# Help with REW, SPL and receiver



## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Just go my RS SPL meter and all the connectors and various cables. I followed the diagram on this site. I calbrated my sound card already and I tried to calbrate my SPL meter but all it says is LO on the read out. I followed everything the way it says, I ran some of the tests pink noise or whatever its called and I get no sound from any of my speakers or sub. hopefully some one can point me in the right direction.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I calbrated my sound card already


Let's see the soundcard calibration graph.



> and I tried to calbrate my SPL meter but all it says is LO on the read out. I followed everything the way it says, I ran some of the tests pink noise or whatever its called and I get no sound from any of my speakers or sub


The SPL meter will certainly say LO if you have no sound from your speakers.

When you run the signal generator, do you get sound from your speakers?

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

When I run the signal generator I get no sound from my speakers.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Your soundcard cal file is a bit hard to believe, since it's ruler flat from 0-20000Hz. Don't think I've ever seen a card with such a perfect response. Your header in the file shows _Source: Input device not selected, no input selected, Right channel, volume: no control_, so I think there's a problem.

In the Settings page, are you able to select your card from the Input and Output device pull downs and select the line-in and line-out?

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok I tried the sound card calibration again here is the cal file and a snippet of the steps during calibration


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Perhaps REW isn't finding your audio card or it isn't the default card, as shown by the grayed out information I circled below. Are you perhaps using a Mac. What is your computer and operating system and soundcard?

Check the error log for REW. It's located in your home directory. Usually it will be in c:\Documents and Settings\yourusername\

The error files are stored there and are called roomeq_wizard0.txt, roomeq_wizard1.txt etc.....

You can open them with Notepad. There's a rotating list, so choose the last one with the newest date.

Attach the file to a post, so we can see the errors (if there are any).









brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I'm running Windows Vista sp1 and this soundcard http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=872&product=15854&listby= I can't find the home directory to find the REW error files I know how to in XP but Vista is different :wits-end:


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

in the pull down menus under output these are my options: Default Device, Primary Sound Driver, Speakers(2 Creative SB X Fi), SPDIF Out (2 Creative SB X Fi), Digital output Device HD, JAVA sound Audio device. Input is: Primary sound capture driver, "What you hear", Microphone, Line In and Digital In, when i ran the calibration I left it as Default Device for both of them.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

In Vista your home directory for the error log should be is c:\users\yourusername\REW

Anyway, 
For Output select _Speakers(2 Creative SB X Fi)_.
For Input select _Line In_.

Be sure to shut off monitor mode in the soundcard.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

ok heres the error file I think this is it


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

For Vista that looks correct, so no clue there.

After you selected the Input/Output suggested in my post above, can you post a pic of the settings page.

Also can you post a pic of the Soundblaster application mixer with the playback and record settings shown.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I used the speakers output and line in pulldown


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

OK, it appears the card is recognized and you have the correct input and output devices selected. It also shows that the signal is being sent to the output. Good.

So, the goal now is to do a soundcard calibration routine by putting a loopback connector on the right channel line-out connected to the right channel line-in. Since these are 3.5mm stereo plugs, you require an adapter that breaks out both these plugs into the right and left channel (and then the loopback is connected on the right channel with the left channel left open).

Have you carried out the above paragraph? If so, what happened?

You did not post a jpg of your soundblaster application mixer. It's important to see that.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I have 2 of these http://www.parts-express.com//pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=090-294&AID=10624738&PID=2777698 one connected into the input and the other in the output. Now I have 3 outputs which one would be the best to use its a 7.1 sound card, line 1 out is front, line 2 out is rear, and line 3 out is center/subwoofer. I tried both 2 and 3 but not one because the adaptors are too large to fit both side by side. Heres the app mixer


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I have 2 of these


Yep, that's good...



> line 1 out is front, line 2 out is rear


Either is fine.



> Heres the app mixer


OK, here's the problem.

First, all the modes (game, entertainment, etc) and effects have to be off and the soundcard has to be put into simple 2.0 stereo mode. Uncheck the EAX and all other effects. Ensure CMSS is off.

Then, you have to turn off the REC "What U Hear", as this is the monitor mode that has to be shut off. The REC has to be set to "Line-In".

Then you want the "Line-in" muted (shut off) in Playback (you have it selected). The only thing you want selected in Playback is "Wave".

