Old 03-27-2012, 07:09 AM   #1
Mattbob
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Default Pop and click demise

Ive got a shiny new computer with an echo audiofire4 interface, and a ton of pops and licks on any track I try. Increasing buffer size does not decrease the clicking. 44.1 sample size. I pasted the e-mail I sent to tech support and a copy of the firewire analyzer report. I found a lot of posts on optimizing, and I did them, but this is a new and decent desktop computer and it happens on any track, no plugins, so I'm assuming I have something set up incorrectly.

First name: Matt

Last name: Eich


Phone number:
Email address:

Echo hardware: Audiofire4

Echo driver version number: 5.7.6

Audio software/application: Reaper

Operating system and version: Windows 7

Processor model and clock speed: Intel i5

Motherboard manufacturer: MSI

Motherboard chipset (i.e. Intel, Via, Nvidia):Intel

Other PCI and FireWire devices: Syba firewrie with Texas Instruments chip set

Other audio hardware: None

Description of your problem:

Pops and clicks during playback. Pops occur at same spots during each time it's played back. Increasing buffer size does not decrease pops. Computer is brand new, 8 GB RAM. No real other programs on computer other than antivirus, browser. Followed Echo tutorial for 'optimizing for audio'. Had to rollback to the Windows Legacy to get the device to be recognized. Enabled DMA and each IDE channel. Wireless turned off. Happens even when recording one track with no plugins.

I attached the Firewire Analyzer document to this e-mail.

FireWire Analyzer report
26 Mar 2012 9:21:50am

1394 controller: PCI\VEN_104C&DEV_8025&SUBSYS_00051592&REV_01\5&29C 4D39C&0&0000E2

Sample rate: 44100
Buffer size: 256
Nominal buffer time: 5.805 msec

AudioFire4
ARM code: 5.7.3
FPGA code: 3.0.2

Playback count: 110660
Playback max time: 6.077 msec
Playback average time: 5.812 msec

Record count: 110669
Record max time: 6.034 msec
Record average time: 5.810 msec

ASIO wakeup max time: 0.181 msec
ASIO wakeup average time: 0.041 msec

ASIO host max time: 0.210 msec
ASIO host average time: 0.028 msec

Buffer offset max time: 0.000 msec
Buffer offset min time: 0.000 msec
Buffer offset average time: 0.000 msec

Underruns: 1
Overflows: 0

There was a suggestion on another forum the perhaps Reaper is not slaved to the interface's clock. I've been looking around for how to do this, but being new, maybe there is other terminology used for this process I don't know.

I contacted Echo and they told me to try a different PCI slot.
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Old 03-27-2012, 07:28 AM   #2
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Probably not the root of your problems, but worth a try; if your anti-virus has a real-time shield, disable this. Other things to check; is your on-board audio card still enabled? Disable if so. I had similar issues to yours with a new computer and that was the root of it. Have you tried running the latency checker tool? Run a project and start this app. Read up on what the results mean. Even a new and adequately powered computer can be poorly configured for real-time audio. I have also heard of audio issues with Nvidea graphics cards, but don't quote me on that. I suspect conflicts with your on-board audio. I disabled mine in the bios menu and have never had a problem since, and my computer has similar specs. Keep us posted, good luck!
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Old 03-27-2012, 01:46 PM   #3
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A friend was over so he helped me disable the onboard audio while he was here. I also turned off the virus protection. No luck. I did notice that the Waveform looks really weird. I'll link to a screenshot. It's a picture zoomed in on a part of a test of me saying 'test 1, 2, 3'

This is the link : http://**************/photo/my-images...eenshotez.jpg/
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Old 03-27-2012, 01:57 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattbob View Post
----Had to rollback to the Windows Legacy to get the device to be recognized.-----
This made me wonder if anything went wrong during driver installation, or if the drivers were correct in the first place!?
And yes, the suggestion of using a different PCI slot came to my mind as well (IRQ conflict).
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Old 03-27-2012, 02:05 PM   #5
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wave form looks like that because you are massively zoomed in...

A screenshot of the latency checker tool running would maybe be better.
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Old 03-27-2012, 02:15 PM   #6
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That massively zoomed in waveform also may look odd because I noticed from your meters on the track that you clipped it, which will give you weird waveforms (both visually and audibly!) And yes to that latency checker screenshot. Make sure you read up on it so you know how to run it and what to look for.
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Old 03-27-2012, 02:56 PM   #7
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Try disabling all power saving features in the BIOS (SpeedStep, C1E, etc.)and see if that helps.
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Old 03-27-2012, 03:54 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richie43 View Post
That massively zoomed in waveform also may look odd because I noticed from your meters on the track that you clipped it, which will give you weird waveforms (both visually and audibly!) And yes to that latency checker screenshot. Make sure you read up on it so you know how to run it and what to look for.
Oops my mistake.
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Old 03-28-2012, 01:45 AM   #9
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I had similar problems with my Audiofire 12 and traced the problem to my PCI WiFi card, even though it was on a different IRQ to my firewire card. If I disabled WiFi from within Windows, my problems went away. In the end, I got rid of my PCI WiFi and got a USB one instead. I could then use REAPER all day with WiFi switched on and no problems.
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Old 03-28-2012, 08:48 AM   #10
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Thanks for all the help guys.

