Distortion problems with Reaper - please help

[morningbakery]

Hi guys,

So everything worked fine until I bought a new soundcard today. Roland Quad-Capture. Now I have distortion problems starting at -4.87 db. Before I was using my M-Audio Fast Track Pro soundcard. Then everything was fine!

So now I have distortion problems. Why? Have deinstalled the driver of Roland Quad-Capture and gotten the newest one. Still problems. Erased everything related to Roland Quad-Capture and still problems - but now also with M-Audio Fast Track Pro!

The reason for me buying a new soundcard was that the old one was not very reliable, the hole you plug in the headphone was not working all the time. Some times I could not here anything in my headphones.

Feel so stupid now. Why do I get this problem?

Many thanks for all help.

[morningbakery]

Guess I should add, the problem is only appearing when using Reaper.

No problems when listening to Youtube for example.

[ponk]

Your username is distracting - want to help, but keep thinking about espresso, croissants and danish pastry Can't see how Reaper can distort at < 0db - what are you playing, and what is the meter reading on the master track? Also, you keep referring to the headphone monitor jack - do you have anything on the master outs, and if so, how does that sound? As an experiment, disconnect all external audio, set your OS and Reaper to the internal device, and see what happens.As always, more detail would help - what is your OS, what are the audio settings in Reaper, what version of Reaper, what are you playing back, can you upload an example? Keep an open mind while troubleshooting, Reaper doesn't distort at < 0db.

Hope this helps!

[morningbakery]

Hehe I can follow our thought!

Will try my best to answer but I am a beginner so not sure if I have understood all.

1. All recorded tracks were ok when I did them originally. No distortion on the tracks, I even had to add a few dB to them as the input guitar actually was a bit too low. But not much and below Reapers level of distortion. Have only recorded acoustic guitar and added midi percussion.

2. What does this question mean: "What is the meter reading on the master track?". Does it refer to the level of volume of he master level? "There it says Volume: -4.52 dB."

3. What does this question mean: "Do you have anything on the master outs, and if so, how does that sound?"

4. I disconnected all external device trying to hear if there are any differences. But no. It all sounds the same regardless if I use the new or my old soundcard, just using the original soundcard with "Direct Sound" of my computer or listening through the ASIO4ALL.

5. I have a Samsung NP900X3D, Windows 8.1, 64-Bit, Reaper v4.76/x64. Tried with both the 32-Bit and 64-Bit of Reaper but no difference.

6. Can not upload anything at the moment, but the sound problem is exactly the same as would I had increased the master level too much. That I did in the past to add more volume to the track but had not in this case as mentioned. For this reason I must remain having low volume

It all really started yesterday when I installed the driver of my new soundcard. This has then been deleted, but the problem persists. Guess in the end, there may only be the solution of reinstalling Windows and all software. But then it would be the same situation again I believe if I would want to buy a new soundcard some time.

Appreciate all help - have absolutely no idea where this problem originates from.

[morningbakery]

Should also add, that I have reinstalled all drivers:

- Old soundcard driver
- New soundcard driver
- The soundcard driver of my computer from the Samsung website

[morningbakery]

So here a short update. Managed to get around the whole problem: reinstalled Windows.

Now things work smooth again. No distortion. I suspect that my computer has a problem with Windows 8.1 (that I upgraded to having had Windows 8.0 pre-installed on my computer when I got it). Now I am downgraded at 8.0 which suits me perfectly.

The new soundcard is also doing its job.

Man I feel relieved!

Thanks ponk for trying to help. Means a lot when you are stuck in a bad situation. Will bring you some danish pastry one day!