distorted recordings

macpak · Aug 31, 2003, 08:22 AM

I have been a happy kx drivers user for some time without any recording problems But now when I try to record anything using line in or microphone I get a badly distorted sound (noise really) no matter what recording program I try. This happens in Windows XP but not in Millenium. Tried to go back to earlier drivers but the problem persists. I have already searched the forum for the answer but no luck. Could someone help me , please?

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Aug 31, 2003, 11:52 PM

try to reset ac97 (there's a 'reset' button on the ac97 page)

/E

macpak · Sep 1, 2003, 07:44 AM

Thanks for your reply. I'm afraid the resetting doesn't work. Still getting bad distortion. Tried to load settings from the kx driver in Millenium where everything is Ok but still no luck. What is rather baffling is that it used to work fine earlier. Something must have changed. Wish I knew what...

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Sep 1, 2003, 08:22 AM

try 'settings->reset settings' followed by 'settings->reset global settings'

/E

macpak · Sep 1, 2003, 08:46 AM

Same thing happening. The waveform display of the distorted sound looks normal though.

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Sep 2, 2003, 12:35 AM

perhaps you need to try to install Creative drivers
if the problem isn't solved, it is a hardware issue

/E

macpak · Sep 2, 2003, 06:04 AM

I'd rather suffer in silence, thanks.

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Sep 3, 2003, 12:28 AM

try to re-check the 'hardware acceleration' and 'sampling rate conversion quality' (in the control panel)
also make sure you are using 'wave 0/1' as your preferred device
also check if you are recording in 8 bit

/E

macpak · Sep 3, 2003, 09:18 AM

no luck again.Tried different sample rates & the 8-bit resolution you suggested.In the Audio Device properties recording tab, the default recording device is recognized as 'kX Wave CT483210k1 [e800] (with no other possibility) but the 'Advanced' tab below it is greyed out. Should it be? Also the 'Volume' tab associated with the recording device does not appear to be working. That's the Control Panel. The kX Mixer does allow for volume adjustment. As I wrote earlier, I've used different recording software, including Cooledit Pro, but the result was the same. Only yesterday I discovered that the only programme that could record without any distortion is 'Praat' (Dutch speech analysis software - http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/). But it's a bit unwieldy to use for recording. What gives? Well, thanks a lot for your input, I very much appeciate it.

Daniel Drummond · Sep 3, 2003, 02:34 PM

Do you have MIC extra gain enabled? Aren't you recording a signal that is too hot/ Try lowering the rec gain and see what you get.

macpak · Sep 3, 2003, 07:01 PM

no, I haven't. MIC Boost is disabled. And the distortion happens both for the 'line in' & 'microphone' modes. I've loaded the 'kx' settings from Millenium where they work OK (the latest version iidentical for both systems)....

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Sep 4, 2003, 11:34 PM

if you can record successfully by using the 'praat' program while leaving the kxmixer settings unchanged, and, with the same settings, you get distorted sound, then, probably, this is an OS issue

try to record in WinMM and DIrectSound modes
try re-installing DirectSound
make sure you don't have any hardware conflicts / PCI shares / ... etc

/E

macpak · Sep 5, 2003, 08:24 PM

Thanks a lot, I'll try some tweaking over the weekend.

macpak · Sep 7, 2003, 12:01 PM

I've found the culprit! It turned out that the 3Com NIC I had installed as a replacement for my old Realtek card was to blame. Changing the PCI slots for the 3Com did not help - I had to remove it. After swapping the cards thiings have returned to normal. And it wasn't the fault of the kX drivers either - a replacement by Creative software changed nothing. I was happy to go back to the kX. And don't they rock! Thanks again for your help and the great drivers.

