Speakerworkshop 1.06 soundcard problem

[capslock]

I have the same problem on two computers.

One is an Elitegroup/Duron system running Win98SE. The onboard codec is disabled by jumper, there are no hardware conflicts. I have installed a soundcard with a CMI8738 4-channel chip (has digital i/o, so very neat for future high res extensions). The demos run very nicely.

When I use the Workshop Sound Card wizard, it tells me my sound card is fully compatible and full duplex. When I try to run a channel difference calibration, it tells me it failed to open a waveform output device. When I check the wizard afterwards, it tells me my card is half duplex and hence I cannot record.

I get exactly the same behavior on an IBM laptop running Win NT4 SP6 (I realize NT is not officially supported). The onboard chipset is crystal, and the system does play back and record.

Does this sound familiar at all?

Puzzled,

Eric

 

[JBL]

You should post that in the speakerworkshop forum on their site.

But I already run speaker workshop on à laptop with a crystal sound card and it worked fine.

Make sure you have the latest driver.

 

[Mark_W2]

Don't run the wizard, it stuffs something up.

Persevere, SW works really well once you've got it all sorted out.

 

[Raka]

SW Adjusting

Hi,

Are you really getting good results with Sw? I'm suffering a lot to get any reasonable result!!! I tried and tried and the measurents are not good. I'm building the jig as described in the audua site, but I'm not very optimistic. I'll try my best, as you seem to have it running. ANy hint?

 

[FrankDIY]

It takes time to configure everything and learn it but it worth it. I use a real sound card Sound Blaster (4 channels) with Win NT 4.0 SP6a.

Do not forget to calibrate the jig, the channel difference, sound card input impedance, etc.

 

[JBL]

I've got good result wiht a laptop sound card.

But I got better result with a sound blaster pci 512. But the result of the laptop are satisfactiory.

 

[daatkins]

One thing to be careful of is that SpeakerWorkshop gets totally screwed up if you have any "sound enhancement" options turned on. Turn off any 3D options, EAX and all that stuff. I once spent hours dicking around with it because the balance cpntrol in Window's volume control was a couple of pixels off center...

BTW, it is a fantastic piece of software once it is working correctly. I use SB Live 5.1 with my own complete jig which includes signal switching, mic pre amp and power amp.

Nice one,
David

 

[capslock]

Don't run the wizard, it stuffs something up.

Persevere, SW works really well once you've got it all sorted out.

Thanks, that was an excellent tip. If I don't use the sound card wizard, the channel difference calibration works fine on the Win98 system. Gonna try the NT laptop next. Is Audua aware of the problem (was too lazy to register)?

Eric

 

[Mark_W2]

Yes, I'm getting very good results. I've designed subs, 2 complete speakers and 3 crossovers for a mate. It works really well. The arrangement of all the folders/windows can get a bit annoying, and the crossover designer is a bit fiddly, but it does work. It is a work in progress after all, and it is freeware.

I highly recommend that you scrounge an old computer and amp and dedicate them to speaker workshop. Then you won't be fiddling with your volume/record controls. Just use the amps volume to get your levels where you want them for different types of measurements.

Record a sine wave signal (as in Eric Wallin's tutorials - do a search for his homepage) and find out at what level your sound card clips. Never exceed this level when making measurements. Note that the MLS signal is heaps louder than the sine wave, so you will have to reduce you output level after doing the sine wave - I dunno why this is.

I always go for a 22-23k level, my vibra 128 pci clips at about 24.5k.

When you get to acoustic measurments reading 'Testing Loudspeakers' by Joe D. is really helpful. You need to understand about gating and stuff.

Can't think of any more tips right now...