guylemec

riojazz


And, did it help?

As I indicated in my OP, my crackles and pops had already gone away before I posted.
I'm just following your advice to use the Legacy version anyway.
I have so far had no negative results from this last change and, if I do, I now know how to go back.
Thanks.

You disabled multi-processing - that's not a fix at all, it's a bodge that I would find completely unacceptable (especially as I have an 8-core CPU).
 
But if you're happy with that and you don't need the extra CPU power, I guess you have your "fix".

>  Intel Speedstep should be disabled (either in BIOS or Windows).
> Too shy to go anywhere near the BIOS... tried it once, completely disabled my machine.
Unshy yourself, the other alternative is to disable core parking... Strongly recommended
http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804

Also check with Focusrite with your hardware, but with the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 and the latest drivers (not earlier) you are supposed to run on native NOT legacy, contrary to the advice given here. Upgrade to the latest drivers and send Focusrite an email about whether you should change to legacy or not.
 
Ta

Yes, the natural test now would be to reactivate the multiprocessing to see if the firewire fix makes a difference.

Hello Guy....


     Just wanted to let you know that it is your Focusrite, I was having the same problems that you are having right now, got rid of the unit and bought a RME Fireface 800, bingo, not one problem at all. Focusrite just donesn't have the proper drivers. I have installed the 3.0 drivers and the problem has gotten very bad. Decide to upgrade to the Cadillac and now don't have to worry about it any more. I did call over the pond to the UK and talk with on of the Techs, but they didn't have any answer for me.. all they said is just upgrade the drivers to 3.0. Didn't help, still had all the problems. So I have been using X2, and the  problems  were still there. So my advice to you is, upgrade, upgrade to a better Unit, and you will see and hear the differences...


Rocket  

guylemec


For some time now, I have been unable to run any project in X1 without crackles, pops and audio dropouts.
With no real idea of what the problem might be, I have tried all sorts of things in search of a remedy (adjusting latency, buffer sizes, sample rates, removing exotic plugins, freezing soft synths, minimising gain everywhere, not using ProChannels, deactivating unused devices, inputs and outputs, ensuring all potential background tasks are not running... and I'm sure there are other things I might have tried if I knew more about computers and audio)... all with no success and much exasperation.
Anyway, I was contemplating a complete reinstall of X1 when, in a kind of haze of desperation, I noticed, on the Playback and Recording tab in Preferences (visited for the nth time), the "Use Multiprocessing Engine" option. Since I run on a dual core, I had this checked. I consulted the Help to see what this option was actually giving me and decided it would not hurt to uncheck it and see if it made any difference.
The immediately visible effect was that my pretty 8-column CPU display in Sonar was now a single monlithic block... but it was stable, not constantly murmuring and popping all 8 columns into the red from time to time.
Since then, touch wood, my crackles and pops have ceased and I cautiously look forward to happier times.
Should I have known this already, I wonder? Does this indicate a fault in my installation or would it be in my configuration? Or am I just dumb (I could be dumb).
This posting is sharing more frustration than wisdom, I guess - more heat than light - but forums are for sharing, right? and I hope it may help others out there. Thanks for being there and for listening.

Anderton


These comments probably DON'T relate to what you're experiencing, but since in true Cakewalk forum fashion this is turning into a repository of pops and crackles knowledge, here are two issues that drove me crazy until I figured them out. 

1. In the Windows power plan, make sure that minimum and maximum processor power values are identical (e.g., both set to 100%). With a laptop, every time it changed states, I got a crackle in the associated FireWire interface. 

2. Don't use the USB port on your computer's motherboard, which is probably sharing its controller with hard drives and other "dirty" components. I installed a separate USB 2.0 card in the motherboard, and audio performance has improved dramatically. 

Hope this helps! 

Hi there
 
I'm now experiencing 'USB noise' in my Octa-Capture that must be somehow related to my graphic card problem (http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=2720098). For some strange reason it wasn't there until I started fiddling with all sorts of settings and now I have constant high freq hum that picks up distinctively when I move windows around ...
 
Could this be solved by adding a separate USB card?? I'm currently plugged into the mainboard. Any recommendations on what to buy??? Help is appreciated.
 
 

Rocket sorry you are talking complete arse. My Focusrite working very well on V3.

Any advice for muggins?

