recording isuuses using Audacity on a Windows 7 computer

[Joseph Hanna]

Well again I haven't tech supported Windows machine for years now but back in the early days you could disable the internal sound card. If in fact Windows is now forcing an interface with a pre-amp into yet another internal interface with a pre-amp, that in fact would render (at least for me) Windows useless for audio. With all the drooling we tend to do over good pre-amps to entertain the thought of being forced to shove a decent pre-amp down the throat of a cheap pre-amp seems an exercise in futility.

Are we sure the sound card can NOT be disabled?

[Johneg]

will try thanks

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

Well again I haven't tech supported Windows machine for years now but back in the early days you could disable the internal sound card. If in fact Windows is now forcing an interface with a pre-amp into yet another internal interface with a pre-amp, that in fact would render (at least for me) Windows useless for audio. With all the drooling we tend to do over good pre-amps to entertain the thought of being forced to shove a decent pre-amp down the throat of a cheap pre-amp seems an exercise in futility.

Are we sure the sound card can NOT be disabled?

Of course you can use Windows machines with external audio interfaces!
Using an external soundcard disables the internal one (you actually select which one you want to use). But the sound level still needs to be reduced. (dont' ask me, I never had to do it, but others have)

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

Of course you can use Windows machines with external audio interfaces!
Using an external soundcard disables the internal one (you actually select which one you want to use). But the sound level still needs to be reduced. (dont' ask me, I never had to do it, but others have)

If there is a gain control in Windows that needs to be adjusted, up or down, there is a pre-amp involved. I would be even more baffled if Windows had a gain control independent of the internal sound card.

It used to be the install of the drivers (for any particular interface) worked completely independently (like on a Mac).

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

If there is a gain control in Windows that needs to be adjusted, up or down, there is a pre-amp involved. I would be even more baffled if Windows had a gain control independent of the internal sound card.

It used to be the install of the drivers (for any particular interface) worked completely independently (like on a Mac).

A preamp is a whole separate thing. A gain (volume) control does not imply a preamp, or does it imply any AD/DA - it is simply a linear and sonically transparent mathematical multiplication of each digital sample value. In addition, with your own internal or external sound device (for example I am using a REM Fireface 800 on a Windows 10 computer) any Windows 10 sound input or control (other than opting to use that device) is completely bypassed.

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

A preamp is a whole separate thing. A gain (volume) control does not imply a preamp, or does it imply any AD/DA. It is simply is simply adding or subtracting zeros off a binary number. In addition, with your own internal or external sound device (for example I am using a REM Fireface 800 on a Windows 10 computer) any Windows 10 sound input or control (other than opting to use that device) is completely bypassed.

I'm not sure I get it. Any input gain staging device that changes amplitude intensity "pre" it's destination is a pre-amp. Doesn't matter if it digital or analog.

For the record the sound card input gain on a Mac is an analog circuitry. It's pre the converter. Historically almost any gain staging device in the world of computers has always been analog before the converters. If in fact the Windows sound card is an input gain post converter it will have been the first I've ever heard of that kinda scenario. If true I guess one could make the argument that a digital input gain stage is less sonically invasive than it's analog and more traditional counterpart but again seems needless.

[rick-slo]

A preamp amplifies an electric signal, not digital code. The typical use in recording being a microphone preamp. In a DAW a volume knob (slider) is not changing an electrical signal level, it is changing computer code by multiplying every sample value by the same number, and that is linear and sonically transparent (within the bounds of the bit depth being used of course). That code is later interpreted by whatever digital to analog playback device that is being used.

Also Windows is an operating system, not hardware. It has no soundcard.

If your computer has a sound card and you are running a Windows operating system on it, the soundcard software may let Windows software tell it, the soundcard, how much to amplify the analog signal being recorded. On the other hand the soundcard may have other software that completely bypasses Windows sound controls. As I mentioned, all sound choices in my Windows 10 recording setup is handled by my RME gear.

[TBman]

---- deleted -----

[Johneg]

Not sure if I was clear on the input to the computer it is via the USB port. I have a 24 bit A/D that changes the analog signal from a analog mixer to a digital stream. I don't believe it is a complex (I & Q) data stream, any way it is digital. I have tried various setting changes at the control panel and the problem is still occurring. I was going to dumb the data into Matlab and see if I can understand what is going on.

I also have a request into the people who make the A/D to see if there is a driver associated with the A/D.

John G

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Johneg

Using the same hardware setup as above on my wife's Mac book, again using Audacity, the recording worked great, were the recording level, on Audacity, is now set in the mid range and the results of the recording is what I would expect in quality.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance

John G

I don't use windows myself so I do not have any specific recommendation
That said:
The above statement about it working on the Mac from a diagnostic standpoint would seem to clearly indicate that problem lies somewhere in Windows machine/ or software itself.

Since you state you are using the Behringer UCA202 as your A/D converter, note that Behringer makes this claim for the interface

"Works with your PC or Mac* computer—no setup or drivers required. Free audio recording and editing software downloadable at www.behringer.com"

So given that and the fact that it is working on the Mac again seems to indicate it is something downstream from the USB output on the interface.

The other thing that occurs to me is that the symptom your describing sounds a bit reminiscent of what in the analog world would be a mismatch of line ,instrument , mic level input/ output.... like for example sending a line level output into a mic level input will definitely distort at a very low gain .
So Ihave not clue as to Audicity or Behringer but could you i/o selection be getting mismatched ?

[rick-slo]

Probably some setting in Audacity - sound source and/or recording level.

You might first try resetting Audacity to default preferences:
delete Audacity and reinstall selecting the "Reset Preferences" box during
the installation.

Also you could open some recording you have into the Windows Audacity and see how loud it plays (look at the height of the waveform). You could take that same recording and play it, in for example Windows Media Player, and record that in Audacity (recording "what you hear" device selection and see what happens (look at the wave form)).

Visit the Audacity forum.

There is no inherent incompatibility between Windows and Audacity.