So, to recap. Playback has "WAVE" selected and Record has "Line-in" selected. The card must be in 2 channel stereo only.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

My only options are game, entertainment, and audio creation for the modes. looked all through the manual for the card and can't find and thing for 2.0 stereo mode. I have REC set to line in at 0% volume can't turn it off, I don't have anything that says WAVE anywhere.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I don't have anything that says WAVE anywhere.


Do you have the Vista drivers loaded for the soundcard?

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

yes downloaded the Vista drivers for the soundcard when I installed. those are my only options. I just ran a uninstall and got rid of the different X fi modes but still the same problem


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

OK, so let's look at the Vista devices mixer then to see if the Soundblaster application is doing its job.

Go to the Playback and Recording devices Mixer by right clicking in your system tray and select Playback or Recording as shown below.









Then on the Recording Tab, the Soundblasters Line-In device should be checked as default and working.

Highlight it and then select Properties and be sure the line-in is available and unmuted as shown below. 









Then on the Playback Tab, the Soundblasters Speakers should be checked and working.

Highlight it as before and select the properties and be sure that the line-in and mic is muted and that the Volume control for playback is present and unmuted.









If that's all there, then there is no reason in the world that you should not be able to connect the line-out to the receiver and hear sound if you run the REW generator.

brucek


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

gtpsuper24 said:


> Now I have 3 outputs which one would be the best to use its a 7.1 sound card, line 1 out is front, line 2 out is rear, and line 3 out is center/subwoofer. I tried both 2 and 3 but not one because the adaptors are too large to fit both side by side.


You must use Line 1, for the Front L/R speakers, as that is where the REW test signals will appear.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> You must use Line 1, for the Front L/R speakers,


Oh yeah, sorry, I thought he meant the line 1 and 2 were located on the front or rear of the computer. My bad.

Definitely you want the line that outputs to the stereo, 2 channel, *front* speakers....

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

So not having it into the line 1 out for front L\R would cause the sound card not to calibrate right? The connectors I have are too large to fit side by side the line 1 out and line in are side by side, is there any connectors that are smaller that would work. Now I have the option to choose 2/2.1 speakers but I still have to use one of the soundblaster modes i.e. game, entertainment, or audio creation. Will those cause any problems?


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> So not having it into the line 1 out for front L\R would cause the sound card not to calibrate right?


Not using the front L/R would cause no signal from the soundcard, since REW sends out the front speakers line-out. So, certainly there would be no soundcard cal or anything else working.



> is there any connectors that are smaller that would work.


Sure, they have cable type adapters like this or this.



> Now I have the option to choose 2/2.1 speakers but I still have to use one of the soundblaster modes i.e. game, entertainment, or audio creation. Will those cause any problems?


Just choose a 2.0 output with no other sound effects turned on.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Well I got the new connectors and followed everything in the previous posts, i'm getting sound thought my speakers/receiver now but i'm still have a hard time getting the sound card calibrated. After I run the test i always get this message. "The highest level in the measured measuredment is just -80.8dbfs
This is much lower than it should be. Check the input channel selection, connections, input volume and wave volume/mute
The highest level should ideally be above -10dbfs." I have some snippets of the results/graphs.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Those graphs show that you're not getting a signal from line-out to line-in. If you're able to get a signal from your line-out, then there must be a problem with line-in.

Do you have a single loopback cable connected from line-out to line in (right channel)?

When you go through the soundcard cal routine, do you see the output Vu meter and the right Input Vu meter operating properly?

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

No i'm not getting a signal through the input the Vu meters are not doing anything but the output Vu is green light blocks the input is just black. I tried it with all the cables connected to the receiver and spl meter plus the loopback cable for soundcard and i tried just the loopback without anything else and still same problem, used right channel for loopback and left too receiver and spl. I have followed everything from the previous posts.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Been playing around with the sound card cal and still have the same problem, the 3 Vu meters at the side the Out is working but the left and right don't do anything. If I can't get this fixed may try another sound card from a friend and try again. Thanks for all your help Brucek. Wow I was really looking forward too learning rew but its been nothing but problems the entire time.:scratchhead:


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

Take another screen shot of your "Line In" settings both in your standard Vista options and your SB Mixer. I don't think the sound card is the issue here. One of your settings is wrong.


