe with an s/pdif input which I think the VM does have? If you have the VM with the multitrack digital I/O, you can get an M-audio card that interfaces to it.
E-mu have a new range of PCI cards that a lot of people are praising. They now have a simple, cheap one with analog, digital and midi i/o - the 0404.

Then again, your computer could be a laptop - some makes produce terrible noise in the audio when running on AC power - try it just from battery. The noise is much worse when a cable connects the laptops ground to another items ground.

 

[aron816]

Hey guys thanks for your help, I figured out the of problem but still need an answer. I noticed when I turned off my mixer, a lot of the feed back went away, so should I do what Jim said and move my AC Adapter totally away from all my cables, because right now I have all my equipment plugged into a power strip under my computer. Even though good amount of the feedback goes away when my mixer is turned off there is still alot of feedback, when I checked the levels in cool edit (when nothing was being recorded & the mixer was turned off) the feedback was still relatively high, right channel peaks about -49db and the left channel is peaking at -33db. Lower than the first time but still high, so I must be picking up feedback from somewhere else too which is probably my cpu because when I have my headphones on with nothing playing I can hear feedback and when I move the mouse around the feedback gets louder. Also why is my left channel always picking up alot more feedback than my right channel? I'am pretty frustrated at this point and I know its probably my dumb-ass missing the most obvious thing too. I really appreciate all your guys time and help, thank you!