Help with Audio Interface for Windows 10 Laptop

I bought a calibrated USB microphone to use with TrueRTA but I was told that laptop sound cards are useless so I need a way for the mic and RTA to 'hear' each other. I was told I need a USB soundcard or an interface to get things working.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Please help me find a 'cheap' device.

TIA

 

An obvious first imho is to plugin the USB mic.
If Win recognize it as a recording device I wonder what your problem is.

 

Laptop soundcards are not great for playing music. I believe they are more than adequate for taking measurements. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I've never heard any evidence of that.

 

I'm not familiar with TrueRTA, but from what I see online it works similarly to REW with which I am familiar. You plug the microphone into a USB jack on your laptop. Your laptop should recognize it and install necessary drivers. The analog output from the laptop is connected to an input on the sound system you wish to measure; you may need a 1/8"-to-dual RCA cable for this. Using the software, you generate test tones that are measured by the microphone. You should already have all you need.

 

Sound devices USB Pre 2 is what you are looking for. Practically made for precise sound measurement.

 

$895
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBPre2--sound-devices-usbpre-2

 

I didn’t see that you already have the USB microphone. What I suggested is for regular xlr balanced mics.

 

P.S. AFAIK, a USB mic contains its own A-to-D converter, so it presents digital data to the USB bus. The sound card in your laptop is not used, and there is no need for a better one when using a USB measurement mic.

 

Thanks, I was running a USB cable into my DAC, instead I'll try using the headphone jack and RCAs into my preamp and see if that works.

I get sound from my system when using the signal generator on RTA but the mic isn't registering any sound input on the RTA program. The mic is identified by RTA and uses its calibration code but it acts like it doesn't hear anything from my speakers and turning up the volume does nothing.

 

Thanks,

I read that on the Parts Express description and I was surprised it didn't work well even though I use the mic as the default recording device and my computer says it is fully functional and I allow all apps to use it.

REW doesn't recognize the mic despite taking the steps they suggested which is kinda' weird.

There's a disconnect somewhere and I need to find the problem.

 

If you're using REW, the AV Nirvana forums are a center of information and support. I suggest you ask there.

 

100%. If you're using a USB mic you are not using your laptop's sound card.

 

On your Windows screen in the bottom right corner on the taskbar there should be a loudspeaker symbol, probably next to the current date. Right click that symbol, you should get a context menu offering amongst others a mixer and "audio settings" (or similar, I'm translating literally from the German version of Windows, the exact wording on the American version might differ). This brings up the audio section of the Windows control panel. The microphone should be available in "input devices", and preferrably selected. There is also a function "device properties", which brings up a dialogue window with various settings for all the audio devices installed in the system. Look around there if you find something obvious.

 

Thanks for your time to answer. I went through that process and everything worked except for the mic hearing my speakers. Computers. Plug N' Play. Hogwash.

 

Thanks for your suggestion!!!!!

 

I just bought one of these things at a low cost that should, I hope, get the ball rolling.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0023BYDHK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1