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

Keep with this. Once your sound card is calibrated, the rest is pretty straight forward.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok heres what I got, I went through and set up everything exactly how brucek told me too. In rew sound card cal the pull down menus I have output device and out the first box is Speakers and the one under it is default. The iput device and iputs is Line in (creative Xfi) and then default under that. I've looked all over but I can't find anything that has Playback Wave like brucek was saying in a few posts. All the different X Fi eqs are turned off CMSS, Crystalizer and the EQ are not checked.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I've looked all over but I can't find anything that has Playback Wave


That was an XP thing - Vista calls it Volume or Play (as you have it set). The way you have it in Vista appears all fine.

The Record Mixer Line-in appears set correctly (although you don't show the properties in your post, I assume the volume is up).

There is simply nothing wrong, other than the cable or adapter you're using to the line-in is incorrect, or you aren't plugged into the right channel), or you haven't plugged it into the line-in jack, or the card is bad.

I honestly have no more ideas. Normally, you just connect the loopback and away you go without any problems. I'm stumped from this end.

brucek


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

1. Is your 3.5mm to RCA connector a Stero Connecter on the 3.5mm end? I almost got the wrong one at Radio Shack. The one they had in the store went from mono 3.5mm to RCA L/R. (cable style) I'm not sure if this matters but I had to buy the small plug adapter because they didn't carry a stereo 3.5mm to Stereo RCA in the cable style. They may look like the exact same adapters. (Unless you know to look for the dual stereo lines in the plug)
2. Make sure you RCA loopback cable is plugged in from Red to Red. I believe Red is the R channel.


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

FYI, one way to test the "Line In" function is to hookup a IPOD/MP3 player from it's headphone jack to the line in on your sound card. You should be able to listen to the music through your laptop speakers.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I have these http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10401&cs_id=1040107&p_id=2120&seq=1&format=2 , but got them from Radio shack, I threw the package away so I might not have gotten the correct ones. I'm gonna try the cables too see if they work on another soundcard and if not then I know I got the wrong cables. Now I got 2 of those adaptors but I added a 3.5mm extension to the one because they won't fit side by side.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I threw the package away so I might not have gotten the correct ones.


They are correct.



> I added a 3.5mm extension to the one


As long as the extension was stereo, it's fine.

brucek


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

Those are the same "plug" style adapters I have and they were from RS also. Using the adapter, hookup your cd player or dvd player using the RCA connectors to your Line-In and see if you get sound through your speakers. If you do then your Line-In function is working properly.

Sorry If you have already gone through these steps. I'm just trying to make sure you have full functionality outside of REW.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Line in is working. Got a sony dvd player running through it. Just tried it. The extension is stereo. I don't know what else to do:dunno:


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

All I borrowed another soundcard from a friend, set all the setting like brucek told me too and got the line in working but only if I unmute the line in on the control setting see if this is right please. If I mute the line in the left and right stops working.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Had to resize picture and repost


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> got the line in working but only if I unmute the line in


No, when you un-mute the Playback line-in, it turns on the monitor mode, which you do not want. 

The plus sign above the REC in the control panel usually reveals an advanced screen. What kind of settings are there?

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

The plus sign above REC is (Do Not Monitor) I checked that and muted line in and I get the same problem. I uncheck do not monitor and unmute line in and left and right on the Vu meters start working. But when I go to calibrate it says its clipping high distortion.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I uncheck do not monitor and unmute line in and left and right on the Vu meters start working. But when I go to calibrate it says its clipping high distortion.


There is no use in trying to use REW when monitor is enabled. The VU meters are only measuring the information internal to the card. You need to have no monitor, so the information is read at the Record line-in port.

If that doesn't work, then the cable or adapter or card is bad.

brucek


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

I think that in this instance the playback Line-In needs to be unmuted. I think that the X above the Line-In Record meter is switching off the monitor mode for both recording and playback.

You can contact the manufacturer of the sound card to confirm this.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok heres the results it let me to a calibration this is the closest I've gotten to getting a measurement with out any errors or clipping. I don't know if you can tell by looking at these if they will work. Sorry for being a pain in the a$$ just really excited about getting this REW working


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

No, those don't look right. I think Monitor mode is on.


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

I understand that the line-in playback function is working as you tested it with your dvd/cd player. With Line-In playback muted. Can you record on to your computer from an external device? (dvd/cd/mp3) You should be able to use the standard Vista recorder or the recorder/player software that came with your sound card.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

ok with line in muted and monitor off I get nothing but I have turn monitor off and unmuted line in to get anything for dvd player. On this older sound card I have the option to disable all sound blaster enhancements I did that too. The other card I used didnt have that option.


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## wadesi (Jan 22, 2009)

So with Monitor Mode turned off and the playback Line-In muted you cannot record anything correct?


