No playback

n-Track Studio Discussion Forum
1

No playback

2

Hi,

Apologies if this has been raised before, but I cannot hear playback thru my PC when I play/record guitar thru the ‘Line In’ port. If I record thru n-track, still no sound, BUT if I rewind & then play the recorded track, I can hear it fine. It seems I can hear recorded playback, but there is no sound while I play/record. If you get my drift.

* “Recording Devices” (Line In) is active & picking up a signal from my input device (Guitar/4-track, etc)
* “Playback Devices” (Speakers) has no signal.
* Speakers are plugged in & powered on
* Other PC sounds can be heard
* No sound thru the headphone socket either in the soundcard (back of PC) or in the front of the PC

All seems normal. I’m more than certain this is a Windows ‘issue’ more so than a n-Track problem, but just wondering if anyone has come across it before? PC details are: Intel i7 860 with an onboard soundcard running Windows 7. Sorry, don’t know the soundcard details.

Thx
Cov.

3

It could be that your sound card is not a duplex card ( capable of playing and recording at the same time.) I am presuming that the N_Track Menu Preferences > Audio is set to Line Out ( the correct sound card). Are you trying to listen to one track while you record a new track to go along with it?

4

its the sound card is the problem you can replace it or upgrade

5

Get an audio interface, then you can monitor directly off it plus use ASIO drivers.

6

Thanks guys. Sorry, but what’s an “Audio Interface” & what are “ASIO” drivers. Apolpgies, I’m new to this.

7

Hi,

Windows has two mixers a “record” and a “play” one. To hear your input when you record you need to have your soundcard record source presumably Line or Mic faded up and not muted in the “play” mixer.
Nick

8
Quote: (louncov @ Jun. 23 2011, 7:28 PM)

Thanks guys. Sorry, but what's an "Audio Interface" & what are "ASIO" drivers. Apolpgies, I'm new to this.

An Audio Interface is a posh name for a soundcard.... but usually one that's geared towards audio/recording.
Nowadays they tend to be external, with a USB or Firewire connection.

As for your problem, this is very common.
I expect your soundcard is capable of doing this but I'm not familiar with Windows 7 enough to be specific.
On XP you need to open up the mixer (noting that there are two mixers as stated above) and make sure that your playback mixer has Line-in enabled/un-muted etc.

I've not used this technique for ages though as I monitor through a mixer.
Many Audio Interfaces also have a facility for direct monitoring as well.
What this means is that your headphones/speakers are plugged into the mixer/interface rather than the PC.

You could try the LIVE button in n-track but it used to be very crashy (not tried it for ages), and then you enter into a whole new world of latency.
9

And ASIO drivers are a category of software drivers that your soundcard may (or may not) provide. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Stream_Input/Output). Developed originally by Steinburg they are generally good for low-latency (a whole new subject) but don’t worry about that now. You need to get your monitoring working first.

10

OK, I’m on a win7 box for a few mins.

Click on the speaker in the task tray (near clock)

Click on Mixer

Double click the “System sounds” icon (well that’s what it is on this PC)

Click on the “recording” tab.

Double click "Line in"

Select the “Listen” tab

Tick the “listen through this device” box

That should do it

11

Hi Mark,

Good reply from you about this problem, it sounds like that should fix it.

I have no experience of Windows 7 but it looks like my stock reply is not applicable to Windows 7.

Nick

12

Hi Nick,

Yeah, I’ve only got XP and Vista at home but I’ve used Win7 at work. Your info was on the right track I think, but Win7 seems to package it all up differently.

Anyway, louncov, keen to hear if you got this working. Let us know.

13

Thanks everyone. I finally found where the setting was & Mark A was right on the nose! God, I hate windows. A simple checkbox has been giving me grief for the last 3 days! Thanks again.

14

Thanks everyone. I finally found where the setting was & Mark A was right on the nose! God, I hate windows. A simple checkbox has been giving me grief for the last 3 days! Thanks again

15
Quote: (louncov @ Jun. 25 2011, 1:36 AM)

Thanks everyone. I finally found where the setting was & Mark A was right on the nose! God, I hate windows. A simple checkbox has been giving me grief for the last 3 days! Thanks again

Excellent. :D

Happy tracking. Don't forget to post some of your music. : -)