I bought a Peavey Vypyr-75 a couple weeks ago and for the most part this amp has surpassed my expectations in almost every way. Everything from sound quality to the wide range of effects it has and extra features this amp is great. However I'm having a major issue when trying to record with the USB interface.

When I hook the amp to my computer through the USB the quality of sound coming through the ReValver program to my computer is absolutely horrible. Not even close to being recordable and for several reasons.

-There is an enormous amount of scratchy static when plucking the strings. This happens with any model or channel selected. There's so much static you can barely hear notes played over a loud fuzz and hissing sound.

-Theres a 1-2 second delay from time playing a chord to the time it registers on the computer program. I don't know if this is normal but I haven't seen anyone else with this problem shouldn't it be played instantly?

-The sound overall is extremely quiet. Even amp volume turned up half way it's very quiet coming out of my speakers with my computer system volume at 100%.

My computer is new (Quad core q6600, 4 gigs ram, Abit IP35-E motherboard and Vista 64.) I tried experimenting with 3 of the 4 audio device options: directsound, MME, WDMKS (ASIO shows a blank) all 3 emmit the above mentioned problems.

The instruction manual bundled with the CD isn't any help it doesn't even mention USB as an option for input. Other Vypyr owners seem to be having success with their USB recording. Can someone please assist me with what it is I might be doing wrong?

----------I have edited my own post to correct some inacuracies---------------



Castin,

I do have the 75W model as well, and so far my only complain is the hum. I have recorded using the USB interface on a laptop with Vista using the Ripper program (evaluation version) posted on Peavey's web site (it also comes in the included CD I believe). Once you install it, on its first run, if you are connected to the internet, it prompts you upgrade to a newer release, 2.51 I believe. I did the upgrade. You have 30 days to use the software.

These are the steps I followed:
1.- Insert USB into amp and then on PC (on first installation, drivers are installed automatically)
2.- Launch Ripper.
3.- Insert a new track.
4.- Arm the track for recording
5.- Click on Record button

I did get good sound quality recording.

Yesterday in a quick-and-dirty way I did the following:

6.- In addition to the steps above, I inserted another track in Ripper with an MP3 (Comfortably numb backing track)
7.- Recorded the first solo on the first track.

2-second delay

If I monitor the recording through the PC, then there is a delay, not 2 second, but long enough to disrupt your playing. This is not uncommon in other recording softwares such as Audacity and Cakewalk. This is similar to what happens to live TV in a PVR (TiVo): is always a bit behind

In order to compensate for this:

1.- Arm the track for recording
2.- Mute the track
3.- Monitor your playing by connecting the headphones to the amp, not to the PC.

If you want to play with a backing track, or play different tracks yourself, then do this:

1.- Un-mute all "playback" tracks (all tracks except the one you are recording)
2.- Mute the track you are recording
3.- Run a cable from PC line-out to amp "aux"
4.- Connect the headphones to your amp, not to your PC.
5.- Adjust volume of backing track and guitar
6.- Monitor the VU in Ripper, you don't want to saturate the channel. Make sure it flirts with -3db. Do let it go above 0.

Play and have fun.

Now, after you've finished recording, when you playback the mix, you may still need to adjust the volume, you may also add other effects, such as reverb, phase, etc, but most importantly, the tracks will be out of sync.

You need now to slightly move the tracks to sync them all to the down beat or back beat, or whatever you decide. The difference is typically minor (less than half a second). This is typical of all recording softwares I've used

Try with Ripper. I have not tried revalver. Maybe the problem if with the software settings. Is the gain too high? Recording level too high? That may cause what you just described.



I agree something should have been mentioned in the manual, but in fact, there's not much to talk about other than "plug into your PC's USB jack" The rest applies to the recording software. It is really plug-and-play.



Sure. Let me know. I have played a bit with Ripper, just for a couple of hours last night, but it seems awfully similar to Cakewalk, which I had used in the past.

You may also need to go to the control panel and adjust the input level of the "recording devices".

Hope this helps. If it doesn't, please let me know.

LB

I followed your much appreciated advice and recorded with Reaper instead of ReValver, and sound quality is significantly better using Reaper. But there is still a VERY noticable static hiss every time I play a note. It's not as bad as was with ReValver but seems like it shouldn't be this low quality. I don't think this is normal. It should sound a little better than this.

Also there is still a delay of about 0.3 seconds. MUCH better than the 1.5 sec delay with ReValver but you mentioned this was expected. Especially when recording music perfect timing and being in sync with the background is a big deal so 0.3 seconds is alot. I haven't had time to figure out how to hook my PC up to my amp/headphones jack like you said. I think I need purchasing of extra cables. (Doesn't the vypyr USB cable also send a reverse signal so I wouldn't need any?)

I'm still skeptical about the quality of sound I'm recieving in Reaper. Maybe I need another program. You mentioned Audacity and Cakewalk. Do these programs resolve the delay problem? What about the static problem? Also when you use Reaper..Do you get a loud static noise every time you strike a chord?

I'm thinking of exchanging my amp at guitar city for another one, not just for this issue and because no one else seems to be getting USB static bad like me, but also because the case makes a rattling sound when turning up the volume.

I imagine when you were recording using the revalver as a plugin or standalone modeler that it was trying to put some models on top of the models you were using, so that would pretty much = garbage tone. Just a guess.

_________________
Creativity is doing something weird and finding out others like it!

Good to hear there was at least some improvement.



Could it be the noise introduced by the noise gate? Have you noticed whether the same hiss can be heard when you are playing without the USB cabled plugged into the amp? Is it a background hiss or are the notes distorted?

I'd recommend doing the initial tests using a clean amp and no effects. I'd also turn reverb and delay off.



Yes, the delay would be there if you monitor your playing through th PC. I can't play anything with that delay. This is the reason I suggested monitoring through the amp, where you will get no delay. All you need (assuming your PC has a standard 1/8" stereo jack, the same as marked "auxiliary" on the amp) is a $3.95 cable you can find at BestBuy or Radio Shack. The length would depend on how far is your amp from your PC.

As far as I know, no. The Vypyr implements an interfce that the PC recognizes as a "microphone" and sets it up as "recording device". Obviously, you cannot use a mic as a speaker, so you can't send audio back.



I have not tried USB recording in depth. I did it the first day I bought the amp just to see if it worked, and then again last night to answer your post in more detail, but have not really analyzed in details. In retrospect, I think I could agree with you regarding the scratchy sounds at the end of the notes. I'll try again today and maybe post some recording.

Audacity is a fantastic audio editor, and best of all, t's free. You can do an enormous amount of editing with it. My daughter and I have had a lot of fun recording multiple tracks, mixing, etc.

MusicCreator 4 (which is the right name of the consumer version of the product) is a commercial consumer-oriented software by Cakewalk, a company that specializes in professional recording software. The latest version is $39.99 download at their web site. No evaluation version AFAIK. I realy like MusicCreator (I have version 3 which is not Vista compatible) but in a sense is very similar to Reapper and appears to have pretty much a similar featureset.

I'll do some comparissons today -if I have time- between the three and will let yuo know the results.



If I were you, I'd wait a bit for others to chime in. I'll do more tests today.

Hope this helps.

LB

Never used revalver, but this makes a lot of sense.