Behringer Pro Mixer DX 1000 and win7 laptop - input audio issues
Good day all,
As a new member, this is my 1st post so I’ll do my best to make it as complete and detailed as possible;
Gear;
Behringer Pro Mixer DX 1000
2 x Denon DN-S3700 decks
Acer 5552 laptop w/6gb RAM and external sound card, USB dongle w/ 1x input (probably mic) and 1 x headset output.
Sony receiver
Sinclair speakers
Audacity audio s/w
Issue:
I seem unable to get a clean and decent level of incoming audio, tested with Win7 Sound Recorder, recorded audio is over amplified (highly distorded), alsi tried recording with Audacity, same results. I have only tested with the Tape Out jacks from the Behringer and have not tested with the 1/4" main output jacks in the back (missing hardware but soon to be acquired).
Bottom line is that any tape outputs I try to record from, seems to have an audio signal that is too powerful/strong to get a clean and “listenable” audio track from…
I’m posting this here to see if anyone has come across a similar problem, and what was their solution was in the end ?
NOTE: also considering getting an external sound card, after I tested from the two 1/4" main output jacks
It’s a common problem when recording from record out outputs on external mixers, they should be 0db but most internal/external interfaces get a too hot signal to record.
First, verify that your USB dongle (its actually a external interface) has a line input and not a mic input. You’ll never be able to record your mix if it’s not switchable to line input.
Second, gain staging. Try lowering your individual channels gains/trim. Depending on the signal path of your mixer, it will lower the signal in headphones (you can correct that with headphone volume knob), master output (you can correct that with master volume knob) and hopefully, your tape out/record volume.
I did get the missing cables I 1st thought I needed, including that specific one, but I’m starting to think that instead of trying to muck with the laptop’s internal sound settings, I may be better off just getting an external sound card, which may prove much easier to manage (sound levels, etc.) ? As I am not using any DJ’ing s/w, I use a very basic setup;
2 Denon dn-s3700 → Behringer Pro Mixer 1000 → Sony receiver (this works fine, ** below is where it upchucks)
__ laptop ** (this is where the problem currently stands)
So I’m thinking of the following:
2 Denon dn-s3700 → Behringer Pro Mixer 1000 → Sony receiver
__ external soundcard → laptop
__ audio out back to Behringer
Once again, thanks veru much for taking the time to read and provide tips.
Cheers.
PS attaching Jpeg since text formatting screws up what I try to describe.
Taking due notes and will try this out hopefully in the coming 1-2 days, I can confirm that my USB dongle has a mic and not line input, so problem may just lay there…I did try several outputs from the mixer like Tape Out, Aux Out, secondary Line Out but the problem remains at the recording stage on the laptop. Tried with Audacity, Windows Sound Recorder and WavePad Sound Editor software. All "symptoms lead back to the recording source and its settings, which is why I was thinking external sound card as a workaround, which would not limit me to the laptop’s audio input (mic)…
Yep, you seem to have been reading my mind…as I started to look into that area, I’m trying to decipher what I could start with, as I mentioned in another post reply I do not use any DJ software, I’m mixing “in the raw” out from the mixer to the laptop and then cleaning out with Audacity s/w.
Well I found a local audio shop where I picked up a Behringer UCA202 module/external sound card…digging for cabling so I should have some results, good ones I hope, fairly soon…
