Sound Card: M-Audio Audiophile 2496

I just purchased this sound card.  I have set it up so that I record with the RCA line-in.  The playback works fine, but when I try and record from my mixer (playing at maximum volume) in Audacity, it only records at about half volume.  I made sure that the recording volume for the sound card was on 100% in the Windows' Recording Devices.  I also made sure that the recording volume was 100% in Audacity, as well as in the M-Audio control panel.  Anyone know where the problem might be stemming from?

Also, when I record from my mixer using the built in sound on the motherboard it works at full volume.///

Are you using Windows XP or Windows Vista/7?

There is no recording amplification available. The sound card receives whatever the outside input signal is. It passes it on exactly. If you go through the card’s DSP chip, recording from the card’s mixer, you can reduce the signal level to the recording application (never a good idea unless you are mixing multiple sources in the card’s mixer) but you cannot increase its level.

100% on the input controls means 100% of what came in. If that isn’t at a high enough signal level, you must amplify it in the analogue domain, before it reaches the sound card. This is the norm for line-in of professional type sound cards.

Quote from: AltyUK on 2011-02-24 22:41:15

Sound Card: M-Audio Audiophile 2496

I just purchased this sound card.  I have set it up so that I record with the RCA line-in.  The playback works fine, but when I try and record from my mixer (playing at maximum volume) in Audacity, it only records at about half volume.  I made sure that the recording volume for the sound card was on 100% in the Windows' Recording Devices.  I also made sure that the recording volume was 100% in Audacity, as well as in the M-Audio control panel.  Anyone know where the problem might be stemming from?

I don't see any problem.  Amplify your signal in the digital domain using frely availble software like Audacity if you don't already have something better.

It is arguable that recording with 6 dB of heardroom as you are doing, is good practice.

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Also, when I record from my mixer using the built in sound on the motherboard it works at full volume.///

Different audio interface with diffierent sensitivity and probalby also with an input level control.

The things is, the levels on the mixer go right up to the red lights at 0dB. The only way I get ordinary levels in Audacity is to push the levels of the mixer well into the red.

So how do I amplify the signal further in Audacity? It is already on 100% recording volume, but I assume you're referring to something different.

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The things is, the levels on the mixer go right up to the red lights at 0dB. The only way I get ordinary levels in Audacity is to push the levels of the mixer well into the red.

Weird!  I don't have an answer for that...  I'm not sure about Audacity, and it might depend on your hardware, but usually "red" means clipping*[/b] (distortion).

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So how do I amplify the signal further in Audacity? It is already on 100% recording volume, but I assume you're referring to something different.

I don't have Audacity handy at the moment and I don't use it everyday so I can't tell you exactly how, but you can boost the volume (after recording) by as much as you  like...  +20dB (10x) or more if you wish!



* Audicaty itself won't clip.  Like most audio editing software it uses 32-bit floating-point for internal operations/storage.  But the analog-to-digital converter can clip, and when you save a file as a "regular" integer WAV file, it can be clipped during the save process.

Have you tried by using ASIO (ASIO compatible recording software: Ableton Live Lite is bundled with the card, couple others:Cockos Reaper, Hermann Seib's VSTHost, Sony Sound Forge (trial version), plenty of other trial versions available)

Juha

Quote from: DVDdoug on 2011-02-25 21:00:44

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The things is, the levels on the mixer go right up to the red lights at 0dB. The only way I get ordinary levels in Audacity is to push the levels of the mixer well into the red.

Weird!  I don't have an answer for that...  I'm not sure about Audacity, and it might depend on your hardware, but usually "red" means clipping*[/b] (distortion).

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So how do I amplify the signal further in Audacity? It is already on 100% recording volume, but I assume you're referring to something different.

I don't have Audacity handy at the moment and I don't use it everyday so I can't tell you exactly how, but you can boost the volume (after recording) by as much as you  like...  +20dB (10x) or more if you wish!



* Audicaty itself won't clip.  Like most audio editing software it uses 32-bit floating-point for internal operations/storage.  But the analog-to-digital converter can clip, and when you save a file as a "regular" integer WAV file, it can be clipped during the save process.

Yes, the red does mean it is clipping, but it is the only way that the volume goes to reasonable levels in the computer.

And, yes I would much rather I get it working properly, rather than using a hack in Audacity which could lead to a loss in quality.