Problems with Lexicon Alpha

Kenten · 05-03-2012, 05:32 PM

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?

Simonblarkin · 05-10-2012, 04:34 AM

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.

Kenten · 05-10-2012, 08:56 AM

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.

Kenten · 05-22-2012, 02:47 PM

Anyone? Please?

KevinW · 05-22-2012, 04:51 PM

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:

Kenten · 05-23-2012, 09:49 AM

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.

Markhol · 02-09-2020, 02:13 PM

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!