I've gone from XP 32bit (3.5gb ram) to Win 7 64bit 8gb ram on the same system.  And am starting to get pops/clicks.  Granted its only when using 10ms or below latency ASIO but never notice pops before.  Would just dropout when maxed out.  Asus P5k 2.7ghz dualcore. 8gb ram. Nvidia Geforce 7300. Emu 0404. Audio only Sata. 


Tried Intel Speedstep disabled and no change.  Also all other BIOS controllers, LAN disable and unused.

riojazz


Yes, the natural test now would be to reactivate the multiprocessing to see if the firewire fix makes a difference.

I reactivated multiprocessing and all seems ok.
I have reverted to non-legacy drivers and all seems ok; I have emailed Focusrite for their advice on which way I should go in this matter.
I'll let you know what Focusrite tell me, by which time I hope to bable to confirm that "all seems ok" has become "all is ok".
I don't have £1000 to spend on an interface.
I glazed over when I got to C states and overclocking...
I disabled core parking as described earlier in this thread (sorry, as I write, I can't remember who posted it, but kudos) and although it's difficult to separate out one thing when I have been tweaking so much, I think it was this that may have done the trick for me.
I emphasise "for me" because, once again, this forum highlights the fact that we all have different setups with different strengths and weaknesses and presenting different challenges with different solutions.
I have got a lot out of this thread (as I hope others have) - more than I imagined - and I thank all who have contributed.

guylemec

riojazz


Yes, the natural test now would be to reactivate the multiprocessing to see if the firewire fix makes a difference.

I reactivated multiprocessing and all seems ok.
I have reverted to non-legacy drivers and all seems ok; I have emailed Focusrite for their advice on which way I should go in this matter.
I'll let you know what Focusrite tell me, by which time I hope to bable to confirm that "all seems ok" has become "all is ok".
I don't have £1000 to spend on an interface.
I glazed over when I got to C states and overclocking...
I disabled core parking as described earlier in this thread (sorry, as I write, I can't remember who posted it, but kudos) and although it's difficult to separate out one thing when I have been tweaking so much, I think it was this that may have done the trick for me.
I emphasise "for me" because, once again, this forum highlights the fact that we all have different setups with different strengths and weaknesses and presenting different challenges with different solutions.
I have got a lot out of this thread (as I hope others have) - more than I imagined - and I thank all who have contributed.

Well done all. Guylemec you handled this well. I want to thank you for reporting back about your progress. I didn't contribute to this thread because I didn't have anything to add. I have kept an eye on this thread just in case I might have something to offer. Now that things seem to work I think all those that did contribute will appreciate your post here. 

FreeFlyBertl


Hey, I wish you all the best that you do indeed have happier times ahead - cracks and pops are truly a nightmare.

Your story made go to the manual and check a few things, but I ended up searching the best source of information (yeah, this forum).

I learned 2 things that I'll give a try:
 - set processor scheduling to programs not background (which is what all audio tuning guides tell you), but Cake says not (http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=1239881)
 - really high end machines might be better off changing the ThreadSchedulingModel setting in the AUD.INI (http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.ashx?m=2095428)

Thanks for getting me started on that.

That is the correct setting on any DAW or program or audiocard on Vista, Windows 7 or 8. Set to "background" comes from XP time and Matthias Carsten founder and owner of RME. 
RME find that it fixed some problems they had with some older driver and early chips on their cards on XP plattform. It was ONLY with those specific RME cards and ONLY on XP. Audiodriver is not a background task so it doesn't improve nothing. Set the processor scheduling to background task actually can cause dropouts and clicks instead on Windows 7.
 
 
But you know how it works on the internet. Suddenly everyone thought this koolaid were ment for everyone for every audiocard on any platform. Its because of that we have people disable AERO, graphic and other background service on Windows 7 like it was XP, think they will gain something? It's just the opposite. AERO need to be turned on to function correctly on Windows 7, 8. All graphic you see in Windows 7 and in all the programs & plugins are using the GPU on the graphic card only. So if you use the best quality on the graphic it doesn't matter it will cost you nothing on performance, it will only look better.
But if you turned AERO off it will use the CPU instead like in XP behavior. On XP = all graphic are using the CPU instead. On XP, disable all graphic will lower the CPU use on XP platform = performance gain..
 
 
So to rap it up, Tweaks that worked on XP is not the same on VISTA, Windows 7 or Windows 8. More or less, there are no TWEAKS on Windows 7 and you don't need to. You can go ahead and disable the UAC. That's it!