# Ready to Give up



## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

Thanks for a great program, just wish I could get it to work . I have installed REW on a laptop running Vista. I have a Tascam 144II hooked to my laptop and seemingly operating properly. I have read through the many help files along with the sticky at the top of this forum but for the life of me can not get past the 2nd step (Calibrate the sound card). I have looped the wire between the in and out on the tascam. When I press measure it just sits there saying headroom is at 90 and never moves. I am obviously doing something stupid but can figure it out. I do know that I am getting input through REW as the level of the channel selected is visible and I can adjust it to closely match as the help file states. When I push next several times it jumps to the levels window and just sits there forever at 0% without moving. Does anyone have an idea what I am doing wrong? I cant express how appreciative I am of help as I have been trying to get this thing working for awhile now without luck. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.


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## kflory (Feb 6, 2010)

Forgive my rather obvious suggestion, but check and make sure that you have the right (correct) input channel selected.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Please check the REW log files (the location is shown in the Help -> About box) to see if any error messages have been logged.


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## imprezap2 (May 13, 2010)

It also took me a while to get the Tascam US-144mkII going, biggest mistake I made was the mon mix button, I had it turned to mic input, it should be turned to computer so the test signal generated by your computer is being transmitted.

Hopefully it helps ???


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## imprezap2 (May 13, 2010)

Also check the cable, as you go from a unbalanced output to a balanced input.
TRS connection: Tip--> +phase, Ring --> -phase, Sleeve --> ground.
RCA connector, -phase from TRS connector should be connected to ground RCA plug
(I made up my own cable, but I think you can also buy these cables)


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

I have made some progress thanks to your suggestions. It seems it was a privilege issue with Vista, I was able to figure that out after reviewing the log. I have managed to get it to measure but my results aren't as suggested in the help file. I am not sure how much variation is acceptable. I am not currently near that system so I cant post a screen shot (need to read rules regarding the best way to get my saved measurement to you guys). There are 2 items displayed on the graph at the conclusion of the measurement. One of the items is phase and the other soundcard. The phase is not nearly as flat as the example in the help file. It has a gradual drop starting from the left side and flattens out about 1/3 across the screen. The soundcard line is all over, up and down on the left, flat in the middle and down in steps on the right. I am not sure if I am using the proper cable after reading imprezap2's post. I am using a standard rca cable which is probably longer than it should be (approx. 10'). I have purchased and am using the adapter to connect them to the Tascam 144. I will see if I can figure out how to post the measurement file I saved from the last measurement I took. Thanks so much for your guys help it is the only thing that is going to make this possible for me.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

KeithA said:


> I have made some progress thanks to your suggestions. It seems it was a privilege issue with Vista, I was able to figure that out after reviewing the log.


Could you post the info you saw in the log file? That may help others who come up against the same problem.


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

JohnM said:


> Could you post the info you saw in the log file? That may help others who come up against the same problem.


Here is what the log said:


Error loading win32com: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no win32com in java.library.path


I ran as administrator and it started working.


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

Here is my measurement prior to calibration. Is it OK?


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

And here it is post calibration...... Am I good to go to the next step?


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## laser188139 (Sep 19, 2009)

Keith, I think you are good to go, as measuring the loopback connection with the soundcard calibration file looks flat. You did remember to do the Make Cal step to save it to disk, didn't you? 

Bill


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

Yes I did save the file. I need to figure out the best approach to check my system. I do not have EQ just for my sub but my receiver does have a PEQ built into it. I will do some more reading.....


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

I wouldn't move on quite so quickly, there is something very odd about that soundcard measurement, especially at high frequencies. Could you post an image of the impulse response (with the axis set to dB FS) and the scope plot from a soundcard measurement?


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

I am not sure what I need to do. Do you want me to take a measurement using my receiver/mic?


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Make another loopback measurement, but post images from the Impulse and Scope graphs.


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

JohnM said:


> Make another loopback measurement, but post images from the Impulse and Scope graphs.


Here are the images


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

OK, now we are getting somewhere 

The flattened tops of the "Captured" signal on the scope plot, and the big spikes before the main peak in the impulse response, are signs of severe clipping in the Tascam, somewhere in the early input stages most likely. Check that you are feeding the loopback into a line input and not into a mic input.


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

JohnM said:


> OK, now we are getting somewhere
> 
> The flattened tops of the "Captured" signal on the scope plot, and the big spikes before the main peak in the impulse response, are signs of severe clipping in the Tascam, somewhere in the early input stages most likely. Check that you are feeding the loopback into a line input and not into a mic input.


I think I found user error. The Tascam unit has a dial for each input and its lowest setting is line and highest is mic. I had the dial turned to much towards mic I think. I also had the volume settings adjusted in the audio properties under control panel. Here are my current settings and subsequent graphs.



Speaker Level (Tascam) under Control Panel 100%
Line In (Tascam) under Control Panel 100%

Mon Mix Dial on Tascam all the way towards computer
Line Out is at Max
Phones is at Max
Mono is off
Phantom is off
Mic/Line - Guitar switch set to Mic/Line
Right line in about 63%


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Looks perfect now :T


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

JohnM said:


> Looks perfect now :T


Thanks for your expert advise!

I do hear some noise in my speaker when no testing is going on is that normal with the Tascam?

How do you recommend to start the testing? I started this process so I could make appropriate adjustment to my PEQ in my receiver. I will try and locate helpfull post or info in the help files.


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## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

While your after looks ok and wouldn't make me want to look at a before, your before is curious... perhaps a bitrate mismatch?


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## KeithA (May 2, 2010)

I am not sure what you are asking. I believe my first attempt wasn't any good due to improper adjustments on the Tascam unit itself. I am not not sure where to start and even if I can accomplish much without a BFD as the only PEQ I have is in my receiver.


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## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Sorry... What I mean is, in the settings window, you'll see options for 44.1kHz vs 48 kHz... whichever you're using, try the before scan again using the other one (without your cal files)...


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