Old 05-03-2012, 05:32 PM   #1
Kenten
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Default Problems with Lexicon Alpha

Hello all, this is my first post on these forums.

I am running REAPER on an Acer laptop, 2.3 Ghz processor, 4 Gb ram, Windows 7. My Lexicon Alpha interface does not want to work with REAPER. I stopped using the native ASIO driver that came with the alpha a while ago, as it caused error messages and crashes in REAPER. Instead I have been using ASIO4ALL for about two months now, and at first everything worked perfectly, a huge improvement over the native driver.

But a few weeks ago I started getting problems during playback. There are pops and stutters in the sound, and sometimes there are bursts of loud static. These are frequent enough to make mixing impossible.

If I have the Alpha connected but set the audio device outputs in REAPER to the laptop's built-in speakers, the number of audio glitches is greatly reduced. If the Alpha is not plugged in at all and I use the laptop speakers, there are no glitches at all. However, other programs (itunes, windows media player, firefox) playback through the Alpha with no problems.

Both REAPER's performance meter and Windows' desktop gadget performance meter indicate that my CPU and ram are not stressed during playback.

The first attachment is a screenshot that shows both performance meters during playback. The second attachment shows my audio device settings and ASIO4ALL control panel.

In the buffering submenu, I have thread priority set to time critical, and behavior set to 15 - very aggressive. I don't really understand what these things do, so I don't know if that is relevant.

Does anyone know how I can make this interface work?
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File Type: jpg Playback.jpg (50.0 KB, 630 views)
File Type: jpg Settings.jpg (62.2 KB, 922 views)
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Old 05-10-2012, 04:34 AM   #2
Simonblarkin
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I\m using the Lexicon Omega and have similar problems. Sometimes it works fine then with certain projects it pops and clicks and even emits static noises when in the middle of recording.

I have tried using both the Lexicon asio drivers and asio4all but I get the same thing. If I go to audio devices and open up the asio control panel for whatever driver I am using, the problems disappear for a while.

Sorry I have no helpful advice as yet but at least you know you are not alone. I think it is a driver conflict somewhere. I had a sb audigy before and although I have uninstalled all the drivers I still have the creative asio show up in the audio preferences of Reaper, I have a gut feeling that is part of my problem.
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Old 05-10-2012, 08:56 AM   #3
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Interesting. Your problem sounds very similar to mine, but I have never had any other audio hardware installed on this computer, so maybe that isn't part of the problem.
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Old 05-22-2012, 02:47 PM   #4
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Anyone? Please?
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Old 05-22-2012, 04:51 PM   #5
KevinW
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I use the Lexicon Omega (also w/ ASIO4ALL, for the same reasons as you.) I'm still on XP, so this might only be marginally helpful.

But your settings look considerably different from mine, so I thought I'd chime in.

On my ASIO4ALL panel, I have not only entries for "Lexicon Omega USB Audio 1-2" (and "...3-4" since the omega is a 4x2 interface), but also "Lexicon Direct Device". It is the "direct device" that I have active and selected in Reaper, not the USB Audio. I wonder if that's your problem, although I don't know how to fix it.

The other thing, in your ASIO4ALL panel, the settings you are showing are for the Conexart HD Audio, not the Lexicon. Are you certain that the Lexicon settings haven't changed since you had a working system?

FWIW, here's my ASIO panel:
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Old 05-23-2012, 09:49 AM   #6
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That's interesting; as you can see, my asio4all control panel does not have a "lexicon direct device" option. I will google this and see if I can turn up anything.

Attached is a new screenshot displaying the USB audio device settings rather than Conexant HD audio. I know I played around with every setting I could find to try and make things work, but I just restored the settings to default, still no luck.

I wish I could just buy a new interface and leave these problems behind, but that's not an option right now.

Thanks for your input.
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Old 05-23-2012, 09:53 AM   #7
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A Google search turned up that "Lexicon direct device" is what the driver is called on an XP system. Windows 7 calls it "USB audio device," so no help there.
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Old 06-01-2012, 08:07 PM   #8
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Well the other day I switched the Alpha to a different usb port on my laptop, and now everything is working fine, so it appears the port was the problem. The other port was usb 3.0, is it possible that this caused the problem? Regardless, the problem is gone, thanks everyone.
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Old 06-02-2012, 04:52 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenten View Post
Well the other day I switched the Alpha to a different usb port on my laptop, and now everything is working fine, so it appears the port was the problem. The other port was usb 3.0, is it possible that this caused the problem? Regardless, the problem is gone, thanks everyone.
Hey glad you got it sorted.
I actually keep a diagram next to my computer showing what gets plugged into every port, so when I need to take things apart I can put it back together the same way. I do remember having issues early on when I had my AI plugged into certain USB ports, but it didn't dawn on me to suggest that you try switching yours.
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Old 09-23-2012, 11:50 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenten View Post
Well the other day I switched the Alpha to a different usb port on my laptop, and now everything is working fine, so it appears the port was the problem. The other port was usb 3.0, is it possible that this caused the problem? Regardless, the problem is gone, thanks everyone.
Yep I didn't realise that I even had USB3 ports but as soon as I swopped to the one that I knew was USB2 all my problems went away as well

Seems as though they don't like USB3...........
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Old 10-05-2012, 01:07 PM   #11
Brx
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Hello to all!

