Mic on the notebook's external USB audio card is not recognized by REW

[Sacenti]

Could someone help me understand what I am doing wrong in this configuration with REW? I searched a lot on the REW forum but I didn't find anything that would help me objectively.
I have a 10VDC phanton electret mic from LinearX - Acoustic Measurement Microphone with calibration curve that I use on a daily basis to make measurements with REW and other devices. Works great with REW through the analog sound card on the notebook's line inputs. I bought an external usb card to transform the LinearX mic into USB. All the attempts I made were in vain ... but when I make a recording in Audacity the recording happens normally in any sampling I choose, 44 / 48k 16 / 24bit, so the board and mic are working well. When I choose REW / ASIO to make measurements via the HDMI output, I always get a message that there is no connected input device, even forcing Windows to capture the sound input via USB line ... ASIO identifies all the inputs and outputs of the card, I have the impression that the standard data format cd / dvd generated by the USB card is not recognized by REW, am I right or talking nonsense? I ask if there is any way to transform the analog MIC into USB via an external card? I would appreciate help from an expert ...

 

[Sacenti]

I would appreciate help from someone to guide me on how I can use an analog mic on an external USB audio card, I tried everything I knew about REW and forum searches but I didn't find anything objective that could help me.
The problem - when I use the external audio card with the mic in the USB line input and make a recording in Audacity everything goes well, but when I connect to REW to use the multichannel HDMI output, ASIO recognizes the input and output ports but I get error messages like: you are not connected! See the figure below for the ASIO configuration! It shows that it is activated, in REW only “Capture” appears. What am I doing wrong?
I ask an audio card with USB output for the PC used in a gaming headset is the audio stream of a USB Mic different?
Is there an audio card that I can use my analog mic + calibration curve to convert to REW-compatible USB?
The card I use is a popular one sold on Amazon https://www.amazon.com.br/Docooler-...H7CJ0JJKD7G&psc=1&refRID=Y3FKZFQ6HH7CJ0JJKD7G
I ask U-PHORIA Behringer is REW compatible to use an analog mic?
Yes the parameterization of 48k 16bits are the same at the input and output of the USB and Windows card. I think the card I'm using should not provide the USB mic streamer protocol, it only transmits the standard CD audio protocol, Audacity understands this protocol - REW no, am I correct ?!

 

[John Mulcahy]

I ask an audio card with USB output for the PC used in a gaming headset is the audio stream of a USB Mic different?

No, no different.

If you only have problems when trying to use ASIO4All and HDMI you could try FlexASIO instead of ASIO4All, or try using Java drivers instead of ASIO to see if it works OK with the L and R outputs.

 

[Sacenti]

Thank you John for answering me. The flexASIO does not load in the REW, always the error that it was not possible to load the drive. I installed flexASIO twice already but the problem persists ... When using JAVA it is possible to select the USB IN line mic ports but it is not possible to do the calibration because there is a high signal in the IN input even without plugging the microphone.

 

[John Mulcahy]

The flexASIO does not load in the REW, always the error that it was not possible to load the drive.

That's odd. Which version of REW are you using and which version of FlexASIO? REW saves diagnostic information in C:\Users\<your user name>\REW, can you zip that REW folder and attach it?

there is a high signal in the IN input even without plugging the microphone

Also odd. How high?

 

[Sacenti]

Hi John! I changed my computer and am now able to open flexASIO. But the problems of input levels still persist ... I'm sending some tels of configurations of the USB + MIC + REW card and debug file to be able to evaluate what I'm missing.
What is strange now that when I do the calibration in the first step a signal already appears in the IN of -36dBFS and remains constant there - only if resetting the USB mic input disappears or closing the mic! which makes no sense to leave the mic closed, right! REW recommends leaving the mic open until you adjust 75dB SPL vol mic + Marantz vol.
Another strange thing that happens when I calibrate Marantz with REW when I open SPL meter without clicking on anything is already there -36dBFS fig Cal3 and fig Cal7. I can't get the REW + card + HDMI + Line USB to work ... when I use java everything goes well on the windows card but the problems are repeated when I use the USB card for JAVA and ASIO .. I think this USB card to use popular sold on Amazon does not serve for REW measurements ... I ask if Behringer has anything that works with REW or has nothing to do with the problem I am pointing out? Thanks John for your attention and promptness ... these answers will help me make a decision on a miniDSP reseller in Brazil ...
my device - https://www.amazon.com = merchandised-search-12 & pf_rd_t = BROWSE & pf_rd_i = 16364784011
I think the solution is to buy another USB mic - UMK-1

 

[John Mulcahy]

That card appears to have a very noisy mic input. You didn't mention what your analog mic is, but it would be best to use an analog mic that accepts standard 48 V phantom power or a USB mic.

