Recently purchased Audio Cleaning Lab - copyright shows it to be 2017 - it is not Sound Forge.
Lenova laptop, Windows 10 Pro, Intel Core i5, 8GB Ram, 64 bit.Realtek HD Audio, sample rate 44100, playback buff 200ms Everything is up to date.
Recordings come out as either just hissing or very feint with hissing. Recording levels always shows "Level too low" but volume on high.
Welcome to the Magix user to user forums.
First, if the copyright on your software is 2017 you have bought quite an old version of ACL! The current latest is Sound Forge Audio Cleaning Lab 3; the first release under the Sound Forge label was in 2019. So, from where did you buy it?
You say the recordings come out as either just hissing or very feint with hissing. What is the audio source for your recordings (mic? line in? other?) and how, exactly, is that source connected to your computer? Clearly, the level of the output from your source is too low but without knowing exactly what that source is and how it is connected to your computer it's impossible to suggest how this may be improved.
FYI, the audio buffer setting has no relationship to the problem you are experiencing, it is merely a means of ensuring that playback of your recorded audio is "smooth" and uninterrupted.
Jeff
Forum Moderator
On Window mixer it says Microphone Real High Definition Audio Default Service and this has a green tick. Above it is Mic in at rear panel (black) Realtek High Definition Audio Not plugged in. It has a red arrow pointing down. I have no idea what this is as there is no microphone space at the back of my laptop.
I bought the disc from downloadbuyer.com. I have contacted them as I thought it may have been a faulty disc. They were very helpful but couldn’t offer a solution.
Thanks, Richard
Thanks for the additional information. However, I am still unclear exactly which audio source you are using, sorry.
You mention various Realtek options but it is not clear whether you do have a mic plugged into an external socket somewhere, or whether you are using whatever built-in mic your laptop has. As a general rule, such mics are NOT really suitable for any really "serious" recording; they are designed for VOIP calls, Skype or Zoom etc.
Mention of the Windows mixer along with an earlier comment about the volume on high suggests that the input level in the mixer is at maximum. Is that correct?
Can you post a screenshot of your Windows mixer along with one of the Control Panel for your Realtek audio and also tell us exactly which laptop you have (make, model etc.)? As always in these situations it is so much easier to help if we can actually see what you are seeing.
With regards to that "missing" rear mic socket: it is possible that your motherboard has such an (internal) socket but your laptop manufacturer has chosen not to make it available externally! The Realtek Control Panel knows it is there but it is simply unavailable to you.
Jeff
Thanks Jeff. I have absolutely no idea how to do a screen shot. I have tried to Google it but do not have key that says PrtScn,
My laptop is aLenevo B5400 and I’m using the built in mic.Input level is on high.
Richard
Oops. Have now done a screen shot but can’t work out how to attach to this email
In the box where you write your reply, on its top bar see the blue circle with the upwards arrow. Click on that and you will see a screen asking you to navigate to where the screenshot is stored. Choose the image and when you click on the Comment button your screenshot will be uploaded and will appear in your reply.
Jeff
This is a bloody nightmare, My phone won’t access the file with the screen shot and when I try to reply on my laptop the Magix page won’t let me put in my password.
Thanks for the pictures.
The first one shows the ACL input settings but I can see from the screen behind that you have selected “vinyl” as your source. The mic input should not be used for that. Vinyl input needs a line input (via a cable) most commonly via a phono preamp. The mic input level almost certainly will have no effect on the actual level of the incoming audio.
So your first problem to resolve is to create the correct connection between your record player and your computer, assuming that you are wanting to record from a vinyl disc.
Jeff
I normally record from an on line music sight and I have the same problem whether it is on vinyl, tape or speech - it makes no difference
Direct recording from an online site also does not use the mic input!
However, Microsoft deliberately make such recording very difficult. If you have the option you need to use the Stereo Mix input.
Personally, I don’t think that ACL is the “best” software for your purposes, even if you ignore the issue of copyright infringement. There is specialist software which does allow you to record such streamed output and, for the few times I need to do this I use one of those softwares.
So it’s not the software. Can you recommend which specialist software to use as I am not very au fait on this sort of thing. A very big THANK YOU for all your help and assistance. Richard
@richard-b5165 If you make a right click on this window and select "Show Disabled Devices" is Stereo Mix listed there? Can you activate it? You would then be able to record the sound of your computer.
Stereo mix is not listed. Any other advice to get it working?
@richard-b5165 Maybe you need to update your drivers. I personally use the free Snappy Driver Installer which does that automatically. Be sure to make backup of your system just in case something doesn't work after the installation of the new drivers. But usually everything is fine.
https://sdi-tool.org/download/
If this doesn't help it looks like you need an USB-audio interface with ASIO drivers which also can record your system sound. The Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 Gen3 can do this https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360006883140 which costs about $200 and could be a good investment if you want to record from external devices like microphones, players, instruments etc and want to do more intense audio editing.
$200 - I don’t think I’ll bother but thanks once again. I have a ten year old Windows laptop with an earlier version of Magix and that works just fine so I’ll just dust that one off. Richard 👍
Just a thought,attached above is a copy of a recording. It is just a straight line and won’t play unless I normalise it and even then I get the hissing. Should not the recording be in a wavy line even before normalising it and if so, how do I do it? Thanks, Richard
Can you recommend which specialist software to use
There are several. My personal choice is Audials One 2021 since it allows me to easily record ANY sound from my computer, but I know it is not cheap, unfortunately. I have also heard good reports about Soundtap, though I have never used it.
WRT your latest post, yes that is an example of a recording whose level is extremely low! Normally, there would be some fluctuations/deviations in that line! When you normalise an audio file you raise its peak (maximum) level to a predetermined level; doing so raises the level of everything in the file, including the hiss that is absolutely inevitable in a file that is at such a low level, especially if the source of the audio is analogue.
Jeff
Just a thought, if Microsoft are making it very difficult to use Audio Cleaning Lab, why does it say on the Magix home page that their software is compatible with Windows 10. If I had known that, I wouldn’t have purchased it. Comments most welcome. Richard
@richard-b5165 Did you already try to update your audio drivers to possibly get the Stereo Mix option?
Is the Realtek HD Audio Manager on your System?
Realtek HD Audio Manager is on my system. I didn’t try to update the drivers as my local IT guy did it for me two days ago. He said he installed one that was better than the ones offered by Microsoft so I don’t really want to change it again as I will get very confused. Richard
Microsoft are making it very difficult to use Audio Cleaning Lab
M$ are not making it very difficult to use Audio Cleaning Lab, they are making it very difficult to use ANY app to record the audio passing through your computer!
Essentially, under pressure from the RIAA, who believe all users will use their computers to make "illegal" clones of any CDs or streamed audio they listen to and so the record companies will lose money, M$ hid or removed the facility that was present in earlier versions of Windows, called Stereo Mix or What U Hear. The result of that "change" is what you are now experiencing. The statement about Windows 10 compatibility merely confirms that the software will run successfully under that OS. Most users will use ACL, or the later SFACL, to "clean up" or otherwise edit already-existing audio files, not necessarily to create the original recordings.
However, since you say you have the Realtek HD Audio Manager on your system, I believe it should have a dedicated Control Panel. Can you take a screenshot of it and post it and any sub-screens, here?
Jeff