Increase line Level volume

[jknight]

Hi all. My Media Center computer has a spectrum analyzer in the front, which I want to use. I ran a line from my pre-out on my Reciever to the line-in on my sound card. I turned up all the line-in volumes I could find in the windows and sound card screens, but the spectrum analyzer barely shows a blip. It does work, but acts like everything I play is very quiet. Is there a program or something I can use to bump up the volume on the line-input? I hope I explained everything well. Thanks for your help. - Jeff

[jknight]

No thoughts, anyone?

[davideck]

Try a "tape-out" from the receiver instead. The Pre-Out is most likely after the volume control.

[jknight]

Thanks. Do the tape-out ports carry a signal, even if the receiver is not on the Tape source and is on the DVD or Audio1 source? If so, then I will give it a try.

[edDV]

What is the source? If off air AC3 with ~90dB dynamic range, you may have to wait for the explosions to see your blip. That and compressed commercials.

[jknight]

The source is mostly DVD's, some being AC3, and others compressed with DIVX, and MP3's as well.

[davideck]

Do the tape-out ports carry a signal, even if the receiver is not on the Tape source and is on the DVD or Audio1 source?

Yes. Tape-Out is a line level output suitable for recording.

[edDV]

The source is mostly DVD's, some being AC3, and others compressed with DIVX, and MP3's as well.

How about a normal audio CD? A commercial one.
That should be the middle case for levels. You should see a CDA register on the graphs.

[jknight]

Thanks. I will give it a try.

[jknight]

edDV, I never tried a normal Audio CD. But if the line-out on the reciever are tied to volume, then it does not surprise me that the levels would be low, since volume is probably normally at 10% of maximum or so. I will try the Tape-out and if that does not work, try an audio CD.

Thanks for the help, guys.

[edDV]

Sometimes line out follows volume, most times it is nomial. Some receivers and TV sets that have audio line out have menu settings for nominal vs variable. Most output nominal levels regardless of volume setting.

[jknight]

Hmm. I have a Pioneer 1014TX which is a decent receiver. I wonder if it is nominal then, and that tape out will be no different than the pre-outs. Well, I shall find out when I try it.

[davideck]

Pre-Out => variable Preamp output to Power Amp input
Tape-Out => fixed output to Tape Deck for recording
Line-Out => fixed or variable output to wherever...

[jknight]

I am probably getting my terms confused. I used the 5.1 pre-outs (are they not also line-outs?) that you would hook to an amp for the speakers.

[edDV]

I am probably getting my terms confused. I used the 5.1 pre-outs (are they not also line-outs?) that you would hook to an amp for the speakers.

Those usually are fixed level and don't respond to volume levels. AC-3 and DTS decoded 5.1 have very wide dynamic range. That means normal conversation will be very soft. The headroom is used for the special effects noises/blasts.

You can't have "theater" sound without wide dynamic range.

[jknight]

My whole issue, is that at the loud part of a movie, my spectrum analyzer gets a little blip, like 1-2 bars out of 16 or so. The rest of the time it is blank. So it is definately too low, for whatever reason.

[davideck]

I am probably getting my terms confused. I used the 5.1 pre-outs (are they not also line-outs?) that you would hook to an amp for the speakers.

Those usually are fixed level and don't respond to volume levels.

Preamp outputs are intended to feed external Power Amplifiers. They do respond to the Volume control.

[jknight]

I just tested it out. On my receiver, it appears that the preamp outs are connected to the volume. That is where I have my subwoofer connected and volume does affect it. Also, I turned up the volume a lot and the spectrum analyzer did show more activity. I hooked it up to the CD out and VCR out, and got no signal at all on those,no matter how loud the volume. I cannot find anything in the instructions on how to adjust these. I did find I can turn down the db for each speaker, so I turned them all down, and now have to turn the volume up on the receiver to get the same loudness and the spectrum analyzer is better. Still not where I want it. I wonder why I get nothing on the CD and DVD line-outs. I will have to investigate further. Have not tried a CD yet, either.

[edDV]

Maybe the power amp is turned up too high forcing the volume at the pre-amp to be set low. Try turning up the pre-amp until you get meter activity and turn down the speaker amp.

[jknight]

I don't think I have any control over the pre-amp level, other than what the standard volume control gives me.

[edDV]

Are you driving the speakers off the sound card? Isn't there a volume control on the speaker amp?

[jknight]

Here is my setup. I have a Media Center PC with my audio/video and the front has a display that shows info as well as the spectrum analyzer. The music is sent to the amp over a Spdif. The software that drive the display cannot sample against the spdif. So I bring the line in from the receiver back to the computer, and have the software sample against the line-in on the sound card. Does that explain it well?

[edDV]

Yes but I can't help further. If you are happy with speaker volume, you may need another amp just to drive the equalizer display .

[jknight]

i really appreciate your help. - jeff

[davideck]

I hooked it up to the CD out and VCR out, and got no signal at all on those,no matter how loud the volume. I cannot find anything in the instructions on how to adjust these.

Your Receiver does not convert its digital inputs to analog record outputs. You should be able to get an analog record output from the analog inputs, but that does not help with your SPDIF input...

[jknight]

Davideck, yea, I read that in my manual last night.

Well, inspired by edDV, I found a small amplifier at Radio Shack for $13, and hooked it up, and it works well, so I am all set. Thanks for all your help. - Jeff