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

On some SB cards Line In must *not* be muted, but monitor mode must be turned off.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

All right after weeks of messing around with this REW I think I might finally have a good sound card calibration. Please tell me this is it, i've been struggling with this since June with zero results.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok heres the snippet


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> Ok heres the snippet


The bandwidth you've shown appears fine, but can we see it with a vertical scale of 45dB-105dB and a horizontal scale of 2Hz-20000Hz.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

So I would just load that cal file, its in notepad format, then load the spl meter cal file correct? I've tried several different ways but the rew generator doesn't work. I use left output and right output and neither worked (seperately), different cables to. I also tried different inputs on my receiver.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> So I would just load that cal file


Can we see the soundcard cal file graph with a vertical scale of 45dB-105dB and a horizontal scale of 2Hz-20000Hz.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

How do I do that? Sorry I have no idea what your talking about, I just loaded the cal file and did a snippet of it thats it.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> I have no idea what your talking about


The soundcard calibration file that you created is located in your computer, in the folder you specified, and pointed to by REW, and is displayed when you run REW, and select the main tab to display frequency response graphs. You displayed the file up to 6KHz. I would like to see it up to 20KHz to ensure it's OK. No use carrying on if the files not good.

Start REW. It opens to the main tab. Select the soundcard cal checkbox to display the soundcard calibration file. Deselect all other checkboxes to remove the clutter..

Click the Graph Limits icon in the upper right hand corner of REW, and enter the axis of left=2Hz and right=20000 and bottom=45 and top=105dB, and Apply Settings. This changes the vertical and horizontal axis to view the entire soundcard calibration file.

Click the floppy icon in the bottom left hand corner of the graph to produce a jpg of the graph of 800 bits wide. Save it to your desktop.

Upload the file so we can see the graph....... It looks like this:









brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok here it is, right now I can't open the jpg file you have, email account is messed up or something.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

OK, that's fine. Be sure the file has a .cal extension and be sure it's loaded into REW.

Now carry on with your setup and measure..

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok I got everything loaded soundcard cal and spl meter cal file. I'm not getting any sound/test tones nothing from my speakers. I tried pink noise, measure sweep, sine wave and I get nothing. Heres some pictures of some of the settings, I went back and looked at the previous posts and followed all the settings maybe I missed something.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Everything looks good, except you have your output muted.









brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I unmuted the output :doh: Now I keep getting low signal level when I run the measure heres some snippets


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Did you set the output and input levels with the Check Levels routine?

*Did you run the Calibrate routine?*

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I got the levels ok, ran the check levels and it ok'ed it fine. I ran the measure tool and nothing shows up on the graphs, the only ones that have something on them is impulse, all impulses and scope. I have my digital spl set to 70, sub gain is 50%, -7 in receiver menu. Got some more snippets


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

It isn't showing up because you didn't answer my question in my post above..

You must run the Calibrate routine after the Check Levels routine. How else would REW know where to place the trace on the graph. You can see that your trace is located at -180dB (bottom of graph).

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

So I need to run the check levels routine and then run the soundcard calibration is that correct? Everytime I start rew the soundcard cal file and the Spl file are loaded automatically, but when I run the measure tool it says spl has not been calibrated.


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ran the check levels again in the measure tool


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> So I need to run the check levels routine and then run the soundcard calibration is that correct?


No, you run the *CALIBRATE *routine after the Check Levels routine.

This tells REW what the real SPL meter is reading.









You only run soundcard calibration file once and you're done forever.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Hows this look for a measurement? I tried to generate a waterfall but it didn't do anything. Is there anything else i'm screwing up :dunno:


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

For subwoofer plots, always use the standard *Vertical graph axis of (45dB - 105dB)* and the *Horizontal graph axis of (15Hz - 200Hz)* using the Graph Limits button in the top right corner of REW. Use a measurement start frequency of 0Hz and an end frequency of 200Hz. Use the appropriate target line that matches your crossover.

brucek


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok got it working, thanks a lot brucek you've been awesome thanks for the help :hail: heres some test measurements going to really do alot of reading later today.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

The only problem in what you show is that you have the frequency response graph set to the *Linear *mode. You are suppose to use *Logarithmic *mode. The waterfall is fine.

Change this by using the icon called Freq Axis in the upper right hand corner of REW.

brucek


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## spectron (Aug 13, 2009)

well done bruce your a star looks like theres hope for when i have a go fantastic


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