 

[Sacenti]

Hi John! when I record the card + mic as I show in the Audacity file everything is fine! No noise note that the gain in this case is 100% open with a little background noise but nothing that compromises. What's weird is using the USB card always has a kind of signal loopback that I can't identify in the signal path on REW and HDMI! This signal is equal to the volume of the mic adjusted in windows, if I take the vol everything is calm but on the other hand I am without mic for the measurements. I switched PCs with W10 as I said, solved the flexASIO problem that did not run but the signal feedback persists in the REW IN.
I ask if the card records well should it also work in REW, yes or no?
I'm lost ... I'm sorry I can't get my board to work with the measurement mic I'm sending the attached specifications to.
Thank you John for your attention, sorry to stun you with this problem of mine!

 

[John Mulcahy]

Considering that the Audacity plot is a linear view of the full range it does actually look very noisy. In any case, the measurement mic you attached requires 9 V, which it will not get from a soundcard mic input, are you supplying its power separately? If you are it could probably be connected to a line input.

 

[Sacenti]

John, yes external food outside the plate, the microphone is feeding phantom outside the USB plate - no need for phantom on the plate - The signal is delivered clean without DC at the line input of the USB plate ... this same arrangement of external phantom I use it for REW / Java + Windows sound card and everything works very well, very low noise - my AKG phantom source is standard studio ... I suspect it is not a problem with HW but with REW or W10 compatibility or configuration that I cannot meet! The signal that walks inside the W10 and or REW is returning at the IN input of the REW that it shouldn't ... I think that only the mic signal should enter the REW IN, am I right?

 

[John Mulcahy]

Do not use the soundcard Mic in for the line level signal from your mic, use the Line in.
Make sure "Listen to this device" is not selected in the Windows audio properties, Listen tab for the line input.

 

[Sacenti]

I always used the line input on the board for the mic, I also had no listening feedback on windows. Redefine the measurement, see the windows configuration in fig Cal8 and the REW response when I start the calibration, a signal appears at the IN input. I did another experiment, I removed the mic from the board and the signal is still there, I restarted REW and the signal is there in the background. (figCal9) Then I changed flexAsio for all types of driver - MME - Windows WASAPI - Windows Direct Sound - Windows WDM-KS and selected the inputs / outputs consistent with the use of HDMI and IN USB line, in all of them I always had the background ... the level changed because I changed the input gain of the USB IN line seen by windows.
The last fig Cal10 is the JAVA with the mic without USB card working normally with the level of the room captured by the mic - showing that everything is normal. Sorry to insist, I would appreciate your help making REW run on HDMI. Remembering that the card with mic in the USB line input when used in Audacity with MME drive works well, without noise that compromises the recording.
Thanks again John for your patience!

 

[John Mulcahy]

REW cannot create input signal on your soundcard. If the signal is only there when the card is producing output then either the card has some monitoring capability that is active or it has very high internal crosstalk. If it is there when the card is not producing output there must be some other source, but the source is not REW. Perhaps looking at the spectrum of the input signal would provide some clues.

 

[Sacenti]

Thank you very much John! I'm going to research the card in depth - now I learned that streaming the card is standard for Audacity and REW and general use in video conferences on the internet - I downloaded the CI datasheet of the CM6206 card. If nothing helps I will give up that solution and buy a miniDSP mic and hope to solve my problem.

 

[John Mulcahy]

The M31 mic looks good, does your computer not have a built-in line input you can use?

 

[Sacenti]

Yes I use line input but I can only do it with Java 2 channels, and it works very well with REW. Any suggestions for doing multichannel with Java? ... but without USB?

 

[John Mulcahy]

Any suggestions for doing multichannel with Java? ... but without USB?

On Windows the only way to have multichannel output is with ASIO drivers. On macOS or Linux it can be done with the Java drivers.

 

[Sacenti]

Thanks John for the suggestion. I have a notebook with linux - I don't like linux very much - we lost the battle but we didn't lose the war!

