Another Poping Clicking and so on!

Yes i know there might be a zillion answer for this, but none it is exactly what i'm looking for (at least the ones I've read), so i will ask once more!

My laptop is a Intel i3 M330 2.13Ghz, 4GB of ram using Windows 7 64bit, 500GB 5400rpm hard drive, with a M-Audio Fast Track, so in theory i'm ok with my hardware. But it frustrate me that i just can't get rid of these annoying popping and clicking noises. I have try every cache, iso panel method and it just doesn't work, and even more sometimes my projects in the middle of recording just disappear, every window gets close automatically.

So does anyone has some software setting to recommend? or it is the Windows 7? my interface? the laptop? all together?

HELP PLZ!


PD: using SONAR X1 Producer

What audio settings are you using? sampling rate 44100, 512 latency, playback and record I/O 256 KB
What is your reported latency? input 14,0 msec, 618 samples - output 14,0 msec, 618 samples
How many tracks are you trying to record? last crashed had 5 on playback and recording 1
Have you the latest drivers? from M-Audio guess so
Do you have any other programs running in the background? nope unless are system programs that i don't know
Have you optomized your laptop for audio? like how for example?

What audio settings are you using? What is your reported latency? How many tracks are you trying to record? Have you the latest drivers? Do you have any other programs running in the background? Have you optomized your laptop for audio?

Stone House Studios


What audio settings are you using?
What is your reported latency?
How many tracks are you trying to record?
Have you the latest drivers?
Do you have any other programs running in the background?
Have you optomized your laptop for audio?
 
There's more I'm sure - but having all of these items correctly set up will give you a good starting point!
 
Brian

Yes that is my fear, but again i did use a dual core 2.4ghz with sonar8 for long time and didn't have problems to work with it once i had it setup properly, but the i3 it's been a pain to setup, seems like it is always behind, never expected much from it, but it doesn't give me even the minimum juice...

bobguitkillerleft


I m no expert but the i3 is only dual core[I think?],Im guessing your main problem is processing power.Im running an i7 2630qm which is the most common quad chip[also the cheapest] and after 4 months of using a cakewalk UA-25 ex at 45ms round trip latency[lowest setting without popping] Ive [again] ended up using ASIO4all with my on board Realtek sound card and Im NOW getting 6.5ms RTL!!!! at 16bit at 96khz! and TOTALLY clean!This is because ASIO4all gives you the option of turning off the input[as does SONAR in Prefferences]And this allows the CPU to not have to work as hard hence the SUPER good latencty. What my point is that you definately need the most processing power you can afford and thats why the system requirements for X1 are so high[2.6Ghz]I ve found that raising the buffer sometimes doesnt help if the computer is on the edge of handling the task.Sorry If this is no help, but Ive realised even my i7 quad cpu is right on the edge sometimes and if I were you Id get a PC/Laptop with AT LEAST an i5 or i7.RK. 

I do not have a easy answer for you, but I use the latest M-audio drivers with an old MobilePre USB(16bit/48Khz max), and I can only say what I have observed..

The drivers and "card" work great "crackle -free" at a not to low latency (512), even with the Cori Yarckin project playing in X1 and one of the bigger test projects in Project 5 v2. I use a i3-2100 CPU with 4Gb and Windows 7, 32 bit. However - I noticed when I do exactly the same on the same computer (I use a multi-boot configuration) in Windows 7, 64bit - the card starts to crackle and I even get drop outs. This happens in X1, Project 5 and even in Protools 8 M-powered (to make sure this is no Cakewalk-only problem). I have to increase the latency buffer to 2048 to get at least a acceptable sound out of it, but it is still unstable. This leads to my conclusion there is definitely something wrong with the drivers in 64 bit. Do notice however this is my experience, this does not have to represent the experience of all users.

I also tested the E-MU 0404 PCI, M-audio Audiophile 24/96 PCI and ESI Juli@ PCI cards in exactly the same computer, and the same applications, and they where working without any problem on low latency (2,5 ms/128) in Windows 7 32, and 64 bit and in all those applications, so I am inclined to say you can rule out the Cakewalk software as the culprit.

Now - I know the MobilePre is an older card than you are using, but the drivers are at least the same. That can lead to the conclusion the problems lies within the combination drivers/Windows 7 64 bit.

I would guess the 5400rpm, single drive is also an issue.

Yes seems so, right now have it in: 64 KB for playback and recording I/O cache, 11,6 msec 512 latency, with 14,0 msec and 618 samples for input or output ASIO reported latency, and seems to work ok, if turn off the wifi, antivirus, and any background process, will try 256 latency but not so positive about it anyway!

Stone House Studios

Jonbuho


What audio settings are you using? sampling rate 44100, 512 latency, playback and record I/O 256 KB
What is your reported latency? input 14,0 msec, 618 samples - output 14,0 msec, 618 samples
How many tracks are you trying to record? last crashed had 5 on playback and recording 1
Have you the latest drivers? from M-Audio guess so
Do you have any other programs running in the background? nope unless are system programs that i don't know
Have you optomized your laptop for audio? like how for example?

What audio settings are you using? What is your reported latency? How many tracks are you trying to record? Have you the latest drivers? Do you have any other programs running in the background? Have you optomized your laptop for audio?

Stone House Studios


What audio settings are you using?
What is your reported latency?
How many tracks are you trying to record?
Have you the latest drivers?
Do you have any other programs running in the background?
Have you optomized your laptop for audio?

There's more I'm sure - but having all of these items correctly set up will give you a good starting point!

Brian

Your latency seems high - make sure you don't have any other drivers besides the M-audio's selected.
 
What's on those 5 tracks?  As stated above, many do more with less. If you are running soft synths and FX, you should freeze to free up CPU for recording.  If it is all audio with FX, then again, bounce to tracks (saving and muting or archiving originals) while recording.
 
Again, that high of a latency tells me to look at audio set up - especially looking for un needed active drivers.
 
Brian

Your hard drive could be a problem but as you said it could be a ton of different things.
 
If you haven't done it yet, there is a good step by step here.
 
http://www.native-instruments.com/knowledge/questions/847/Windows+7+Tuning+Tips+for+audio+processing
 
Good luck.
 
EJ

are there any other versions of the m-audio drivers you could try? i reckon it's the x64 drivers

Hi Jonbuho,
on my HP laptop before running a SONAR session I need to disable my WiFi card in the Windows Device Manager. Otherwise I get clicks and pops as well. Try this.

Back when I used a laptop and a M-audio fast track pro for Sonar I was getting pops and overall bad sound until I stopped using the laptop's usb to power the interface.
 
I got a powered hub and that did the trick! Worth a try.

External USB hard drives are very cheap. I have a bunch. I even one tha's USB 3.0.
But an external HD 7200rpm would be better than your 5400. I believe.
I always just buy a case and an Int HD and put the drive in. Cheaper and I know what I've got.

Sonar should stay on you system drive. All your projects should go on one just for projects and if you can a third for samples.

You have it. Yes.

It will work just fine.  The 3 disk thing is the ideal. It is not a necessity.  Many do well with just the one disk. But because you are looking for a bit better performance 2 disks will do the job.

I have 5 running disks plus more not running as removable HDs. That is not enough for me.

I do video and recording for a lot of others and need the space. I do it for foundations and Veteran organizations. I do it on a shoestring too. I produce them and do most of the work.

Some of my videos have been all over the country.