Digital distortion problems

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 11 Jun 2010, 20:08

Hello!

When using Usine Pro (stand-alone) on my laptop (using an E-MU 0404 USB audio interface) I get digital distortion in Usine when connecting a guitar to it and running the audio input directly to the audio input. I do not get digital distortion when trying other DAW software (I do not know about the forum policies of naming other software, so I keep it safe

). I use the audio interface's ASIO drivers.

Any suggestions on stuff that could be wrong? I have experienced the same problems on my stationary computer, running a Delta 1010lt. There, sometime it is distortion, other times not. I am not a very experienced Usine user, so it could be a setting or similar that I've missed.

Thankful for tips!

YouTube · Unread post by **senso** » 11 Jun 2010, 20:57

check your midi out settings, especially if the wavetable synth is activated?
sometime it causes an ASIO conflict.

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 12 Jun 2010, 00:29

I did not have any MIDI out settings at all in Usine. I tried to set them to the audio interface's MIDI out, but it did not solve the problem. I do not know which MIDI out Windows 7 uses as default, but probably the standard synth. I couldn't find out how to change the MIDI out settings in Windows 7 :S

gurulogic · Unread post by **gurulogic** » 12 Jun 2010, 04:20

I have something that may not be related but on my current computer running Win 7 and and RME Multiface II I experience severe popping / distortion when I clip the output in Usine. When I use the same audio hardware with other computers and Usine, clipping doesn't necessarily sound good but it's nothing near as bad. Also, I can't recreate the problem with other software.
I had been waiting to find the time to make a proper problem report, but may as well mention it here (also I have the same problem trying with v4.2 on the same computer)
I'll also check if wavetable synth is activated and if I don't find the solution try to make a proper problem report soon...

bsork · Unread post by **bsork** » 14 Jun 2010, 08:18

@clerik, just to be sure: Did you do the same thing - guitar input to output - in the other DAWs as well? If you plug a guitar directly into a line input, you mostly get a bad sounding guitar. Not necessarily distorted, but...

(BTW, there are no policy about mentioning other DAWs in the forum.

)

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 14 Jun 2010, 17:16

Yes, I had the guitar plugged into the same input on the audio interface, using the same cables and settings, and the output of the audio interface connected to the same amplifier (my guitar amp). It is a hi-z audio input, so it works with instruments.

The settings are the same (at least I guess so). In Usine I connected the Audio In module directly to the Audio Out module.
In Reaper (the other DAW) I created a track, used the guitar as the audio input and heard it in real time using direct monitoring in the software (works with effects too, so it is not hardware direct monitoring). I was also able to record sounds with good quality in Renoise, but this was not in real time.

Could it have something to do with that I run a 64-bit version of Windows 7, that my audio drivers is 64-bit, but that Usine is 32-bit (it is, is it not?)? Also, when I run Usine, Windows 7 asks if I consider Usine to be safe to run, and I need admin rights to run it.

nay-seven · Unread post by **nay-seven** » 14 Jun 2010, 18:06

seven 64 bits version and windows seven can't be a problem ..
have you try Asio4all with your sound card , just to test..?

gurulogic · Unread post by **gurulogic** » 14 Jun 2010, 18:49

Perhaps try turning off UAC (User Account Control) I have heard of this causing problems with audio applications in Windows 7.

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 14 Jun 2010, 19:24

No, I have not tried this. Do you think those drivers would work better than the one's shipped with my audio interface in Usine?

nay-seven · Unread post by **nay-seven** » 14 Jun 2010, 20:46

all ways are interesting when looking for a solution..

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 14 Jun 2010, 23:21

I tried changing to Asio4All, but it could not get my audio output to work. It said something about the Wavetable Synth, even though I had not activated it in Usine. I do not know how to disable the Wavetable Synth in Windows 7 (it was easy in XP)... I tried to disable UAC aswell, but sadly no progress

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 14 Jun 2010, 23:47

I just tried downloading the VST version of Usine, and when running it as a VST inside of Reaper, everything works fine.

23fx23 · Unread post by **23fx23** » 14 Jun 2010, 23:50

do ya get distorsion when ie running the demo, without inputs?

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 14 Jun 2010, 23:53

In the stand-alone version: Yes I do.

23fx23 · Unread post by **23fx23** » 15 Jun 2010, 00:00

mmm strange dk..

suppose ya tested but maybe try larger bloc size, differentc cpu strategy or unactive soft clipper in main setup, if see some changes...

nay-seven · Unread post by **nay-seven** » 15 Jun 2010, 00:10

abourt asio 4 all , here a tip i found about gs and win seven : maybe can work for you too..