My WIFI is USB, and I disconnected that while recording, as well as my virus protection.

I can only hear what I recorded through the headphone jack on the interface, when I unplug them no sound through the speakers. THis might just be a routing thing I don't know about yet, but thought I would mention it.

Also when I disabled the HD Audio audio in BIOS I got no sound at all. Does that sound like I did it wrong?

Here's a screenshot during recording with the latency checker running.

http://**************/photo/my-images...cychecker.jpg/

From what I read, it looks good to me. I included a picture of the console for the interface settings. Please note this happens regardless of buffer size.

I'm going to shut it down and try a different slot now.
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Old 03-28-2012, 08:54 AM   #11
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Have you selected your interface (and asio driver) in Reaper preferences?
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Old 03-28-2012, 10:08 AM   #12
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I only have the one PCI slot.

This is what is says in my 'Preferences'
Audio system: ASIO
ASIO Driver: ASIO Echo FireWire

Last edited by Mattbob; 03-28-2012 at 12:43 PM.
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:51 AM   #13
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I'm assuming it has to be a setting. It's happening on one track, no plugins on a new computer that I did the walk through for optimization, no virus checker running, no internet, turned off on board audio card.

I noticed when I change the sample rate in Reaper, it does not change the sample rate in the Echo Console, does this mean they are not slaved together?
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Old 03-29-2012, 08:55 AM   #14
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Have you checked the buffering settings in the preferences? Are you using all of your cores?
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Old 03-29-2012, 10:41 AM   #15
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Changing the buffering settings has had no effect.

Tried different cables, different mic. Hooked up my Black Lion Auteur and used that for levels, same thing. Tried Input 2, same thing. Changed levels, doesn't really have an effect. Seems very random... it doesn't coincide with getting louder or softer. Definitely not just a 'pop', sometimes it's garbled.

I don't know what using all my cores means.

Last edited by Mattbob; 03-29-2012 at 10:49 AM.
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Old 03-29-2012, 10:45 AM   #16
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In reaper prefs, what does this page look like for you? See attachment.
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Last edited by richie43; 08-25-2012 at 08:32 AM.
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Old 03-29-2012, 05:55 PM   #17
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http://**************/photo/my-images...creenshot.jpg/

Device screenshot: http://**************/photo/my-images...creenshot.jpg/

I greatly appreciate everyone's patience. It's been quite a challenge. Echo says not all TI chipsets are created equal, try a different one. I am waiting for their recommendations.

Last edited by Mattbob; 03-29-2012 at 06:01 PM.
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Old 03-30-2012, 05:28 AM   #18
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Default worldstarhiphop

This plugin gives soundforge-wavelab-etc style audio statistics on your output. The meter at the bottom gives a graphical display of the dynamic range of the audio material.
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Old 04-02-2012, 06:09 AM   #19
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I guess what I have left to try is another firewire card with a TI or VIA chipset.
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Old 04-04-2012, 06:16 AM   #20
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Hi,

Had a similar issue (Line 6) when I changed to a new HP laptop. It seems that the drivers were generating line noise which disappeared when you opened the volume control panel & selected recording tab. Needed to update the drivers
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Old 04-05-2012, 06:51 AM   #21
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So when you opened the control panel's recording tab the noise went away? THe only driver I have is the Echo one, which I re-downloaded and re installed. I disabled the other driver per a suggestion above.
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Old 04-05-2012, 08:35 AM   #22
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Stuff I'm reading about all uses dpclatency to check for a driver that is causing latency and then another diagnostic program to turn off drivers to test.

I have a screenshot above of the running dpclatency latency, and all green low bars, so I'm assuming it's not a driver issue.

I downloaded Audacity and experienced the same problems. Are there any settings that need to be changed in initial setup? This is my first time routing a audio interface.\

Update: I enabled the HD audio again since turning it off didnt help. Sound plays off of youtube videos through the speakers, but playback only happens if I plug headphones into the Echo. I'm not sure if that will help since it seems like the pops are happening on the recording side of things (there is no popping with any audio I havn't recorded).

Last edited by Mattbob; 04-05-2012 at 09:14 AM.
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Old 04-06-2012, 12:31 PM   #23
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I got a different firewire card with a DIFFERRENT texas instruments chipset and its working.
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Old 04-06-2012, 02:09 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattbob View Post
I got a different firewire card with a DIFFERRENT texas instruments chipset and its working.
Happy to hear you solved the problem. Please post which card works for you. I have a new PC on the way with and ExpressCard 34 slot but I haven't picked up a firewire card yet.

Thanks
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Old 04-11-2012, 03:29 PM   #25
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Google >>> No paging file.. This might fix your problem )
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Old 04-11-2012, 04:45 PM   #26
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Quote:
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Google >>> No paging file.. This might fix your problem )
I know that it sounds like a good idea, but even with plenty of RAM, some programs and functions look for a page file and Windows will create it on the fly, or the program will not work. I recommend at least a small Pagefile on the C drive.
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