To improve the sound of the PRIME X299-DELUXE video card?

[Adriano Moroni]

I'm sorry but I don't understand. Those 2 files are 48K.

[Paul R Johnson]

On the audio clip, you went over level - hitting 0dB at 17 seconds - so it's too hot, and the level will probably distort equipment incapable of handling it. In terms of signal to noise there are no issues and the frequency response is fine - plenty of top and and controlled bass.

In the video clip, you just have the balance wrong - the background is too loud and the contents of the track are in the same area, so voices blurr together. You can sort this by lowering the background level, and perhaps using some eq to lower the levels in the 300-3500Hz range so the voice over can sitt in the gap a bit better. Nothing I can hear tells me the souncard/on board sound is having any impact on what we can hear - it's luckily just your monitoring which I suspect may well just be your speakers more than the sound chipset.

[Adriano Moroni]

Paul, you are right. But I'm not a fool who doesn't understand this. I had to take a filter out on the audio on the Edius 9 timenile and without that filter the volume of the voice went down. I did that test only to check the voice.
Anyway I thank you.

[Richard Crowley]

I agree with @Paul R Johnson. I listened to both clips. Thank you for posting them.
The narration clip sounds fine to me. Very well done. Professional quality with no issues.
The video clip does seem like the ambient sounds are mixed too high, compared to the narration and the music.

Perhaps the problem is with your monitoring system?
It takes a good monitor system to produce a good mix.
Have you positioned you speakers properly to avoid acoustic problems?
Problems like lower frequencies (bass notes) building up in corners and producing a false result.
Some speakers have switches or adjustments to compensate for various placements.

Perhaps study some examples of how to properly set up your monitoring/mixing station.
And play some known examples of music or sound tracks so that you "calibrate" your ear to your speakers.

Play your video/mix on other systems. Listen in a good theater if possible.
And then compare how it sounds in a theater to how it sounds in your mixing setup.
That will help "calibrate" what you are hearing while editing and mixing to what it will sound to audiences.

[Adriano Moroni]

Richard, I repeat: I had to take a filter out on the audio on the Edius 9 timenile and without that filter the volume of the voice went down. For that reason you hear a bad mix. I did that test only to check the voice.
Anyway I thank you.

PS: Out of curiosity:
do you think a DAC like it could be useful to me or it is so cheap and it is better to use the integrated audio card in Asus PRIME X299-DELUXE?
Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100
thank you!

[Paul R Johnson]

the Cambridge unit is a fine device FOR HI-FI PEOPLE. For us, who are very interested in recording, a device that cannot have microphones plugged into it is flawed. We never give it a mention here - just the wrong product for anyone who has to record, and I suspect at some time, you will need to. Search this forum and you will see all sorts of popular interfaces, the Cambridge doesn't feature.

You still can't quite get to grips with your 'quality' assessment. Clearly the quality you can create inside the machine is fine - your issue is monitoring quality. Could be the chip, but frankly I suspect you just have poor speakers. Do you have any high quality headphones you can use to assess what comes out of the computer? Or can you connect the speaker system to a know quality CD/audio player you trust.

I don't think we can help further without being in your room.

Why don't you go to the German Thomann website and look at their range of interfaces - in your price range there are quite a few, but be prepared for the price you pay being spent firmly on the recording side - the replay side being fairly straightforward and very good in virtually every unit, including the cheaper ones.

[Adriano Moroni]

Thanks for your interesting info. A last question please:
Cosa ne pensate di questo Focusrite, Scarlett 2I2 2Nd Generation?

What is your thought about this DAC?
Focusrite, Scarlett 2I2 2Nd Generation

I have a Sony 65 "TV with a 5.1 system from Bose. They are 10 years old speakers with the 2 satellites + 1 central speaker and 2 rear speakers. All driven by the Onkyo TX-NR545 amplifier (much more recent). If I had to add that DAC I posted above, would the audio gain quality? I don't watch TV programs but only my dicumentaries with the narrative voice on.
Thanks again for your welcome info.

[Richard Crowley]

The Scarlett 2i2 is a very popular audio interface capable of fully professional results.

However, I would not expect that changing the DAC in your monitor system will produce significant improvement or even perceptible difference. It is MUCH MUCH more likely that the speakers themselves are the limiting factor and not the DAC or amplifier.

