Buzz problem - not present in other software

gododdin · 11-01-2012, 02:33 AM

Hi all - First post to this forum. I'm fairly new to Reaper and also and quite new to recording in general so forgive me if the answer is obvious!

I've been recording a singer and guitar (one at a time) on 2 channels without any problem using a Focusrite Saffire 6 USB into a Macbook with 4gb of memory. All went well until I tried to add another channel for an instrumental guitar part. The guitar is a martin with a K&K pickup so it's DI into the Saffire 6 (exactly as used for the guitar backing which went fine). Though not audible through the Saffire 6 USB phones monitoring, there is a horrible buzz or hum which is being recorded when the track is armed.

I tried all the usual stuff - different leads, different guitar - made no difference. So by this time I'm beginning to think the Saffire 6 itself is faulty and maybe I should start looking on Ebay for a replacement...

Then I tried the original setup through Garageband and Ableton Live 8 - surprise, surprise - no problems at all with either of them! Crystal clear recording! So it must be something to do with Reaper, right?

Back to Reaper, opened a new project (just in case one of the plugins was the problem). Recorded - horrible noise again!

So I'm stumped. Any suggestions? I'm supposed to be taking the finished recording back to the singer tomorrow, so the pressure is on... Many thanks for your help.

Stretto · 11-01-2012, 05:58 AM

How bout you create a bare minimum project that has the issue and upload it. Others can open it up and see if they have issues with the project.

If not then it is some issue on your end.

Since you started with a new project my guess is that it's some combination of settings used in reaper. (not reaper's fault, just configured poorly)

We need to hear the hum, which, you should be able to render and upload too. What one person thinks is hum is not necessarily. Usually "hum" is due to ac mains(@60hz or 120hz) and is entirely external to the computer.

What I would do is upload a bare minimum project, the rendering of a recorded track with the hum(without any instrument sound), and a rendering without the hum from the other DAW's.

My guess is that it's probably crackling due to latency issues... this has to do with the sound card settings. It's only a guess though but something to try while you wait for a response.

gododdin · 11-04-2012, 07:16 AM

Sorry, I've been offline for a couple of days. Thanks for that - I will certainly do as you suggest. However there have been some 'developments'. I tried putting an XLR cable and mic into the Saffire6 and it worked fine on a new project, so then I went back to guitar again, and that worked fine too! Then I tried a guitar in a new track of the original project and that worked as well... Complete mystery to me. If I can replicate the situation I described I will upload a project.
thanks again
G

Stevism · 02-01-2013, 06:50 PM

hey so I made an account just to bump this thread / see if any progress has been made...

even though i have a saffire 6 as well, this happens regardless if I'm using it or not

on REAPER, 75% of the time the macbook built-in headphone output is COMPLETELY unusable....

i only get about maybe 2-3 mins of playback time before the buzzing / distortion gets way out of hand...

the only solution is to pause playback go to preferences and reset the device...which only buys me another 5 mins or so.

this does not happen in any other situation other than REAPER, and I don't think it's due to latency because this never happens when I use the headphone output of my saffire 6

i have had this issue since june or july, I had learned to live with it and ignore it, but i came across this and would love if a solution has been developed. with each new update of reaper i'm disappointed that this problem still occurs

other than that, i love REAPER!

Ollie · 02-01-2013, 11:11 PM

So you're using separate devices for input and output...have you created an aggregate device in Audio MIDI Setup?

Stevism · 02-02-2013, 05:47 AM

hello!

yes, I am using an aggregate device in audio midi setup...

mbp output is set as output 1/2, and the saffire has outputs 3/4 and 5/6

I switch back and forth pretty easily when using the Audio Midi Setup program, for when I'm listening to any other audio source other than REAPER.

it doesn't matter if i'm running 20 tracks or if I just have one plugin on one track, or even just one or two .wav files on separate tracks....this will happen when I am using output 1/2, either as part of an aggregate device when I do have the saffire 6 connected via usb, or even when I don't have it connected, and output 1/2 is the only choice.

it won't make this noise via mbp speakers i don't think...but it does do it on various headphones, aux out cables, and speaker cables.

EDIT: it might also be helpful to point out that not only does the sound quality start deteriorating rapidly (think bit crusher sort of sound), but it gets worse and worse until eventually there is NO sound output whatsoever...first in intervals, then silence...but once i go back to preferences and click "ok" for the device, it will go back to normal

Stevism · 02-05-2013, 06:12 AM

friendly bump

Ollie · 02-06-2013, 06:33 AM

What did you change before the problem started in June or July?

Stevism · 02-06-2013, 10:52 AM

I did not change anything, that is when I bought the license and really started using a DAW.

Prior to that, I had been using the trial version on a 2010 Dell Lattitude, but I did not know anything about DAWs really and was just trying to familiarize myself with the setup of REAPER.

I didn't start investing time in REAPER until after I got my Macbook Pro in late May...June/July is just when I started using it in general.

So I know it is directly linked to REAPER and Mac OS X (10.7.5), or at least the Macbook Pro headphone output hardware...which works fine 100% of the time besides REAPER.

carbonsystem · 02-08-2013, 08:51 AM

I came onto the forums here to troubleshoot this same problem.

