Nightmare Strikes!

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Member Since: Mar 20, 2007

Hey everyone. I'm new here, with quite a problem - I must apologise in advance for my lack of technical knowledge - I'm just a geezer wanting to make a demo......

So today, I got a knock on my door and it was the delivery guy giving me the ElectoVoice RE20 - I almost pissed myself. It truly has an amazing sound and looks the dog's bollocks too...

Unfortunately it was the moment I played back my first recording that the excitement went to hell. Whilst playing, there's an awful crackling sound over my voice, but when silent, the crackling is gone. I know it is not a problem with the RE20 or my audio interface because when I bypass the computer and go straight to my Hifi speakers, it sounds crystal clear. So it's definitely something to do with my computer, just not sure whether it's my software setup, or the hardware.

This is the setup I have - ElectroVoice RE20 goes into TASCAM US-144, which goes into computer via USB. Then the Line Out on the computer goes into the Line In on the TASCAM US-144, and the Line Out on the TASCAM US-144 goes into my Hifi's Line In......

I just checked the Hardware Manager on My Computer, the soundcard is called Realtek AC'97 Audio, but there's also another thing called Legacy Audio Drivers, and then obviously the TASCAM US-144 is listed also... I'm using Cakewalk SONAR v5 to record. I've tried messing around with the buffer thing in SONAR but it doesn't seem to make any difference to the crackling sound.

I'm sorry for this essay-type question, I'm just gutted that I can't record with my new mic!!!

Absolutely any help appreciated. Thanks guys

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Time Waster
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2006


Mar 20, 2007 06:34 pm

Sounds like your record levels were too high. When recording digitally, if you clip, it makes a crackling sound on playback. Check your record levels...

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 20, 2007 06:45 pm

remember, analog at some times has a sense of humor regarding clip levels and whatnot, digital does not, ever. and summing digital signals compounds level, in analog not so much...

Eat Spam before it eats YOU!!!
Member
Since: May 11, 2002


Mar 20, 2007 09:42 pm

yep zoom in on the waveform and you might see that the peeks and vallys are flat...so turn down the preamp volum when you redo it at watch the input meter on a 24bit recording you don't need to go much louder than -6 or so on a scale...

then start reading articles on compression :)

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Mar 21, 2007 12:49 am

i'm gonna guess it's the playback buffer on your soundcard....get into your soundcard drivers and raise the 'read buffer'....does it sound like you're computer is crunching some numbers, then stuttering a bit, then playin' back ok, then stuttering at an almost regular interval?

Answer:On a good day, lipstick.
Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004


Mar 21, 2007 10:55 am

I'm with WYD on this one.
I think you'll find the clicks and crackles will ease or go away if you change the latency. You may have it too low.

Welcome to HRC, by the way. Stick around, it gets better....

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Mar 21, 2007 01:12 pm

Quote:
This is the setup I have - ElectroVoice RE20 goes into TASCAM US-144, which goes into computer via USB. Then the Line Out on the computer goes into the Line In on the TASCAM US-144, and the Line Out on the TASCAM US-144 goes into my Hifi's Line In......


I don't know why you'd be using the onboard sound. ditch that part of the equation.

The 144 handles line out much better than the AC97 part will.

Plus, if you've not got the routing correct, then you're feeding the signal back into itself. i.e.: From the 144, into the PC (via usb), then over to the AC97, out the line out, and back into the 144 (via analog). Vicious circle, me thinks.

Disable the onboard sound, and just plug the HIFI to the output of the 144. Then the PC is only connected to the sound device via the USB cable, which is normal. Duplicating your connections (1 usb, plus 1 analog, simultaneously) will only incur problems.

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Mar 21, 2007 02:12 pm

good call pjk!

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