The Bose speakers would be good for checking your mix to hear what consumer video systems will hear. But they are NOT suitable for actually creating the mix. Bose speakers are not noted for their uniform frequency response.

The more we hear about your situation, it sounds like you may simply need better speakers for your editing system. And remember that the physical configuration and the acoustical properties of your editing station are also important to your ability. Where you place your speakers relative to where you sit. And the nature of the walls around and behind you.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Most people including myself would use headphones for this type of work. Why don’t you use headphones?
If or when you do use headphones does this problem exist?

You also suggest that your video editing software is causing this, if this is the case you should use a better editing software or at least use a separate audio editing software to make the sound mix.

Also, even good quality mainstream sound systems color the sound like add more bass because that’s what consumers enjoy . That’s why they sell speakers designed for monitoring.

What other people were saying external audio interfaces are used for recording and if your outsourcing the VO work... but it sounds like you’re convinced that you need an external digital to analog convertor, so buy what fits your budget and let us know how it turns out.

[Adriano Moroni]

Hey, I think you don't understand my question for my bad english. My question doesn't refer to video editing but when I watch my videos on TV.
I wrote:
I have a Sony 65" TV with a 5.1 system from Bose. They are 10 years old speakers with the 2 satellites + 1 central speaker and 2 rear speakers. All driven by the Onkyo TX-NR545 amplifier (much more recent). If I had to add that DAC I posted above, would the audio gain quality? I don't watch TV programs but only my dicumentaries with the narrative voice on.
Thanks again for your welcome info.

[Paul R Johnson]

Hang on? We're talking about watching videos on a TV set, with a 5.1 system?

Not really our thing - but Bose is never known for being universally appreciated - it has a characteristic sound, all of its own and like Marmite, you love it or hate it - but few people would ever produce audio using Bose as monitors speakers, because truthful, they are not!

However, I suspect that your mixing issues are due to poor handling of the 5.1 coding. I've been mixing in stereo for years and cannot produce good 5.1 mixes that also work in stereo. Often voices in the centre channel are too loud, too soft, and it's important to band limit these.

As we cannot hear what you hear - how can we help? We are guessing? You still have not told us what the quality issue is - noise - distortion - clarity - frequency response.


Sorry, but it's still not at all clear what your actual problem is? You mentioned editing software - so we all thought you had issues with the editing software on the edit machine going into loudspeakers. Now it's turned into a hifi system connected to a TV???

[Adriano Moroni]

Before we talked about another topic related to Edius 9 and the PC. Now let's talk about a different topic and that is the audio system on TV.

It is hard to tell in english about my issue. With one word I can tell as music, as sound effects and narrative voice on are all kneaded. They are not clear. The voice has to stand out but it is not in this way.

In both ways I have the same problem.

[Paul R Johnson]

Is this a fault, or just a sound you don't like? I do not think we can help - if it is distorted, we could help. Same with the other faults, but "they are not clear" this makes no sense? Sorry.

[Patrick Tracy]

Originally Posted by Adriano Moroni

All driven by the Onkyo TX-NR545 amplifier (much more recent).

I connect my computer by HDMI to my receiver's HDMI input and the receiver functions as the DAC. HDMI carries both audio and video.

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

Is this a fault, or just a sound you don't like? I do not think we can help - if it is distorted, we could help. Same with the other faults, but "they are not clear" this makes no sense? Sorry.

Me neither Paul....Ugh..... BTW, I’ve been using an External PRESONUS Box like since forever. Less than £80 and takes a Mic and another input. XLR&1/4 jacks combo INs. I have it tethered to an ancient, now discontinued 10 CH Behringer EuroRack Mixer - nice. Prior to this S/N was rubbish from my internal, -35dB, on a good day. Now I can achieve -75 dB about as best I can get, I’m happy. V/O and Radio3 sounds stunning on my Maudio monitors.

Hum loop back is a reet real PITA. Added to which much of our households use PowerLine adaptors which can add even more sauce to the mix. I had my Modem nearby and that leaks like a colander which has had and extra peppering of buckshot.

Oh yes, nearly forgot, I recently downloaded a Software Oscilloscope meant for analysing Wave Forms. I’ve been using it since my 5” analogue CRT Sillyscopen went to meet its Making. I’m sooooo sad. But hey, I can now Lock and Trap and do other amazing Digital analysis with this Freebie.

Laters Gators - G