Dayton UMM-6 input level issue(?) - level too low even though playing loudly

[Dan Ford]

I'm using the UMM-6 with calibration file, but I don't get the message that calibration is not needed, and when I do a measurement the window on the left says mic/meter: no calibration file. In addition when I try to calibrate the sound card to get inputs to -40 to -50 range (with the output generating -12db signal), I can't get there without the speaker volume getting uncomfortably loud. Then if I try to do a measurement it tells me the at the levels are too low (like -56db). I'm using an apple laptop with USB output (plays music just fine) and the mic on a usb input. I am guessing the input is too low, but I thought that was set with the calibration file from Dayton. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

 

[John Mulcahy]

The cal file needs to be loaded into REW. REW would normally ask for that when it detects a USB mic is being used, have you selected the input device and input in the REW soundcard preferences? You can manually load the file on the mic/meter preferences tab, but you still need to select the input device and input so that REW knows that a USB mic is being used as the input and which mic it is.It can then use the sensitivity figure in the mic cal file along with the input volume setting to work out the SPL values. The input levels you are seeing are typical of USB mics, REW won't issue warnings for them when it knows a USB mic is being used.

 

[Dan Ford]

I have the calibration file and usb mic selected in the mic preferences. The default input level is .25 - I changed it to 1.0 and that seemed to fix things. Hopefully.