 

[Amano]

Dear Sacenti, could you paste the type and version of the USB SoundCard, so that we can research what would be the possible problem that REW does not recognize the USB module.Could you also paste how the USB module repreents in your operating system (is it Windows or Mac?) and what are tzhe properties of teh USB module refledted there... may be tis is something to be fixed on the operating systems level and not in REW... best regards
Reinhard

 

[Sacenti]

Dear Amano, I thank you for your attention - my USB module was discarded after I used a module borrowed from the sound blaster where Asio / REW did their job well. I found out after these searches that I have a problem - my HP Latitude E6410 does not run HDMI + REW due to this error below every time I start REW - HDMI calibration:

REW V5.20 Beta 61 running JRE 1.8.0_261 64-bit on Windows 10, pt, BR, windows-1252 at 96 DPI
Message:
java.lang.NullPointerException
Stack Trace:
roomeqwizard.jC.E (y: 458)
roomeqwizard.E. ¥ (y: 866)
roomeqwizard.KE $ 5.run (y: 2551)
java.lang.Thread.run (Unknown Source)

I was able to run REW-HDMI 7.1 with a LINEARX M31 analog mic on BlasterUSB on a borrowed HP Vostro notebook - my HP Latitude does not run REW-HDMI/ASIO, it only well runs REW-Java 2 channels. I need an alternative to running HDMI 7.1 other than disconnecting the cables from the pre or speakers as I do today REW-IN ana Aux AVR.
I don't know if there is a solution to this problem that I think is more of a weakness of my notebook than REW / Asio - Asio identifies the blaster boardUSB but does not connect the mic usb input with REW- this is the problem! I would appreciate help if possible!
What worries me most now is not the sound blaster card, it runs well with the LINEARX microphone - Java is the problem when it runs ASIO / REW. Best Regards

 

[Sacenti]

Hi John! I made a few more attempts to understand why my LINEARX mic is not recognized by REW / ASIO. I replaced the Chinese USB card with an old SB0270 soundblaster card from a friend who lent it to me for the test. I also exchanged my HP Latitude E6410 notebook for an HP Vostro.
First conclusion - the Chinese USB card does not work on REW / ASIO on both notebooks. I discarded the card for use with REW.
Second conclusion - the Sound Blaster + mic LINEARX USB card worked very well, where I can conclude that a branded USB card converts an analog mic into a USB mic compatible with REW / ASIO.
Third conclusion - The Latitude notebook I use always gives an error message when I calibrate the REW with the soundblaster card below:

REW V5.20 Beta 61 running JRE 1.8.0_261 64-bit on Windows 10, pt, BR, windows-1252 at 96 DPI
Message:
java.lang.NullPointerException
Stack Trace:
roomeqwizard.jC.E (y: 458)
roomeqwizard.E. ¥ (y: 866)
roomeqwizard.KE $ 5.run (y: 2551)
java.lang.Thread.run (Unknown Source)

John, could you please guide me what is going on with Latitude Java? Why does this message always cancel the calibration in Latitude?
The installed Java has this version: Java 8 Update 261 (64bit) V 8.0.2610.12 - last update was 02-10-2020
Is it possible to fix this problem because my HP Latitude only runs REW-Java but does not run Asio? I tried to install FlexAsio on Latitude but it doesn't work either. Do I have to leave Latitude to do REW => HDMI 7.1?
I'm going to do the last test on Latitude _ I'm going to borrow a USB mic from my friend and test if it runs on Latitude later, I'll let you know.
Thanks again for your attention and patience John.

 

[Amano]

Dear Sacenti, let me assume: it could be a problem of version of the operating system and version of Java. I am not using HDMI output on my PC,- sound is going via a simple USB interface, - only stereo. my other 7.1 usb interface is borrowed out to a friend for some tests... so I could not test this kind of setup in the moment. sorry to say.
best regards from Bavaria (Germany)
Reinhard

 

[Praba]

Hi
Have you tried using FlexASIO instead?

https://github.com/dechamps/FlexASIO/releases

This has worked for me when ASIO did not.
Praba

 

[Sacenti]

DEAR PRABA! NÃO POSSO RESOLVER ISSO. ESTOU COM IN / OUT 48K / 16BIT NA PLACA EXTERNA USB E TAMBÉM NO SOM DO WINDOWS. NEM ASIO NEM FLEX ASIO EXECUTA O REW HDMI.

 

[Sacenti]

DEAR PRABA! I CANNOT SOLVE THIS. I HAVE IN / OUT 48K / 16BIT ON THE USB EXTERNAL BOARD AND ALSO ON THE WINDOWS SOUND. NOR ASIO NOR FLEX ASIO RUN HDMI REW.