Low Signal Level from Mixer to PC?

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Fokissed

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Ok, I had a Behringer UB1204 Mixer hooked up to my computer previously. I now changed to a Behringer UB1832 Mixer and have it hooked up the exact same way. I have a Y-Cable with two 1/4" mono plugs going from the "MAIN OUTS" on the mixer to the 1/8" "MIC IN" on my PC. This is EXACTLY how I had it set with my 1204 and it worked great. But now with the 1832, the signal level to the PC is VERY low. I am getting plenty of signal from the condenser mic to the mixer, but even when it is peaking on the mixer it is still barely coming through in the recording program on my PC. I have even tried a new cable and it is the same thing. I even tried going from the TAPE OUTS on the Mixer to the MIC IN on the PC and the LINE IN on the PC. I have tried many different combinations. And I have also played around with the volume settings on the computer, but I don't understand why I'm not getting signal when I had everything set up the exact same way one week ago with the smaller 1204 and it worked fine. Anyone that has any idea at all?
 
Fokissed said:
Ok, I had a Behringer UB1204 Mixer hooked up to my computer previously. I now changed to a Behringer UB1832 Mixer and have it hooked up the exact same way. I have a Y-Cable with two 1/4" mono plugs going from the "MAIN OUTS" on the mixer to the 1/8" "MIC IN" on my PC. This is EXACTLY how I had it set with my 1204 and it worked great. But now with the 1832, the signal level to the PC is VERY low. I am getting plenty of signal from the condenser mic to the mixer, but even when it is peaking on the mixer it is still barely coming through in the recording program on my PC. I have even tried a new cable and it is the same thing. I even tried going from the TAPE OUTS on the Mixer to the MIC IN on the PC and the LINE IN on the PC. I have tried many different combinations. And I have also played around with the volume settings on the computer, but I don't understand why I'm not getting signal when I had everything set up the exact same way one week ago with the smaller 1204 and it worked fine. Anyone that has any idea at all?
Click to expand...
Well, first off you should be connected to the Line In on your sound card, not the mic in. The mic in connection has pre-amps in it, as I assume does your mixer. You don't need two pre-amps for the same signal.

Other than that, your hook-up should be working. Do you have the Main Faders turned up? Do you have the active channels assigned to the Main correctly? What's the signal like if you connect your speakers to the mixer?
 
Re: Re: Low Signal Level from Mixer to PC?

dachay2tnr said:
Well, first off you should be connected to the Line In on your sound card, not the mic in. The mic in connection has pre-amps in it, as I assume does your mixer. You don't need two pre-amps for the same signal.

Other than that, your hook-up should be working. Do you have the Main Faders turned up? Do you have the active channels assigned to the Main correctly? What's the signal like if you connect your speakers to the mixer?
Click to expand...

If I connect to the Line In, I get no signal at all. I know that it's not that, because like i said I had my old mixer connected to "MIC IN" and everything worked great.

Yes I have the Main Faders turned up, yes I have the active channels assigned correctly, and if i connect speakers to the mixer the signal comes through but with static and hiss

any other ideas?
 
Re: Re: Re: Low Signal Level from Mixer to PC?

Fokissed said:
If I connect to the Line In, I get no signal at all. I know that it's not that, because like i said I had my old mixer connected to "MIC IN" and everything worked great.
Click to expand...
Regardless of whether it worked or not, it is not correct. The reason for running a signal through a pre-amp is to bring it to line level (roughly 0.5V - 1.0V). A line level signal goes to the Line In input (that's why it's called "Line" in). A mic signal (which is significantly lower) goes to the "mic in" connection.

From your description, it appears to be a problem at the mixer. Have you set the Channel Gain properly? Have you tried to use the control room outs? What do you get when you do that?

What do you have connected to the Mixer and where (what channels).
 
hook your mixer up to something else to check it works. your guitar amp will be fine, just to establish it's outputting a proper signal.

then dis- the hell connect it from the mic in socket. it's making your recordings sound crap!! honestly!!!!

you need to play with your settings in the windows volume controls to get your line in working, or all the position you do with your mics, every piece of gear you buy, it's all pointless. believe me, i'm a relative rookie but i know.
 
whn using "Line In", i get absolutely no signal at all, i have been using "Mic In" for a year now because "Line In" has never worked through the PC, the quality of my recordings were never perfect of course, but i wouldn't say they were terrible, you can hear examples at http://www.fokissed.com/mysong.html

i will try the "Control Room Outs" and see if that helps

thanks anyway
 
you're getting away ok all things considered, but the distortion is there to be heard in places. of course, cos not all your music is 'recorded' as such it cuts down the number of tracks to gather noise. but if i can hear it on my PC speakers, it's there!
 
As the others have said, you should be going LINE IN to your PC.

Have you checked to make sure in your soundcard's control panel that the Recording Source is set to Line In? Basic stuff, but have to ask... ;) :D
 
guttadaj said:
As the others have said, you should be going LINE IN to your PC.

Have you checked to make sure in your soundcard's control panel that the Recording Source is set to Line In? Basic stuff, but have to ask... ;) :D
Click to expand...
I was about to suggest the same thing. :D
 
my only two options in the control panel for "REcording Device" are:

Audigy Soundcard ,or
Modem#0 Line

I switched it to the "Modem#0 Line" and then when I tried to record it says "the sample type is not supported" and will not even let me attempt to record?
 
keep it set to your audigy card (if that is what you are recording with) but in the mixer window... that volume window thingy. check the line in box, not the mic in box. I tiwll work. just find the right window
 
yeah that's what i thought but it's strange because the only options for recording in that window you are referring to are:

Analog Mix
Microphone
Midi Synth
CD Digital

There is no "Line In", I tried each of the above and none of them worked.
 
Click on Options and Properties. Choose your Audigy and settings for 'Recording'. Tick the box for Line In and a volume control will appear.
 
thats what i'm saying, there is no option for "Line In", only those options listed above^^^
 
even in the bit where you select what volume controls you're going to have? i don't just mean when you double click on the volume system tray icon. but also, not meaning to patronise so whooops if you already know what i mean!

if it's any consolation, if you want to record seriously you're going to need a recording card anyway :eek: now that really cheered you up, right?
 
i was referring to the place when you double click the volume icon, where exactly are you referring to?

and also, when you say get a recording card, what do you mean?, i already have an Audigy2 recording soundcard

thanks for your ongoing help by the way
 
If you have an Audigy card, didn't you get a mixer applet with it? Have you tried using that?
 
I'm not sure what a "mixer applet" is, i have used the "digital mixer controls" on the PC through the soundcard software and also just about every other volume setting i can find, do you know of any phone numbers i could call to people that would know about home recording? i tried Dell but they don't really know anything about PC recording, i would like to talk to someone in real time who could walk me through different steps and trials
 
Right Click on the Speaker icon
Select Open Volume Controls
Go to Options - Properties
Check the Recording box
At the bottom of the applet it says "Show the following volume controls". Make sure Line In is selected. Click OK

Now in the mixer window that appears it should say Recording Control at the top. Make sure that Line In is selected and the volume is all the way up.

Go back to Properties - Options and select Playback. Make sure that Play Control, Wave and Line In are all the way up.
 
yeah that's what i was saying earlier, when i do that "Line In" is not an option, under Recording Properties the only options are:

Microphone
Analog Mix
Auxillary
CD Digital

There is no "Line In" and i have experiemtned by checking each of the following separately and none of htem function as the Line In

i have windows XP with a soundblaster Audigy2 card
 
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