Clicks while recording .wav file from Minidisc -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Clicks while recording .wav file from Minidisc Posted by: Kellyman Date:6/10/2002 9:58:10 AM When recording 'redbook' type .wav files from an MD recorder, I experience random clicks in the soundfiles. They are really there in the waveforms, not artifacts of the crappy speakers or something. I've tried optimizing the hard drive (a new IBM 40 Gb Deskstar with 7400 rpm), reducing processor load as recommended by the help file of SF 4.5, tried reinstalling (after complete uninstall) the Soundblaster drivers, and even tried replacing the cable with a better one. The MD is a sharp MT-15, an older one but highly regarded. The output (headphone) jack is rated at 17 ohms impedance, whereas the Soundblaster Live input jack at 46 K. Could this have a bearing? I've tried recording the same file twice and the clicks appear in completely different spots, though they seem to fall more often on peaks than on quieter areas. Curiously, this seems to be more of a problem recently, as I didn't have this before installing the hard drive (and I can't remember, but I may have used the microphone input instead of the input jack.) any help would be massively appreciated, sincerely, Clicking away in Birmingham
Subject:Details left out of original post - PLEEZE RESPOND! Reply by: Kellyman Date:6/10/2002 10:18:01 AM Sorry, I cut and past the details above from the email help forum for SF. My system is a piece of crap (borrowed) Cyrix K6, 128 ram, IBM deskstar 7400 rpm 40GB HD (the only part of the computer that I own), Win 98 SE, Soundblaster Live card (the old version, bought in 98) Soundforge 4.5, and a keyboard with a thousand lunches between the keys and a mouse with a square ball. The clicks are decidedly NOT on the MD file but I'm more than willing to take any amount of flaming and abuse if someone could just point me in any direction except spending a buttload of money (I'm a postgrad student working on my thesis, which involves speaker identification, thus the need for no clicks on my files) Thanks a million in advance. (and yes, I know it's stupid to have jacked into the microphone input)
Subject:RE: Details left out of original post - PLEEZE RESPOND! Reply by: DjXSoundz Date:6/10/2002 5:50:34 PM which is more important, quality or no clicks. u could try using the mic input again and see if that works. you could also try getting new dirvers for the sound card or getting a new one cheaply.
Subject:RE: Details left out of original post - PLEEZE RESPOND! Reply by: Chienworks Date:6/10/2002 8:44:22 PM It seems to me that you are probably overloading the input. You mention that it occurs more often in loud sections, and you also think you might have used the mic input. The mic input is looking for thousandths of a volt, and the headphone output of the MD player at mid volume is probably putting out close to a full volt. When a digital signal peaks over the maximum level it will sound like a click. Zoom in as far as you can on the spots that click and see if it looks like the peaks of the waveform have been cut off. I would suspect that the signal is too loud for the input on the sound card. Even if you did use the line input, it would be expecting around .7 volts instead of the full volt. Try turning down the volume control on the MD player. When you're recording, you should see the level meters responding to the signal. These should never reach 0dB. To be safe, you can probably peak at -12dB and still get a good signal.

Subject:Clicks while recording .wav file from Minidisc

Posted by: Kellyman

Date:6/10/2002 9:58:10 AM

When recording 'redbook' type .wav files from an MD recorder, I experience random clicks in the soundfiles. They are really there in the waveforms, not artifacts of the crappy speakers or something. I've tried optimizing the hard drive (a new IBM 40 Gb Deskstar with 7400 rpm), reducing processor load as recommended by the help file of SF 4.5, tried reinstalling (after complete uninstall) the Soundblaster drivers, and even tried replacing the cable with a better one. The MD is a sharp MT-15, an older one but highly regarded. The output (headphone) jack is rated at 17 ohms impedance, whereas the Soundblaster Live input jack at 46 K. Could this have a bearing? I've tried recording the same file twice and the clicks appear in completely different spots, though they seem to fall more often on peaks than on quieter areas.
Curiously, this seems to be more of a problem recently, as I didn't have this before installing the hard drive (and I can't remember, but I may have used the microphone input instead of the input jack.)
any help would be massively appreciated,
sincerely,
Clicking away in Birmingham

Subject:Details left out of original post - PLEEZE RESPOND!

Reply by: Kellyman

Date:6/10/2002 10:18:01 AM

Sorry, I cut and past the details above from the email help forum for SF. My system is a piece of crap (borrowed) Cyrix K6, 128 ram, IBM deskstar 7400 rpm 40GB HD (the only part of the computer that I own), Win 98 SE, Soundblaster Live card (the old version, bought in 98) Soundforge 4.5, and a keyboard with a thousand lunches between the keys and a mouse with a square ball.

The clicks are decidedly NOT on the MD file but I'm more than willing to take any amount of flaming and abuse if someone could just point me in any direction except spending a buttload of money (I'm a postgrad student working on my thesis, which involves speaker identification, thus the need for no clicks on my files)
Thanks a million in advance. (and yes, I know it's stupid to have jacked into the microphone input)

Subject:RE: Details left out of original post - PLEEZE RESPOND!

Reply by: DjXSoundz

Date:6/10/2002 5:50:34 PM

which is more important, quality or no clicks. u could try using the mic input again and see if that works. you could also try getting new dirvers for the sound card or getting a new one cheaply.

Subject:RE: Details left out of original post - PLEEZE RESPOND!

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:6/10/2002 8:44:22 PM

It seems to me that you are probably overloading the input. You mention that it occurs more often in loud sections, and you also think you might have used the mic input. The mic input is looking for thousandths of a volt, and the headphone output of the MD player at mid volume is probably putting out close to a full volt. When a digital signal peaks over the maximum level it will sound like a click. Zoom in as far as you can on the spots that click and see if it looks like the peaks of the waveform have been cut off. I would suspect that the signal is too loud for the input on the sound card. Even if you did use the line input, it would be expecting around .7 volts instead of the full volt. Try turning down the volume control on the MD player.

When you're recording, you should see the level meters responding to the signal. These should never reach 0dB. To be safe, you can probably peak at -12dB and still get a good signal.