1. Go to control panel
2. Click Hardware/Sound
3. Under "Sound" click "Manage Audio Devices"
4. Right click on any of your playback devices and go to properties
5. Under advanced tab disable everything in exclusive mode
6. Repeat this for all devices under your "Playback" tab. (I had 2 devices: Internal speaker/headphone and SPDIF interface)

This eliminates the problem of Asio4all and Microsoft GS Wavetable synth not being able to use the same drivers simultaneously.

waolelaid · Unread post by **waolelaid** » 15 Jun 2010, 05:01

Hello everybody i have this soundcard (EMU 0404 usb 2.0) and the only things i get are cracks !
at the beginning it cracks only with Usine worked well with audacity or even window media player
but that's all in this sound card you can't rule the buffers size they are at 460 or something like this
but with my old computer without external sound card with asio4all ver2.7 on win XP i am at 64 samples
in the Asio buffer size and i use this version of usine (4.22f ) to only play with a master keyboard and only to try or taste
VSTs and i have no problems or troubles when playing and i can use other music software as cubase se
all works fine !
since about one month i upgrade another computer i change the motherboarb the cpu and of course the memory the graphic card in fact i build a new computer (not me i ain't able to do this myself)
the elements i replace were : intel core 2duo 8300 2,83 Ghz ,motherboard :GIGABYTE EP43-DS3 INTEL P43
2 Mb DDR2, audio REALTEK ALC888 7.1 ( I use this config to replace an old very old computer (800 duron) and use it
to internet , video , and photoshop )
now i have a new config with windows 7 Home premium which is : motherboard :Asus P7P55-M , Intel Core i5 i5 650 3.20Ghz , 4 Gb DDR3-1600 Graphic card Ati Radeon and internal sound card !
i tried the EMU 0404 usb 2.0 very easy to install when i run Usine i was very surprised all i try to listen even a sample
I've got only cracks so i uninstalled the sound card and thought no good
i tried to install a M audio Fire Wire solo with the last driver for win vista and seven but it doesn't work the computer told
that it was incompatible application i tried with right click on setup and tell that the programm was worked with win vista,
another time i tried with right click on setup and tell that the programm was worked with win xp but same result
win 7 doesn't want M audio fire wire solo last driver
then i did as with the others computers with the internal sound card and Asio4all ver 2.9 and i must deal with the output
of the sound card to have sound in usine and to have sound in usine i must put the output sound to S-pdif otherwise
there is no sound in Usine
in the setup of Usine all is recognized setting asio configuration as on the others computers 64 samples but I get cracks
with all (samples , cda tracks , vsts ) not all the time but if it plays a cda tracks of 3 minutes at half of the track it begins to emit
cracks while 10 to 30 seconds and after goes on normally
I dare not to ask this question because i thought i was wrong because i don't know win7
when there is an external sound card all work well of course if the sound card is good
but why do i get cracks with the internal sound card ? and the most beautiful thing is that i no longer can sample a sound
in the sampler when i press the button "record " the wave form disappears
And now the question for tonight (or today for some of you ) is : which external sound card not too cheap and not too expensive
(cause i'm not a professional musician i just try to play with music ) fits with Usine ver 5.16
Excuse me to bother you but I'm closed to give up
have a nice day
Regards
I'm gonna get Amok

nay-seven · Unread post by **nay-seven** » 15 Jun 2010, 09:52

sorry to read those bad experiences waolelaid
really strange cause most of sound card works with aso4all and win seven has not problems with that generally..
first i can suggest you to test last version ( Usine( 4.17 ) and asio4all ( (2.10 beta 1 )
then check you have disable all others sound devices ( internal , usb webcam like on this screenshot :

most often , you have to disable and restart asio4all ( or Usine ) to apply changes ..)

second tips : do you really need 64 samples latency , as i know , you 're not a "live performer "..?
so maybe 128 or even 256 is enough for you..?

about buying a new interface , not easy to answer , cause i don't know your needs ( usb or firewire , how many in and outs and so..
check here , they have good choices and prices

Floego · Unread post by **Floego** » 15 Jun 2010, 13:26

There's a tool that could help to catch latency problems in windows:
http://www.thesycon.de/eng/latency_check.shtml

hope that helps.

CLeRIK · Unread post by **CLeRIK** » 15 Jun 2010, 15:36

By using Asio4All, I finally got Usine Pro 5.17 working with my E-MU 0404 USB 2.0 (same as waolelaid)

I followed nay-seven's tips on how to disable the Wavetable Synth (or sharing drivers) and the audio output worked fine. I can use the Asio4All with a sample rate of 128 without problems. Too bad it did not work with the original drivers, but I'm glad it does with Asio4All. So, now I just have to create my WorkSpace :S

nay-seven · Unread post by **nay-seven** » 15 Jun 2010, 17:33

great !
so happy patching now !

waolelaid · Unread post by **waolelaid** » 15 Jun 2010, 21:13

hello all thank you for your answers
@nay : do you really need 64 samples latency , as i know , you 're not a "live performer "..?
so maybe 128 or even 256 is enough for you..?
it's only at this samples latency that with FW Solo I could play with "pianoteq" to have a good response
otherwise i push a note and i get sound when i release the note it's the same with internal sound card
and all VSTs I use
can i disable the driver of the internal sound card in sorry but i don't know how ça s'appelle en anglais :panneau de configuration
system audio désolé mais je ne comprends pas comment faire ça : "nay-seven's tips on how to disable the Wavetable Synth (or sharing drivers)
so i'm going to try with asio4all 2.10 beta 1 and i will see
but now I'm waiting to have money to buy a sound card better than i have
I' m sorry but there are technical problems that i can't explain in english
thank you once again
i'mgoing to eat now
i will see that later
good evening

nay-seven · Unread post by **nay-seven** » 15 Jun 2010, 22:11

@wao :you can also try to join us here too if you need to speak French..

french forum

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