Kaossilator Feedback Issues

g10tto · Post by **g10tto** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:40 pm

I bought my Kaossilator brand new a few days ago and got some line-out cords to hook into my laptop PC's Mic Input jack through an adapter.

Currently, I'm playing with Acoustica's Mixcraft software, because it has lots of fun looping effects, but also because it seems to be the only software that lets me adjust the buffers, bit depth, and sample rate.

I tried to tweak these settings because the Kaoss' input volume seems to be on full blast and I can't change it, even with the volume knob on the pad itself. Overall, the sounds I get have lots of feedback and tend to sound scratchy and overblown.

The worst part is when trying to layer different sounds on the pad; almost instantly it will go straight into a high-pitched relapse.

No tweaking of the aforementioned settings seems to alleviate the crappy sound quality.

Is there a proper setting or program for recording with Kaossilator?

Thanks!

salamanderanagram · Post by **salamanderanagram** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:48 pm

sounds like you should contact korg customer support.

g10tto · Post by **g10tto** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:51 pm

In the meantime, what could help with this issue?

I'm not a sound tech guy, but couldn't the number of buffers, the bit depth, sample rate, or buffer size have something to do with it?

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:23 pm

There is probably nothing wrong on the Kaossilator side. The volume knob only controls the headphone level, not the output level. The Kaossilator outputs a line level signal. A line level signal is much higher voltage output than a mic output.

If your computer is expecting a mic input level, but receives a line input level, you will get much of the behavior you describe because you are overloading the input and the signal is being clipped.

You probably have the Kaossilator hooked up to the pink mic input plug instead of the light blue line input plug.

Then you can go to Control Panel to adjust the Line In recording/input level.

g10tto · Post by **g10tto** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:35 pm

That makes sense.

However, my laptop only has a mic input as far as I can tell.

Is the line input some shape other than a small circle that something like a different size headphone jack might fit into?

Do I need some line input adapter to make this work?

If not, what might be some guidelines for adjusting the input level aside from adjusting volume?

I thought the latency settings had something to do with reducing feedback.

Thanks!!![/list]

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:30 am

Go to Control Panel Sounds and Audio and lower the recording level for the input. If you only have one input, it should only show one.

There can't be any feedback due to a Kaossilator. It doesn't have an input, only outputs. Feedback requires a loop from some output back to some input.

If there's feedback, it has to be elsewhere. It's very possible that your Mixcraft software has been misconfigured in a manner that causes feedback. Shut down the software and try recording from the Kaossilator using the Sound Recorder accessory in Windows. Sound Recorder is too stupid to allow feedback. That will also help to isolate the problem.

Also, does everything sound ok using headphones plugged directly into the Kaossilator headphone jack? The volume control definitely should work in that case.

bsmith · Post by **bsmith** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:06 pm

Try using a mini to mini line from the headphone out on the ko-1 to your laptop mic input and then you can use the volume on the kaos unit to make it less hot...