Audigy 2 ZS SB for Notebook - 'LEVELS'

[Geepers]

We're now using an Audigy2 ZS SB for Notebook
recording on Audacity...

Trouble is Audacity is giving us a 'LOW' recording input
per the levels...and we have to AMPLIFY the file
in the final production; we'd like to have levels
a little bigger....

We also have a 'MusicMatch MP3 Player' installed
and that device (we think) somehow controls the
system's sound volume, but we don't know how to determine/fix

Any tips would help - thanks!

[garww]

Double check the Control panel/sounds dialog for recording devices. I'm often using the newer expresscard model and it does seem low for line level input, but check to make sure nothing is interfering - stereo mix or record what you hear, etc..

You should also be able to pre-boost in most DAWs, but I don't know Audacity.

[Geepers]

Thanks garww -

The Audigy SB card of course has an OUTPUT jack for listening
TO the recording, and for playback, but for us this is still
a real hassel to work with...

You have to set the preferences on the AUDACITY studio (not the 'Audigy')
'back' to the Realtek mode for 'playback - to hear production FROM the
PC's headphone jack -switching headphones OUT of the card
and into the PC...

We'll continue to check for any interferences in the processes forthwith - thx

[garww]

I don't bother with the RealTek. I disable it as soon as the SB arrived in the mail. I can enable it if I need it. The SB is my main card. I can hook it up to my stereo as a tape deck. I can record also from my mixer to the SB. And I also have a USB card with gain control for instruments like guitar.

Newer Windows will try to share sound between sound cards, so make sure it is not "listening" to un-needed devices.

[jagcmos]

Why use the pc's headphone jack for playback when the audigy has one ?

I wouldn't even use the realtek card at all and set windows default sound device as the audigy. That way all of your other audio apps will route via the audigy.

If you're not already, use the audigy asio drivers in Audacity for much lower latency.

[Geepers]

Reason is we NEED to listen TO the finished product
OUT from Audigy, using the Realtek as our only reliable source
that's the laptop's default sound system...

You just 'can't' TEST finished/recorded products via Audigy...
...Sound quality/levels/crispness varies...

Am I wrong here?...let's hear it - thanks

[garww]

I hope you are wrong !! I have no problem. But, I also disabled all the realtek drivers in control panel - there are at least three of them on my machine which interfere with the use of a different card. I might be using the Realtek, but the jacks are up front in my way. Can't even see the jacks.

Like I said earlier, the expresscard SB is my default card for most everything on the laptop.