Mic Input Sensitivity?

[snmavronis]

I'm been trying out RiffWorks T4 and it works good with my Strat plugged into my PC's mic jack. Its the only mic input in use, but I'm picking up slight noise from my family in the background? The input meter fluctuates slightly even when the guitar volume is all the way down. Sometimes you can slightly hear family members talking coming out of my speakers. It's not too much a big deal most of the time but it makes it hard to use the Amplitube tuner because of it. I don't understand why it's picking up background noise even if I unplug from the mic jack?

[davenz]

Most built-in soundcards are less than satisfactory when used with Riffowrks. RW is best used with a dedicated external ASIO device like the TonePort or StealthPlug. It may very well work with your guitar plugged into a MIC jack, but with input impedences all wrong there will be, as you discovered, weird things happening. It is possible to have everything from radio signals to the next-door neighbor's phone conversations coming out of audio devices when input impedences are wrong, with the device acting as a receiver for stray radio signals. Sometimes, even with my Toneport, I get the radio through the system, but thats with things unplugged and in a non-usual state.

This noise will often cause the meters to move and hum and rubbish to ruin recordings. I tried a few different sound-cards in my PC before taking the plunge and buying a M-Audio Fast Track USB; cheap as chips and all my recording issues disappeared like magic. There really is no substitute for a dedicated device for guitar input. It doesn't have to be fancy; after using a few I heartily recommend the TonePort; you can pick them up at a reasonable price and you get Gearbox, which has some stunning sounds, and which I actually prefer over Amplitube (at least the light version that comes with RW).

Hope this helps.

Dave.

[snmavronis]

Thanks for the tips. I was considering StealthPlug or TonePort. But my PC is basically high end with a good dedicated sound card and these specs:

Computer Rig - Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit SP1, Intel Q6600 2.4ghz Core 2 Quad CPU, 4gb RAM, 500gb RAID-0 HD, 700w Power Supply, Nvidia 8800GTX 768mb GPU (OC), 22" Widescreen 1680x1050 LCD, Asus/ViXS Combo-210E TV Tuner, Creative SoundBlaster ExtremeMusic X-FI Audio, Logitech MX518 Gaming Mouse, Logitech Premium Stereo Headset, Lacie 500gb USB HD

[atalwar]

Your pc specs got nothing to do with your problem infact the devices may just cause more intermittent noise for your soundcard.

Your problem is 1:impedence mismatch and 2:high gain processing on mic input (which in itself might be getting preamplified by soundcard DSP).

You either need to connect guitar > DI Box / Buffer > to LINE IN of your card and use that LINE In as ASIO routing or use something like toneport/stealthplug with its dedicated inputs or if your card has an option for front panel/breakout box console use that..

BTW creative x-fi and other cards of same league although being exceptional playback devices are usually not considered good for recording.

[snmavronis]

I'm leaning on getting Toneport GX since I hear its good and only $50 now.

Thanks...