I'm using 64-bit reaper on mac osx 10.7, macbook pro
presonus audiobox usb (2 input)

condenser microphone.

Application is for recording audio (dialogue and room) for flim.

In short, the issue described above is something I experienced yesterday. I'm using headphones from the audiobox as output, and using xlr mic in with phantom power.

Everything sounded good, but a very harsh bitcrusher/buzz distortion sounded happened on playback, but not on monitoring while recording.

I am having a hard time figuring out why this happened, since plugged and unplugged the mic cable, and restarted reaper it didn't happen again in about 15 minutes of recording.

note: were using a makeshift 'fishpole' for the boom mic, just a metal hollow rod, the cable wrapped around it.When this issue was happening we wrapped the whole pole in gaffers tape, probably insulating from possible interference caused by the rod, probably acting as some kind of antennae.

I get the overall impression that reaper is recording the signal it gets, but why it doesn't sound wierd in headphone monitoring but does in playback is lost on me. Any suggestions to avoid this would be excellent, we're shooting the film saturday and sunday.

Stevism · 02-09-2013, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carbonsystem

I came onto the forums here to troubleshoot this same problem.

I'm using 64-bit reaper on mac osx 10.7, macbook pro
presonus audiobox usb (2 input)

welcome to the club

Ollie · 02-10-2013, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carbonsystem

I came onto the forums here to troubleshoot this same problem.

First off, there are actually 3 different issues described in this thread (which is why "I have the same problem" posts piggybacking on a thread are generally undesirable for troubleshooting since more often than not that turns out to be wrong), the OP had a problem with his Saffire interface with the problem vanishing into thin air, Steveism has no problem with his audio interface but with the onboard soundchip (which appears to be a sync problem in an aggregate device) and you describe an issue with the Audiobox interface, which appears to be known for this kind of trouble. Please make sure you use the latest drivers.

Also, while you are having different issues please make all sure you are requesting a block size and sample rate (don't forget to set the checkboxes to the left of the numbers) from within REAPER's Options->Preferences->Audio->Device.

Stevism · 02-10-2013, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

Also, while you are having different issues please make all sure you are requesting a block size and sample rate (don't forget to set the checkboxes to the left of the numbers) from within REAPER's Options->Preferences->Audio->Device.

That was one of the first things I checked.

here are my device and buffering settings...

http://www.mediafire.com/conv/6e1213...50fe8e9b6g.jpg

http://www.mediafire.com/conv/743f0e...6665b3b26g.jpg

my mac:

MacBook Pro, 15-inch, late 2011

Processor 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63b)

carbonsystem · 02-11-2013, 11:31 AM

Well, sorry for piggybacking, but since interfaces do have common aspects, there is the possibility for us to have the same issue, even with different interfaces. Especially since his vanished into thin air, and my problem seemed to do the same thing. Also, the presonus forums are not great, but have some helpful information.

Regardless, as an update:

Had a successful shoot and only had the interference issue occur once at the very end of the day.
Before the shoot:

- I checked boxes for requesting sample rate and block size in Reaper Preferences
- Turned off wi-fi completely (this applied to laptop and desktop computers)
- Made sure to have a ground plug through a power strip for the computer

Steveism: If you had the same issue with a macbook, it seems to me the interference was caused by wi-fi signal and/or cell phone signal. At one point my cell got a text message and the interference came in. Turned off my phone, interference gone during monitoring. However, the recording still maintained the distortion. Restarting reaper solved the problem for this.

For any future users with a similar issue, based on research on reaper + audiobox usb:
-presonus audiobox may be built solid and have a decent preamp, but the interface is not well shielded somehow from wireless signal interference. It may not even come up in monitoring, my experience is to always check the recorded file before moving on (this is difficult in a fast-paced session, but necessary)
-Reaper is really good about being stable, and usually the issue, if not the interface, is applying the wrong settings.

Stevism · 02-11-2013, 03:02 PM

my problem is not related to my audio interface at all, please stop.

carbonsystem · 02-11-2013, 03:06 PM

sure, you got it. Just trying to share what might be helpful info.

Stevism · 02-11-2013, 04:45 PM

no worries, just i respect the admin's claim that we have created a cluttered thread

my apologies @Ollie, I found this thread via a google search and made an account literally just to post on it. I should have familiarized myself with the overall forums and I didn't

If there is a more direct way to handle this (troubleshooting email, bug-reporting, etc) please let me know and I will pursue that route.

Ollie · 02-12-2013, 10:52 AM

@carbonsystem: It's possible that your hardware got thrown off by RFI, if so that should be reproducible in some way and I'd suggest to try that to verify that this was the culprit. However, the impact of RFI can vary a lot and sometimes requires a special kind of modulation on the interfering signal or even a 2nd source of strong RFI to happen. This is why RFI issues are usually very hard to diagnose in detail.

@Stevism: What happens if you remove the aggregate device and let the onboard chip play alone? As I mentioned, what you describe is not uncommon for aggregate devices since the onboard chip can't be synced with the other device (there's no wordclock input for the onboard chip). It should stop misbehaving when it's the only device in the system and not part of an aggregate device.