Uncontrollable input level on line-in of Realtek AC'97 audio

[Bachie]

WindowsXP Home Sp2 with updates
Realtek AC'97 drivers 5820 (before 5760 and earlier), MS XP certified
Mobo MSI 865PE Neo2-V Rev. 2
Music Cleaning Lab de Luxe 2003

Trying to record and cleanup some old LP's using Music Cleaning Lab.
Have connected line-out of my NAD amplifier to line-in of my on-board
Realtek AC'97 soundcard.
Problem: I cannot control the line-in signal properly. The input level is
zero with the 'slider' all the way down or the signal is maximal with the
'slider' moved upward by the smallest amount my mouse and I can establish.
With Realtek drivers earlier than 5760 this was still too loud giving
distortion even on mild peaks.
As of driver version 5760, there is no distortion anymore since the newer
software seems to clip all signal properly when reaching more than +0dB.
Still I have no control of the input signal, its all or nothing.
What I tested:
I double-checked I use line-in not microphone-in.
I double-checked line-in is the single input source (no mix with microphone)
I checked that my amp isn't giving of an unusual high lign-out signal by
getting my old cassette-deck from the attic and connecting that to line-in.

The only thing I can think of is getting an even older reel-to-reel
tape-deck from the attic, which has a controllable output level and feed the
signal through that but I really don't want to do that.

Any suggestions ?

One last question: With Realtrek drivers installed the 'mixer' used for
selecting recording and playback sources/levels is the still the default
Windows XP one, right ?


Regards, Ronald

 

[Chuck]

This sounds like:
1. Microphone input instead of line in. (You checked, I know)
or
2.Software driver problem, or conflict with windows vs realtek MBD drivers.

 

[Chris P. [MVP]]

WindowsXP Home Sp2 with updates
Realtek AC'97 drivers 5820 (before 5760 and earlier), MS XP certified
Mobo MSI 865PE Neo2-V Rev. 2
Music Cleaning Lab de Luxe 2003

Trying to record and cleanup some old LP's using Music Cleaning Lab.
Have connected line-out of my NAD amplifier to line-in of my on-board
Realtek AC'97 soundcard.
Problem: I cannot control the line-in signal properly. The input level is
zero with the 'slider' all the way down or the signal is maximal with the
'slider' moved upward by the smallest amount my mouse and I can establish.
With Realtek drivers earlier than 5760 this was still too loud giving
distortion even on mild peaks.
As of driver version 5760, there is no distortion anymore since the newer
software seems to clip all signal properly when reaching more than +0dB.
Still I have no control of the input signal, its all or nothing.
What I tested:
I double-checked I use line-in not microphone-in.
I double-checked line-in is the single input source (no mix with microphone)
I checked that my amp isn't giving of an unusual high lign-out signal by
getting my old cassette-deck from the attic and connecting that to line-in.

The only thing I can think of is getting an even older reel-to-reel
tape-deck from the attic, which has a controllable output level and feed the
signal through that but I really don't want to do that.

Any suggestions ?

The input chip itself could be damaged. These are analog/digital hybrid
chips that use a digitally stepped amplifier. Probably the only workaround
is to drop the input level low enough to prevent distortion during
amplification. If you electronic savy you can make one yourself using a
couple of 1% resistors in series with the L&R channel, I'm guessing
somewhere between 1K and 10K in your case. Or easier is to feed the signal
through a piece of gear that has a gain control.

One last question: With Realtrek drivers installed the 'mixer' used for
selecting recording and playback sources/levels is the still the default
Windows XP one, right ?

Yep, there's only one physical mixer for a device, regardless of what
driver is used.

 

[Ronald]

This sounds like:
1. Microphone input instead of line in. (You checked, I know)

I sort of tripple-double checked. The colour of the 'plug-in hole' matches
the mobo line-in description, the position of the 'hole' matches the mobo
line-in description. The signal responds, uncontrollably, but only to the
line-in slider on the Windows XP mixer panel. So I must be using line-in,
right ?

or
2.Software driver problem, or conflict with windows vs realtek MBD
drivers.

I started with the drivers on the CD of my Mobo, they where updated by MS
Live Update once or twice. These where pre-5760 drivers with distortion. I
upgraded to 5760 from the MSI website and later updated to 5820 from the
Realtek website. I have once or twice 'deleted' the audio device from the
Windows XP config to let XP rediscover the device on next startup. There has
been no indication of a driver conflict.

I cant find any indication supporting your suggestions.

Thx Ronald