# Creative X-Fi 5.1 calibrating problem



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

Each time I attempt to calibrate the sound card the level inputs go to the max even if the volume and the input signal are very low. If someone has any idea please help me.


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

For starters, it looks like you haven't selected the USB sound card in your Input/Output Device window...

After that, change the Input/Output to "Speaker" and "Line In."

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

Even when I select the sound card the problem continues. The card has to inputs the mic in and the line in, what input I have to use?


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Use the line in, not the mic in. And set the Input Device to Line In, not Mic In.

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

Wayne, the line in option doesn't appear in rew. But I'm making some improvement. I switch the input to the line in and I can calibrate the volume but the graph is wrong.:hissyfit:


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Check your soundcard settings in control panel and make sure you're not monitoring the the playback.


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

Finally a repeatable result, is this graph correct?


----------



## laser188139 (Sep 19, 2009)

Congratulations. That does look like a reasonable soundcard result. Don't forget to go through the Settings -> Make Cal process to save it as a file.


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Just for the record, what did you change to make it work?
Also, once you've saved the file as Bill suggested, run a measurement sweep with the loopback still connected just to make sure you get a flat response.


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

I stop monitoring the playback in the control panel as you say.:T

Here is the measurment sweep.


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Nice and flat. :T


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

After playing around with rew I manage to take some measurments of the subs. Need help to understand the graph. Also when the finding peaks process begins a message appears warning that the target level is set to low.


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Wow! Did you run the Calibrate SPL routine before taking the measurements? Raise the Target up to 85-96 dB. You should fine then.

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

Wayne, I run the routine as say in the REW help. I notice that the low end is to hi, my subs are tune to 20 hz.


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

What are you taking measurements with? I.e., what mic?

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

With a Galaxy CM-140.


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Does it have any range settings? If so, which one are you using?

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

The range is 32-80 db


----------



## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

That doesn't make sense. With the top of the range being 80 dB, the mic should have clipped with that kind of output.

I'd say either turn your sub down considerably and take a new sweep, or raise the Target on the graph you posted earlier.

Regards,
Wayne


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

I calibrate the mic again at 75db and the result is the same only with the target set to 85. 

The room has a bad room behind the listening position a the result change significantly with the door open or close.

Door open:








Door close:


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

The soundcard cal is messed up. Go to the mic tab in the settings window, uncheck the "c-weighted" button, remove the mic cal file, and re-run the soundcard cal. Then run a measure of the loopback and make sure you get a flat response.


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

I re-run the sound card calibration and the results are flat as the first time.


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

The results:


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Is that yellow trace a measurement sweep of the loopback cable after sonudcard calibration? If so, it is showing that there is a problem. It's that measurement trace that should be flat. The shape of that particular trace looks like you have REW set to take measurements from a C-weight mic, when you're not using a C-weighted mic, presumably because you're measuring a loopback configuration with no mic at all, let alone a C-weighted one.
However, the dotted trace, which usually is the soundcard calibration itself, looks much better this time around. You can try taking a real measurment, but if it was me, first:

I suggest doing the following:
Go to Settings->Mic/Meter: uncheck the C-weighted Mic radio button. Remove the mic cal file.
Connect the loopback cable.
run a measurement sweep.
The Measurement trace you get should be flat. Post it so we can double check.
We also like to see graphs sized for 45-105dB.


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

The yellow line is the test with C-weighted option on, it was for checking that the results were the same as in the rew help.

I take some measurements and it seem that the problem is solved. What do you think?


----------



## wackii (Jul 13, 2006)

I would move the sub around and find the flattest FR. It looks like you have lots of room gain on the lower region. I would tame the 20hz region a bit. Probably lots of shaking going on in ur house  How do you like it?

Al,


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

I'd say the plot looks a bit more believable now. 20Hz looks nasty though. I'm sure you'll want to get that under control. 
Do you have a sketch of your room?


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

I like the sound of the subs, the house shakes a lot with movies like Terminator Salvation that has a lot of low end content:hsd:. It's difficult to move the subs around, they are very big and I had to rise the WAF (right now is very low)addle:.

Maybe treating the room with bass traps will do the job.

The links of the room:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...chieving-best-possible-sound-my-speakers.html

http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...ld-projects/23571-pair-jbl-gti-12-ht-use.html


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Wow. Bass traps never hurt anyone except for WAF. Trouble is conventional broadband absorbers are going to be huge at those low frequencies to get the kind of effect you're looking for. You might be able to do something with tuned absorption, for help with that you can ask in the acoustics forum... but since the main problem seems to be at one frequency, assuming it a mode you can try some bass EQ. That being said, I'd bet your waterfalls would show that any absorption will help that beautiful room.


----------



## whonc (Nov 23, 2008)

Can you be more specific with the waterfall graph? And if I need a bass EQ what are your recommendations, does the DSP1124P can do the job?


----------



## glaufman (Nov 25, 2007)

Wow. What are the dimensions of that room?
Perhaps my point about the waterfall showing that absorption will help would apply more to either full range measurements or at least bass range with the mains mixed in... 
20Hz here may be so out of whack that you'll want a mix of solutions... i.e. absorption there would take up a lot of space to be effective more than a few dB... unless you want a house curve, eQ looks like you'd need 20dB, which I don't think is recommended, not sure how much you could get with tuned absorption... Perhaps some of it could be brought down first by moving the sub locations and/or listening positions...
OTOH, I think you said that you like the sound in general, so maybe it's not as bad as it looks...


----------

