Recorindg on an Audigy 2 ZS

[guernica]

Okay, I want to record with my Audigy 2 ZS. I'm using Cakewalk Sonar 4 Producer Edition. I'm using a condenser microhpone plugged into my Behringer mixer, and I'm using the RCA output of that to a joiner of 1/8" jack to plug into my microphone input of my sound card. BUT, whenever I record, even with the mixer completely turned off, there is this faint buzzing noise, but enough to add up over a lot of tracks.
http://www.harvestourdemons.com/upload/files/1/buzz.wav
But when I unplug the RCA to 1/8" adapter from the mic input and record, there is no buzzing sound. Is there any way to fix this? Is it a setting on my sound card or the adapter (I'm hoping it's just a setting but I highly doubt it)? How can I fix this :(

[hanzalo]

maybe try using the line-in jack on the pc instead of the mic input.

[Krome]

When I record DJ sets, I use the Line In and Sound Forge.

[guernica]

Wait, but isn't the line-in jack mono? Eh, I'll try it.

[hanzalo]

Wait, but isn't the line-in jack mono?

hm maybe that explains why my recordings are mono. i could never figure it out.


edit: just tried the mic input and it is stereo, but noticibaly more fuzzy

[KillrBuckeye]

Wait, but isn't the line-in jack mono? Eh, I'll try it.No, the line-in jack is stereo. The mic-in is mono! You shouldn't be using the mic-in for a signal that's already line-level. Your mixer has mic-preamps that convert the mic signal to line-level, so there is no need to run it through another crappy preamp (the mic-in on the sound card) unless you are trying to achieve some weird effect.

Anyhow, I can tell you from personal experience with my SB Live and SB Audigy 2 ZS, that the line-in jack on these cards works fine to record a line-level stereo input. I have even used an RCA-to-1/8" adaptor and it sounds fine (no buzz). If the buzz still doesn't go away using the line-in jack, it could be a bad adaptor. How do you know the signal from the mixer doesn't have a buzzing noise? You said you removed the input from the mic-in and recorded, but how did you record anything without an input?

edit: just tried the mic input and it is stereo, but noticibaly more fuzzyThe vast majority of microphones are mono (what's the point of a stereo mic?). Just because you hear sound from both channels doesn't imply that something is stereo--it's a mono signal being played through both channels. To truly verify if it captures a stereo signal, try connecting a CD or MP3 player to the mic-in jack and record something that has distinct L and R channels.

[hanzalo]

yea your probably right about the mic iput killrbuckeye. but i have a question: i bought a berhinger mixer, and i run in into my computers line-in jack via the headphones out on the mixer. The problem is i only get sound from the left channel. would you know how to solve this?

[KillrBuckeye]

Why are you using the headphones out jack? There should be a dedicated line out, whether it is 1/4", RCA, etc. Anyhow, the reason you are only getting 1 channel is most likely because you are using a mono patch cable. :) Instrument cables are mono. If you want a stereo signal from a stereo 1/4" or 1/8" output jack (such as the headphones jack), you need a stereo patch cable.

[hanzalo]

lol i never knew there were stereo and mono cables. the one im using is a cheap radioshack one so im pretty sure its mono. thanks for the help.