Arta Setup / Calibration Help

[skidave]

Hello, looking for some ARTA setup and calibration help.

I'm using a Tascam US-100 and I tried the setup last night and I got through it, but not easily. If someone with some experience could help me with some quesitons, I would greatly appreciate it. (I'm using the 1.7.1 version and following the manual.)

1. From what I read, the windows volume level should be set to max. Is this correct?

2. When performing the 400Hz Sinus, am I a shooting for a max volt output of the USB interface? Or should I be adjusting for a 2 V reference. When I did max out and calculated, when I looped to check the quality of the sound card, I was clipping the whole time.

3. With max input, should this be measured with the meter in the calibration box...i'm getting the clipping LED on the USB on as soon as I start to increase the level.

I messed around with various output voltages and calibration settings, and I was able to measure the sound card distortion and distortion w/ noise. I did measure 0.016%, so I'm on the right track. Just don'w understand where to reference the various voltages.

Doesn't help that there is output level, input level and sound card volume adjustments.

Thanks in advance.

Dave

 

[skidave]

Update, I spent some more time with the software today and found that 1 volt output gives me some more adjustment with the input level. I tested the distortion and freq response of the US-100 and frequency is flat to 22 Khz. Distortion on the right channel is 0.021 but the left channel is 0.062. Not sure why? I tested a preamp I have just to practice with the software. Spectrum analysis was nice to see bass / treble response. Distortion was the same as the 0.021 of the US-100 until I turned up the gain and started to distort the input of the US-100.

I don't have a bench top distortion analyzer. I'm looking forward to learning this software and then purchasing the license.

Any support would greatly be appreciated.

Dave

 

[Davey]

Dave,

I'm not familiar with that soundcard. I'm assuming it doesn't have ASIO drivers?

Generally you'll want to max all (used) sliders in the Windows volume control. Set your US-100 input control to maximum and the output control to minimum, to start out with. (Most sound cards can output more voltage than they're inputs can accommodate.)

I would use STEPS vice ARTA to get familiar with your sound-card characteristics. Configure a simple loop-back and experiment until you fully understand the hardware limits of your US-100.

Cheers,

Dave.

 

[skidave]

Thanks Davey,

I followed the calibration steps in the ARTA setup and I calibrated the sound card output per the steps. I found what I think is a usable output level and then I have some adjustment gain on the sound card input. I'm able to loop back and check the response and THD of the sound card. So far so good. I guess I am looking for exact directions and what is available is close.

I ran some frequency responses and THD responses of some gear. I think I'm on the correct path.

Dave