Stereo Mix - Horrible sound, please help!

I'm having the exact same issue as this post, which was not solved...

i got a another problem with stereo mix. (win7)

Bascially, if I try to record through stereo mix (for podcasts or live recording over the internet) There is a horrible white noise, pulsating, echoing sound that gets louder and louder and doesn't stop. Stereo mix is set to default device, obviously, and my speakers are the default playback device, everything else is disabled.

It did not use to do this, so i'm not sure what is causing it.

I checked all the properties and its all at default settings. If I check listen to device and hit apply, I can hear the sound that keeps pulsating/echoing faster and faster until I uncheck it and it apply again. (I only checked it to see if the sound would play which it does).

I have looked all over the internet to try and solve this issue and have not gotten one step closer to solving this. Hopefully someone here can figure this out!

My goal is to record music while people watch what I am doing on my desktop. They do not have an audio feed coming to me so that is not the problem, I am the sole broadcaster.

Thank you in advanced! I eagerly await someones response.

Roughknite said:

I'm having the exact same issue as this post, which was not solved...

i got a another problem with stereo mix. (win7)

Bascially, if I try to record through stereo mix (for podcasts or live recording over the internet) There is a horrible white noise, pulsating, echoing sound that gets louder and louder and doesn't stop. Stereo mix is set to default device, obviously, and my speakers are the default playback device, everything else is disabled.

What you've described is "Feedback".
Let's not change too many things at once.

Things to check:

Single left click on the Stereo Mix icon then select "Properties".
Go to the Listen Tab.

Uncheck "Listen to This Device". (if it is checked) Reboot, test record.

If not that-

Same procedure as above but select the "levels" tab.
Reduce the record level to 15, reboot, test record.

If none of that works go to Playback Devices and select Speakers, then properties, go to the Enhancements tab and disable ALL effects.

You could also be getting feedback from the Realtek "Environments"
This is basically a hardware/software Reverb system to simulate "space". It can feedback upon itself if the levels are too high.

Ap

thx for your tips, I tried everything you mentioned except the effects for the speakers because I do not have an enhancement tab, unlike that other post that was having the same issue i'm just using Soundmax intergrated audio.

Roughknite said:

thx for your tips, I tried everything you mentioned except the effects for the speakers because I do not have an enhancement tab, unlike that other post that was having the same issue i'm just using Soundmax intergrated audio.

You mentioned "Rcording For Podcasts" what are you using to record...
(an internal mic, external Mic?)


We don't have any idea of your system, what you're using to record or any other details so it's pretty much guessing at this point.

Do you have a laptop, desktop?

Does the Soundmax device have a control configuration panel?

Ap

Actually im not recording voice, just music from itunes for example, so I would be using the stereo mix to catch the music playing. And no, the audio does not have a control panel because its an on-board audio card by Dell. It is a desktop pc about 6 years old, 2.8 ghz, 3g RAM. speakers are only audio device, no headphones/microphones or anything...

Roughknite said:

Actually im not recording voice, just music from itunes for example, so I would be using the stereo mix to catch the music playing. And no, the audio does not have a control panel because its an on-board audio card by Dell. It is a desktop pc about 6 years old, 2.8 ghz, 3g RAM. speakers are only audio device, no headphones/microphones or anything...

By control panel, I meant software control panel... almost every internal audio system does.

Open the Windows Control panel and see if there's anything there. Also, look at your installed program list (All Programs) and see if there's a Soundmax folder.

Ap

I understand that you meant software control panel, unfortunately it has no such thing. All I have to work with is the standard windows 7 audio setup to manage the audio.

Roughknite said:

I understand that you meant software control panel, unfortunately it has no such thing. All I have to work with is the standard windows 7 audio setup to manage the audio.

One last question, does this feedback sound record when something different (like Win Media Player) is playing back music.

It sound's like the audio playing back is getting caught in a loop.

If you go here:

Right click the MS speaker icon in the Taskbar, select playback devices, single click select "Speakers" (the default playback device) then select "properties".

Go to the "Levels" tab.

How many level sliders do you have... some of them are monitoring inputs, you might want to bring some of those down, experiment.

Backup, instead of selecting properties select the "Configure" button, make sure you're set to Stereo.

I could be mistaken but your original description sounds like feedback, the kind where a recording device is picking up and looping the sound of the original recorded material.

I wonder if there's a driver update for that hardware, Vista drivers usually work.

Ap

I'll try that as soon as I can thanks, i'll get back to you. It does have multiple sliders, and if I play something in WMP it does get caught up in the loop as well. So i'll give that a shot and make sure it's in stereo as well.

I am running an Intel Core-i7 2.80 on a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard, with onboard sound. I discovered that if the Loudness option is selected within the Realtek Sound Manager, I get incredible white noise. Unchecking this makes the noise go away. Also, if any features are enabled, or the environment is set to anything BUT Generic, I receive a hollow echo, and if the volume is high enough, feedback (no microphone on my system). And, there is more; I HAVE to set the encoder rate to CD (44,100Hz). If I set it to DVD quality (48,000Hz), all kinds of noise, pops and problems occur. I am considering uninstalling the Realtek HD Audio Manager, and just downloading and installing the Realtek driver-only option, since I am forced to disable all the options available within the manager. I'll post my results here if it makes any difference.