Soundcard problem, very urgent!!!

rocknrollme said:
Got it !

It's in the card's specs :

Code: 
 Nominal Input Level 
Input Jack 1–2 (XLR type):-50 to -10 dBu 
Input Jack 1–2 (1/4 inch TRS phone type):-35 to +4 dBu 
Input Jack 3–4: -10 dBu to +13 dBu (balanced)

XLR inputs will provide you a "low-level" signal, but Jack inputs will give you a way louder signal.

I just plugged my guitar to the FA-66 through a Jack cable, and the sound level is ok.

You have to plug your microphones through an XLR->Jack cable, I guess I have to buy two of these to plug my sm57&58.
Click to expand...

You've got it backwards. The XLR is MORE sensitive than the TRS. The numbers indicate the range of levels of input signals that are able to drive the system to normal output. A -50dB signal is much much weaker than a -35dB signal. So a weak -50 signal can drive the system to normal output when plugged into the XLR but it takes a much stronger signal of at least -35dB to achieve the same level when plugged into the TRS. Your guitar is putting out a line level signal, much stronger than either of those numbers I expect and also is a HighZ source while they are LowZ.

The Edirol XLR inputs are rated down to -50 db. The Shure mics are rated at -56dB for the SM57, -55dB for the SM58. Even with the sensitivity control at maximum gain there just might not be enough 'ooomph' in those preamps to bring those particular mics up to an acceptable level. I'll guarantee you if you try to plug your SM57 and 58 in through XLR->TRS adapters you'll hear nothing but the sweet sound of silence as the mic's outputs are many times less than what is needed to drive the TRS input.
 
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Thanks for your reply, I'm obviously a newbie and your help is much appreciated.
So what's the solution to get a good sound level ? Is the FA-66 just not the card I should have gone for ?
 
rocknrollme said:
Thanks for your reply, I'm obviously a newbie and your help is much appreciated.
So what's the solution to get a good sound level ? Is the FA-66 just not the card I should have gone for ?
Click to expand...

Have you tried the checklist I set out a couple of messages back? With the mics plugged into the XLR inputs and the back-panel limiter switch set to 'off', can you get the front panel limiter indicator LED to flicker red by talking loudly directly into the mic and adjusting the sensitivity knobs?

As far as whether you made the wrong choice, that I can't answer. I haven't used the FA and don't know much about its reputation. I can say that I have an Echo Audiofire and have never experienced any issues with it. Were I in the market for a portable USB or Firewire interface powered by the computer and offering 2 mic or line level inputs I would give a very serious look at the Sound Devices USBPre. OTher choices, though requiring external power, might be the Echo AudioFire 4 or AudioFire 2 plus an external mixer to provide the mic preamps.
 
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Did exactly what you've said, and still, too quiet.
How does it come that, when I connect a mixer (simple DJ mixer) connect a mic and put everything on it at max (exept on the FA-66) (and use the sense-knobs on the FA66 for audio control). I can hear already something when the sense-knobs are set at the minimum.

I think the FA66 chooses mic/line himself, and when the mixer is connected to the FA66 he chooses Mic. Connecting a mic directly to it makes him choose line. Why??
 
pietdeyaert said:
Did exactly what you've said, and still, too quiet.
How does it come that, when I connect a mixer (simple DJ mixer) connect a mic and put everything on it at max (exept on the FA-66) (and use the sense-knobs on the FA66 for audio control). I can hear already something when the sense-knobs are set at the minimum.

I think the FA66 chooses mic/line himself, and when the mixer is connected to the FA66 he chooses Mic. Connecting a mic directly to it makes him choose line. Why??
Click to expand...

The two input jacks on the FA-66 are combo jacks accepting both XLR and TRS plugs. But there are two separate sets of connectors inside the jack. If you plug in an XLR plug, the signal goes one place - the more sensitive mic preamp. If you plug in a 1/4 plug, it goes to another place - the less sensitive instrument/line level preamp. In a sense, you're right - the FS-66 is choosing the preamp it uses based on the type of plug that you're using to connect to it. An XLR plug gets more boost than will a 1/4.

You keep saying the sound is too quiet. WHERE is it too quiet? Are you listening in headphones and can't hear it or are you looking at input meters on your computer and they are showing the level is too low?
 
I used XLR cables, and the sound level is too quiet in the phones output, as well as the output to my mac. Like I said, have to put everything to the max to hear something.
 
Well, I'm stumped. You said in your first post you were using a ME66 and that's a fairly hot mic. Have you tried it with other mics? If so, which? I wish I had a FA-66 to experiment with but unfortunately I don't. We're not in a closeby part of the planet by any chance are we?
 
Guess nobody found a solution to the problem?

The guy from eBay, who is a sound recordist says he doesn't get it. It worked perfectly when he sended it.
 
Go to the source...Roland:
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?dsection=d_support&ObjectId=731

1. check driver
2. check for driver updates
3. check the Knowledge Base
4. Troubleshoot from the beginning of the signal path (start with the mic, cable, etc...)

Although I own a few Mac's...I prefer the PC platform. You mention Panther which is an older MacOS (2003) & if you're trying it on XP, what version? 32bit, 64 bit...lots of options...and we all know how finicky computers can be!

I wish I could be of more help, but it's looking like you covered everything....only thing left is to contact Roland and see what you can come up with.

Best of luck...and hang in there, it's usually some simple fix!
 
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OK a few things. Selected as the input device is not an "of course", it's easy to have the wrong thing selected or assume that the OS will select what you want (it wont). But that doesn't seem to be your problem. Are you using external power for the FA-66? If it's bus powered then you are probably not getting full phantom power and that could be part of the problem.
Dynamic mics need a lot of gain so they probably need the gain to be high.
This is consumer gear so if your gains are cranked you will get quite a bit of noise. THe DJ mixer is going to be another probably noisy device. Cranking it's levels is almost guarantied to give you LOTs of noise. I would recommend picking up the Yamaha "Sound Reinforcement Handbook" or Jar Roses book. The won't nec solve this problem but you are going to have a LOT of frustrations trying to do sound with no fundamentals. FYI "cinch" connectors are ends that you clamp "cinch" on to the end of wires to make then easy to connect to screw terminals and such. Maybe your referring to 1/4" phono plugs AKA 1/4" TRS. Or possibly RCA connectors on the back of the box. It may seem like a picky point but if you bring your car to the garage because it's leaking oil you wouldn't want to tell them to check the radiator, language does matter. And on the same front it's not a "card" it's a box or interface, a card goes inside the computer.

First it is poss the box is not working properly.
I think that is probably not the case.
Second what are the input settings in the system prefs? Because this is a core audio device you can set a level there for input audio. By default its only at about 50% and that could be the problem.
When you in the system prefs make sure your input device is the FA-66 not one of the internal sources.
There is nothing I could find in the specs about gain so god knows how "loud" the box is even capable of going. But I assume it should go louder than it seems by your comments.
Also going into BoomRecorder you will have multiple inputs to chose from so make sure you have chosen the input you have the mic connected to.
Going in the RCA connectors on the back will be different channels than the XLR's on the front.

ANd that monitor knob on the front fades between monitoring off the HD (playback) and from the inputs. You want it set to the inputs or you won't hear anything if your not recording.
god luck
 
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