# doing something wrong or need a newer sound card?



## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

I've been trying to calibrate my sound card with REW (have tried both on Mac and Windows) and I'm pretty sure I'm following the instructions correctly. At the end of each attempt, I get a message saying the variations between 20hz and 20000hz are 85dB (best result) to 130dB (worst result) and I should not make a calibration file for the card. The card is, admittedly, not new (Edirol UA-3FX circa 2003), but I used it successfully with an earlier version of REW back in 2004 or 2005. 

Is is possible that the newest version doesn't like my pre-historic card? Could the card be damaged somehow (though I've used it throughout 2013 to make audio recordings via a voice mic and GarageBand)? Is it because I'm using the beta version on both Mac and Windows?

I know I'll probably get a lot of "buy a new card" responses--and that's fair. But I'd still like to know, if anyone has any idea, why my current card won't work, especially if I'm just doing something silly. I just dropped 1000$ on a new subwoofer (and since it is not impressing me nearly as much as I thought it would, I'm really eager to take some REW measurements to figure out why), so if I don't have to buy a new card, that'd be great.

I have tried just about every setting on the card itself (it has a lot of dials, a couple of sliders and a number of switchable settings). None of them seemed to work. I did come across a web posting from 2008 or so where someone with the same card made it work with REW, though it's not clear how (he makes reference to a loopback feature--that is one of the switchable settings--but I was not able to get that to work with REW).


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

It is possible ( if you are using REW 5.01, Beta 21 ) that neither of your computers operating systems have the correct version of Java to work with the latest release of REW. 

(REW), Beta 21 needs Java ( JRE ) release 7 to function for either Windows or Mac ( as stated by the documentation provided by the author ) . 
*REW 5.01, Beta 21 ( Download Thread )*

*JAVA, Download Page for Windows* ( JRE 7 is included within the latest Mac build, ie; there's no need to download the Mac version of Java ) .

I imagine that other complications can arise if one doesn't pay attention to the specific install directions for the new Mac version ( & delete the old version first ) .

 *UA-3FX drivers ( check for updates )* 


:sn:


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

EarlK said:


> It is possible ( if you are using REW 5.01, Beta 21 ) that neither of your computers operating systems have the correct version of Java to work with the latest release of REW.
> 
> (REW), Beta 21 needs Java ( JRE ) release 7 to function for either Windows or Mac ( as stated by the documentation provided by the author ) .
> *REW 5.01, Beta 21 ( Download Thread )*
> ...


It's possible but it would be weird. I downloaded the latest beta on my Mac and windows 7 partitions. I downloaded the necessary java update for windows (actually, the java update began automatically when I began installing REW). I installed the latest drivers for the sound card on each partition. I will remove them and try again on the Mac (though I don't know why that should bother the windows partition--I'll do the same there, just in case). 

I tried a lot of things yesterday but not reloading drivers. Thanks for the suggestion.


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## Ovation123 (Mar 6, 2011)

Pays to read the manual. Had forgotten about two tiny switches on the bottom of the sound card unit. They were in the recommended default position (card has always worked with GarageBand that way). I tried running a calibration with one switch on a different position--much better (only 17 dB variation, rather than the 240+ I got last night at one point, but still too much). Placed the second switch in a different position, re-ran it and success. A proper curve with no weird results. Can now use my RS SPL meter until my more precise mic arrives next week. YAY!


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

EarlK said:


> (REW), Beta 21 needs Java ( JRE ) release 7 to function for either Windows or Mac ( as stated by the documentation provided by the author ).


Small correction, REW (as of beta 21) does not need Java to be installed on the Mac, the REW app bundle download includes its own private Java runtime environment.


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