Well, I won't start another topic, but I'm gonna write my problem.
I hope, you guys are gonna answer!

I have Win7 64bit operating system.

When I start recording something, in the beginning is all working fine, but, suddenly, I can hear some clicks and the latency increases, so I loose rhythm of the song and can't play along with it. It's very annoying and I don't know what to do. I reinstall drivers a couple of times, changed connection to the USB port to another, changed to ASIO4ALL and still same problem occurs.

But, when I increase buffer size, to ~60ms, I can hardly hear any clicks, but when I record something with that buffer size, playback sample is much faster, so it seemingly that I speed up a sample by apparently 2x.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

P.S. And yes, I don't have USB3 ports...just to mention...

Edit: Right now, I have tried to play something using Guitar Rig, but not opening it in Reaper, and there are no clicks or anything like that... And when I open Reaper and set VST, I played something just to hear if there is any problem, and it's still there... I really don't know how to get rid of it.

Please, help!

Last edited by Brx; 10-05-2012 at 02:40 PM.
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Old 10-07-2012, 03:32 PM   #12
dlea
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Default Amplitube, Lexicon Alpha and buffer initialization issues

Hopefully, one of you can help me. I've heard so many great things about Reaper, but I just can't get things to work, hardly

I'm running an ASUS i3 Windows7- 2.27Ghz w/4GB DDR3. I'm using a Lexicon Alpha with Reaper and also trying with Cubase 5LE (came with the Lexicon).

With Reaper I'm getting an error message when using the Alpha ASIO: "Error initializing buffers" when it tries to open the audio hardware. If I load the ASIO4ALL I get constant static and no audio input, whether I open Amplitube or not. Reaper is really cool that I can set the path to the VST's but it did lose EZ Drummer and will not reload it, even though it is in the path. Yes, I "clean cache & rescanned". I've even uninstalled and reloaded Reaper.

I'm not asking for help with the Cubase, just providing more info, if anyone can make any sense of this mess. I can hear my guitar (only totally clean)when i arm an audio track, but it can't find Amplitube. It doesn't see it, nor can it be found opening the insert browser, nor can I figure out how to set the path.

Amplitube is really great as a standalone, but how do I get it in there? And does anyone know how to get Reaper to "see" EZ Drummer?
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Old 06-07-2014, 03:35 PM   #13
taust2n
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Its a really old post now so am not sure if this info will be of any help at all.
I had the same problem using my Lexicon Alpha with Ableton. Loud bursts of static that made recording impossible when using the ASIO driver (its fine using any other driver). I tried reinstalling the driver and using diff versions of the driver and using a diff bank of USB port, this made no difference at all, I think I may have solved the problem though I have found that if I boot my laptop and just use the Alpha for Ableton straight away I have no bursts of static at all if I use the sound card for another function (I.E I open Firefox or a media player basically anything that would use DirectX or the WDM driver) before using Ableton I get the bursts of really loud static.
Hope this is of some help to someone I had a proper nightmare with it until I noticed this.

Latency, Its a right pain in the ASIO

Last edited by taust2n; 06-07-2014 at 03:36 PM. Reason: Forgot something
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Old 03-29-2015, 12:39 PM   #14
Linearvideo
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Default Lexicon and Reaper

Hey. On Windows 8.1 64 bit, after installing the 64 bit USB drivers, I have gotten the Alpha device to work. I select the WASPI under preference, audio, and then it allows me to pick the Alpha. It is actually kinda warm, but when trying to get the line out to an amp, there is latency problem, but not in the headphones. Write me if I may be of any help to any of y'all.
colorblindpoet@gmail.com
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Old 02-09-2020, 02:13 PM   #15
Markhol
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Default Lexicon Alpha on Windows 10

Just to let you know I have just set up my system and everything is now working fine, but, my oh my, what a cow of a job! Have replaced UX-2 interface with Lexicon Alpha. Better sound all round!
Firstly, install drivers from Lexicon but also manually override Windows wanting to install 'USB speaker' driver and go for Harman/Kardon Sound sticks option. They'll warn you it isn't Windows approved but go ahead anyway.
Then in Reaper audio device settings select WASAPI - Shared Mode - lexicon Alpha in, Soundsticks speakers out.
Use the trick to uncheck exclusivity mentioned in this thread via control panel, as well.
I can now play videos, groove etc with Reaper open.
Hope this helps.

Asus X401a
Lexicon Alpha
Sony XO-D70
Mission Speakers

It's all retro!

Last edited by Markhol; 02-09-2020 at 02:21 PM.
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