Distorted Playback, Please Help!
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Posted on Jan 22, 2006 08:07 pm
lari_3d
Member Since: Aug 09, 2005
We are having problems getting our recording equipment to work and we don't know what to do to fix it! This is our setup: we have our UB802 mixer connected to out computer via main out to an audiophile 2496 interface and then back to the mixer via line 3/4. So the problem is this, when we plug a guitar into line 1 and record everything is fine and dandy and the playback is clear. But, when we try to record vocals while listening to the guitar playback though our headphones the guitar becomes weird and distorted and the vocals echo severely. Also, we find that our mic (samson SM58) echos on its own but not as bad - is this normal? Maybe the slight echo is unavoidable but the whole distorted/major echo thing is awful. We've had our equipment for a while now and we still haven't been able to figure things out. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Larissa and Ellyse
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Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 22, 2006 08:27 pm Hello L and E, welcome to HRC.
I think what is happening if I read your post correctly is that you are sending the guitar signal that is playing back out to the 2496 in the PC through the main outputs again. This is known as a feedback loop. That will cause the things you are hearing to happen, as well it will cause the echo you hear when recording the mic. So you should not send the signal to be recorded out through the main outputs.
Here are a couple of suggestions that will help with the 802 mixer and its limited number of outputs. Your best bet is going to be to use the FX send output to a single channel of the 2496. This will allow you to record a mono vocal or guitar track without having the playback from the line 3/4 going out that route and causing the echo or distortion you hear.
Are you using only headphones to moniter or are you using speakers as well? If using headphones only you should have no problems at all. If using speakers as well make sure to turn them down when recording like this or that may as well induce some echo you hear.
Let me know if this helps at all, or if you need a little more explanation.
Noize
Jan 22, 2006 09:48 pm First of all thanks for the quick reply but...we're still kind of confused (newbies). Our 2496 has 2 analog outs and 2 analog ins so I assume you mean that we go out from the mixer FX send and into the analog in with either the left or right channel (does it matter which one?)
So just to clarify, we are no longer using the main outs? Just a single FX send mono channel?
L and E
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 22, 2006 10:04 pm YEs, I guess I could have been a little clearer on exactly which ins and outs.
So yes, you can still send both the left and right analog outs from the 2496 to the mixer ins 3/4. That will give you your stereo mix from the computer. Which reminds me I should ask which recording application you are using as well in case that comes up?
Then yes, you just need to send the FX send to a single input on the 2496, no it does not matter which one. You will just need to make sure you select which driver or input in your recording application you wish to use for the track. So if you send the FX send to the left, just make sure you select the left 2496 input in your recording software as the input source.
And just in case this comes up as it usually does. :-) The track will of course be mono, but you will still be able to hear it on both left and right on playback if you set your pan control to center in your recording app. You may only hear it through the left headphone when recording though, but I cant say for sure as I dont know which software you are using to record with.
Let me know if this clears it up for ya a bit.
Noize
Jan 23, 2006 11:18 am Yup, that helps a lot. We're using Pro Tools Free and since we haven't really gotten anything to work yet we still don't know our way around the program that well. But, we'll take your suggestion and putz around a bit to see if we can get it to work.
Thanks again!
We'll let you know if it works...
Jan 23, 2006 11:20 am what kind of PC are you running, I didn't think PT Free ran on anything past Windows 98 or so...
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 24, 2006 12:09 am Yep, 98 and ME is all. Or Mac OS 9 as well.
Jan 24, 2006 11:04 am Yup, we have windows 98 - for now. We thought PTfree would be a good place to start but I'm starting to think there are probably other free programs that are just as good.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 24, 2006 07:46 pm Indeed, there are many free ones out there now that are great at what they do.
Jan 25, 2006 09:51 pm Okay, so everything is set up the way Noize specified with the fx send going to the left 2496 input but how/where do I change where the input source is coming from in pro tools? I kind of poked around but I don't even know what I'm looking for so if you or anyone else knows it would save me time and more frustration!
Thanks
Jan 25, 2006 09:59 pm Well, I just answered my own question so never mind...I think pro tools was already set to left input anyway although I don't know what that means for us before when we where using both left and right.
Another question - now that we have the distorted problem under control - is about the echoing. I noticed that when recording when line 3/4 is turned down everything is perfect, and for playback you just turn it up to hear. But, when adding vocals to a track - in order to hear what we're adding to - we have to turn up 3/4 thus creating an echo...any suggestions?
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 26, 2006 09:15 pm You might have the FX send knob turned up on the 3/4 channel and that would cause the echo as it will be seding it as well back through PT.