Aug 31, 2003, 08:22 AM	#1
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	distorted recordings I have been a happy kx drivers user for some time without any recording problems But now when I try to record anything using line in or microphone I get a badly distorted sound (noise really) no matter what recording program I try. This happens in Windows XP but not in Millenium. Tried to go back to earlier drivers but the problem persists. I have already searched the forum for the answer but no luck. Could someone help me , please?

Sep 3, 2003, 02:34 PM	#10
Daniel Drummond DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Brazil Posts: 1,137 Rep Power: 0	Do you have MIC extra gain enabled? Aren't you recording a signal that is too hot/ Try lowering the rec gain and see what you get. __________________ www.palcomp3.com.br/ed

Aug 31, 2003, 11:52 PM	#2
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,119 Rep Power: 75	try to reset ac97 (there's a 'reset' button on the ac97 page) /E

Sep 1, 2003, 07:44 AM	Thread Starter #3
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for your reply. I'm afraid the resetting doesn't work. Still getting bad distortion. Tried to load settings from the kx driver in Millenium where everything is Ok but still no luck. What is rather baffling is that it used to work fine earlier. Something must have changed. Wish I knew what...

Sep 1, 2003, 08:22 AM	#4
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,119 Rep Power: 75	try 'settings->reset settings' followed by 'settings->reset global settings' /E

Sep 1, 2003, 08:46 AM	Thread Starter #5
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Same thing happening. The waveform display of the distorted sound looks normal though.

Sep 2, 2003, 12:35 AM	#6
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,119 Rep Power: 75	perhaps you need to try to install Creative drivers if the problem isn't solved, it is a hardware issue /E

Sep 2, 2003, 06:04 AM	Thread Starter #7
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	I'd rather suffer in silence, thanks.

Sep 3, 2003, 12:28 AM	#8
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,119 Rep Power: 75	try to re-check the 'hardware acceleration' and 'sampling rate conversion quality' (in the control panel) also make sure you are using 'wave 0/1' as your preferred device also check if you are recording in 8 bit /E

Sep 3, 2003, 09:18 AM	Thread Starter #9
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	no luck again.Tried different sample rates & the 8-bit resolution you suggested.In the Audio Device properties recording tab, the default recording device is recognized as 'kX Wave CT483210k1 [e800] (with no other possibility) but the 'Advanced' tab below it is greyed out. Should it be? Also the 'Volume' tab associated with the recording device does not appear to be working. That's the Control Panel. The kX Mixer does allow for volume adjustment. As I wrote earlier, I've used different recording software, including Cooledit Pro, but the result was the same. Only yesterday I discovered that the only programme that could record without any distortion is 'Praat' (Dutch speech analysis software - http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/). But it's a bit unwieldy to use for recording. What gives? Well, thanks a lot for your input, I very much appeciate it.

Sep 3, 2003, 07:01 PM	Thread Starter #11
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	no, I haven't. MIC Boost is disabled. And the distortion happens both for the 'line in' & 'microphone' modes. I've loaded the 'kx' settings from Millenium where they work OK (the latest version iidentical for both systems)....

Sep 4, 2003, 11:34 PM	#12
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,119 Rep Power: 75	if you can record successfully by using the 'praat' program while leaving the kxmixer settings unchanged, and, with the same settings, you get distorted sound, then, probably, this is an OS issue try to record in WinMM and DIrectSound modes try re-installing DirectSound make sure you don't have any hardware conflicts / PCI shares / ... etc /E

Sep 5, 2003, 08:24 PM	Thread Starter #13
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Thanks a lot, I'll try some tweaking over the weekend.

Sep 7, 2003, 12:01 PM	Thread Starter #14
macpak DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	I've found the culprit! It turned out that the 3Com NIC I had installed as a replacement for my old Realtek card was to blame. Changing the PCI slots for the 3Com did not help - I had to remove it. After swapping the cards thiings have returned to normal. And it wasn't the fault of the kX drivers either - a replacement by Creative software changed nothing. I was happy to go back to the kX. And don't they rock! Thanks again for your help and the great drivers.