Help with EMU 0404, low playback volume
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Posted on Aug 10, 2008 03:01 pm
Gummi De Milo
Member Since: Aug 10, 2008
I'm using the EMU 0404 with windows xp and a shure sm 57 mic. The problem I have is I have to crank my speakers to hear whatever I recorded. I dont know if it's the mic not picking it up or the monitoring(both?) I also have legacy audio drivers on that I have found no way of removing but have turned off my integrated sound so I gues it's not that. Also I'm using Cubase LE. Any help/reply's are appreciated. Thanks.
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Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 10, 2008 03:47 pm You will need a microphone pre amp to get the signal from the SM57 up to a good level to be recorded. The 0404 does not have a pre amp built into it so that is something you will need to add. You can either use a dedicated pre amp or a small mixer to get that done.
Aug 10, 2008 10:13 pm I have the 0404 with the pre-amp already in it, not the PCI card. Sorry, should have clarified that.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 10, 2008 10:34 pm OK, then you need to check your level settings from the begging to the end of the signal chain. Start with the levels in the 0404 control panel and then go to the DAW. It sound like something is turned way down somewhere in the line.
Aug 11, 2008 12:07 am I've checked all the volume levels in cubase and in windows and they are all up but the same problem remains. I know the mic is pickinga t least something up because I can see the bars moving but it is very weak.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Aug 11, 2008 12:14 pm Be sure you have the gain turned up on the 0404 itself. Looks like there's a knob under the meters. Those meters (on the 0404 itself) should be getting up close to the red, but not clipping when you're recording. This is called gain-staging: making sure each stage of the gain path is set correctly, to be loud, but not clipping.
If your gain is up, and you're seeing phat signal coming into the 0404, then next is your 0404 control panel. I'd guess that there's some sort of program running in the systray, that controls the audio interface. In that somewhere you should be able to see the meters bouncing. There may be a 'input' level slider in there, that's turned way down. If you don't see the meters bouncing where they're supposed to (close to 0db, but not over), then something is turned down.
Next I'd see what cubase is telling you for signal level. If it's saying your input signal is down around -30 or below, then the culprit is probably before it, one of the two i mentioned above.
Aug 11, 2008 04:14 pm I checked the gain on the 0404 itself and that was the problem. It was up but not far enough, now I feel silly doh! Thanks for the help guys!
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 11, 2008 08:57 pm No feeling silly. We have all done that kind of stuff. Some of us more often then we care to admit.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Aug 12, 2008 07:27 am Yeah, we've all got bone-head plays =).
It's just good you got it working so quick and in-expensively.
