Noise problem - any help welcome!!

[Tomcanning]

Hi

I am almost at the point of giving up on recording due to static noise!

I am recording on electro acoustic guitar into maudio fast track USB into my computer.*

There is noise through the headphones even when the guitar is not plugged in. I can post a clip soon if it would help?

I am using pro tools but I get the same noise with audacity (the input volume is also quite low for some reason).

My operating system is as follows but let me know I you need more info about my set up, cables and room it is set up in...

Thank you!*
Tom

Operating System
* *MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU
* *Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 *@ 2.50GHz * *35 °C
* *Yorkfield 45nm Technology
RAM
* *4.0GB Single-Channel DDR2 @ 400MHz (6-5-5-17)
Motherboard
* *Packard Bell MCP73PVT-PM (CPU 1) * *28 °C
Graphics
* *Viseo 200Ws (1600x900@59Hz)
* *256MB GeForce 7100 / nForce 630i (Acer Incorporated [ALI])
Hard Drives
* *625GB Western Digital WDC WD64 00AAKS-22A7B SCSI Disk Device (ATA)
Optical Drives
* *ATAPI DVD A *DH16AASH SCSI CdRom Device
* *MagicISO Virtual DVD-ROM0000
Audio
* *Realtek High Definition Audio

MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Installation Date: 27 December 2009, 14:38

PU
* * * *Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300

* *Type * *DDR2
* *Size * *4096 MBytes
* *Channels # * *Single
* *DRAM Frequency * *400.0 MHz
* *CAS# Latency (CL) * *6 clocks
* *RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) * *5 clocks
* *RAS# Precharge (tRP) * *5 clocks
* *Cycle Time (tRAS) * *17 clocks
* *Bank Cycle Time (tRC) * *24 clocks
* *Command Rate (CR) * *2T
Physical Memory
* *Memory Usage * *40 %
* *Total Physical * *3.74 GB
* *Available Physical * *2.20 GB
* *Total Virtual * *7.99 TB
* *Available Virtual * *7.99 TB

Manufacturer * *Packard Bell
Model * *MCP73PVT-PM
Chipset Vendor * *NVIDIA
Chipset Model * *GeForce 7100
Chipset Revision * *A2
Southbridge Vendor * *NVIDIA
Southbridge Model * *nForce 630i
Southbridge Revision * *A2
System Temperature * *27 °C

WDC WD64 00AAKS-22A7B SCSI Disk Device
* *Manufacturer * *Western Digital
* *Business Unit/Brand * *Desktop/WD Caviar®
* *RPM/Buffer Size or Attribute * *5400 RPM with 2 MB cache
* *Interface * *ATA
* *Capacity * *625GB
* *Real size * *640,135,028,736 bytes
* * * *S.M.A.R.T
* * * * * *S.M.A.R.T not supported
* * * *Partition 0
* * * * * *Partition ID * *Disk #0, Partition #0
* * * * * *Size * *15.0 GB
* * * *Partition 1
* * * * * *Partition ID * *Disk #0, Partition #1
* * * * * *Size * *100 MB
* * * *Partition 2
* * * * * *Partition ID * *Disk #0, Partition #2
* * * * * *Disk Letter * *C:
* * * * * *File System * *NTFS
* * * * * *Volume Serial Number * *CEFF0A98
* * * * * *Size * *290GB
* * * * * *Used Space * *142GB (49%)
* * * * * *Free Space * *149GB (51%)
* * * *Partition 3
* * * * * *Partition ID * *Disk #0, Partition #3
* * * * * *Disk Letter * *D:
* * * * * *File System * *NTFS
* * * * * *Volume Serial Number * *840084F8
* * * * * *Size * *291GB
* * * * * *Used Space * *6.35GB (3%)
* * * * * *Free Space * *284GB (97%)

Sound Cards
* *NVIDIA High Definition Audio
* *Realtek High Definition Audio
* *M-Audio FastTrack
Playback Devices
* *Line (2- M-Audio FastTrack)
* *Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio) * *(default)
* *Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Recording Devices
* *Line (2- M-Audio FastTrack) * *(default)
* *Stereo Mix (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Speaker Configuration

 

[Armistice]

Do you know that the noise is being recorded on the track, and isn't just noise your PC is making because it's too close to something else, like speakers, cell phone, fluoro lights and/or other power sources?

 

[mjbphotos]

Yes, what kind of noise? Hiss, crackling, etc. Does it change when you move things around? Does it record?

 

[Track Rat]

Sampling rate mismatch? Wrong word clock? Lots of possibilities.

 

[gecko zzed]

do you still get the noise if you monitor via the maudio without it being connected to the computer?

 

[Tomcanning]

Noise

Thanks guys

Yes the sound does record - it won't let me put the urls down for my wavs and pics until I have posted 5 times

It's a hissing sound that seems to get marginaly worse when I plug in the guitar.

How do I monitor via the maudio without it being connected to the computer? Do you mean just unplug it from the usb but still listen therough the headphones?

Thanks all!

Tom

 

[Tomcanning]

Noise

I should also say that the volume it records at is very quiet even with gain on full...

 

[mjbphotos]

Plug the headphones into the M Audio - do you still hear the hiss? Have you downloaded asio4all drivers?

 

[Tomcanning]

Thanks mjb. Yes, I have the headphones into maudio as standard and get the hiss.

I don't have the asio drivers. Are they general sound drivers?
T