Can someone help me with REW?

[MadFloyd]

I normally use RTA but wanted to try REW because I'm sure it's better. However, I'm having a problem that is driving me nuts.

REW thinks that the mic signal is very low - something in the area of -89db.

I use an RME Fireface 400 (pro) sound card and the I have the input of the mic input raised to just below clipping.

The actual output in the room is reading as 90db on my Radioshack SPL meter. I've tried calibrating REW, even used the soundcard loopback (which is withing a few db of each other) and still it can't measure because the lowest peak is too low.

Any thoughts?

 

[amirm]

-89 db means that the sound card input is not selected. is this a Windows machine? If so, open the Sound control panel and go to the Recording tab and make sure your RME card is selected. Otherwise it may be using your PC motherboard sound input which with no mic attached to it, would result in that.

 

[MadFloyd]

-89 db means that the sound card input is not selected. is this a Windows machine? If so, open the Sound control panel and go to the Recording tab and make sure your RME card is selected. Otherwise it may be using your PC motherboard sound input which with no mic attached to it, would result in that.

No, it's not that. I've tried making it the default or selected separately in REW. I can get it higher than -89, now into the -40's. When I actually measure it reports that the lowest peak is -45 or so and reports that it's still not acceptable (wants it higher than -10).

 

[FrantzM]

I was about to go with Amir point . DO try another Sound Card and see what gives

 

[amirm]

Do you have Audacity or some other audio editing program? If not can you download and try to record using it to see what levels it shows?

 

[amirm]

Also, REW has its own mic/input levels under Preferences. Be sure to check there that they are not set too low. It is under Preferences->Preferences->Soundcard.

 

[MadFloyd]

Thanks for the help, Amirm. Just noticed now (running it on the desktop machine I'm using to write this reply) that it also has an input channel and here it defaulted to 'right'. I had the mic in the left channel and don't remember seeing this input channel designation so perhaps that's it.

 

[Ethan Winer]

it also has an input channel and here it defaulted to 'right'. I had the mic in the left channel

Bingo.