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Post by Phil on Dec 26, 2014 18:11:07 GMT -6
Does anybody know what would be the cause of suddenly getting pops, crackles, and drop-outs when playing through my computer with my interface. This has never happened before. I'm getting it quite a bit and it ruined my recording of "Blues a la Chord." OK, my playing ruined the recording, but the crackles and drop-outs just added to my problems. I remember reading something several months ago when I was setting up a DAW that something needed to be adjusted if this occurs. Maybe the buffer size or sample rate or something. I'm not really up to speed on the finer points of recording on a computer. It's definitely not a hardware problem with the interface since it occurs with my Behringer Guitar Link and a Line 6 UX1 that I borrowed. My computer is pretty old (I'm still running XP), but since it never happened before I not so sure that's causing the problem. Can anybody help?
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Post by cunningr on Dec 26, 2014 19:00:27 GMT -6
Sounds more like the cable from your guitar to the interface might have a short possibly did you try a different cable? What happens is the ground frays and when you move the cable it will ground causing popping and crackle sounds. You could connect straight to your amp and wiggle the cable to see if it makes any noise.
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Post by Phil on Dec 26, 2014 19:23:20 GMT -6
Sounds more like the cable from your guitar to the interface might have a short possibly did you try a different cable? What happens is the ground frays and when you move the cable it will ground causing popping and crackle sounds. You could connect straight to your amp and wiggle the cable to see if it makes any noise. Thanks for the tip. I'll check it through my amp tomorrow and see if it still happens. I haven't plugged in my amp in months.
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 26, 2014 22:28:27 GMT -6
I agree - if it occurs with different interfaces, then it's not the hardware, but it could definitely be a cable - not only the guitar cable, but could be a USB cable if you're using the same one to plug in all the different interfaces - or even the USB connection if you're plugging them all into the same USB port on the computer. Software issues can be a real bear to track down. You haven't recently installed any new software or updated any software on the computer have you? (especially any audio related software). Of course, you have shut everything down, powered it all off, and rebooted everything... You could also try plugging something else (a microphone?) into your interface, to see if it persists. Good luck with this one - if all else fails, there's always (gasp) the acoustic guitar... Bruce
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Post by joachim on Dec 27, 2014 2:48:18 GMT -6
Phil,
I occasionally get the same with my audio interface. I use the ASIO driver and have set the buffer length to 3ms, which is the shortest I can use without getting these constant pops and crackles. Replugging my audio interface (Focusrite 2i2) and restarting Reaper helps, and I think it's mainly a software/driver issues for me since replugging fixes it. Using too short a buffer gives buffer underruns, which results in systematic pop noises.
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 27, 2014 6:54:13 GMT -6
Yeah could be the guitar cord; personally I've never had one cause crackles and pops - they'd just go silent and if you wiggled them around a bit the sound would come back. Or could be the USB cable; if you've got another one try switching it out.
Or it could be the buffer length like Joachim mentioned, but I don't know anything about that stuff. Did the problem begin about the same time you started using the Pod Studio? Did you install software to be able to use that? That would be where I'd start troubleshooting.
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Post by cunningr on Dec 27, 2014 10:38:38 GMT -6
Yeh kinda of strange problem, not having any problem then all of a sudden getting noise. I have a cable that I just replaced because it was popping and creaking when I moved arounded. New cab,e problem gone. But I am not familiar with your recording set up either, but I belevi in checking the easy stuff first like cables most of the time it's someth simple like that. Good luck.
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Post by Phil on Dec 27, 2014 15:33:02 GMT -6
I played through my amp for the 1st time in months today and it is definitely NOT the cable of anything to do with the guitar. What I described as a crackle actually sounds more like clipping, but the input volume is nowhere near the point of clipping. I could live with that, but the drop-outs are really aggravating. The sound just disappears for a fraction of a second. I did a little research and discovered that it could be caused by just about anything - the driver, a program running in the background, a overly fragmented disk, the specific USB port, yada, yada, yada. That sure narrows it down. I just defragged my disk as the 1st step in trouble shooting this. It was seriously fragmented. I believe that like 99% of all computer problems that I've ever had, I will eventually find that it is a software problem and not a hardware problem.
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Post by cunningr on Dec 27, 2014 18:39:54 GMT -6
Good luck elimanting the easy obvious stuff first is the best approach. Does it on do it on the one tune? If so maybe your too fast for it to register all the notes on that song . Anyway good luck sounds like a tough issue to track down.
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Post by Phil on Dec 27, 2014 19:32:36 GMT -6
G Does it on do it on the one tune? If so maybe your too fast for it to register all the notes on that song . Anyway good luck sounds like a tough issue to track down. Yeah, that the ticket! I'm playing much too fast and my computer can't keep up. That must be the problem. Actually I discovered the problem. It was Spotify. My son installed it a few days ago. It stays open even when you think it's closed. I exited the program and the problem disappeared. Ain't computers fun?
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 27, 2014 20:44:39 GMT -6
Glad you got that fixed Phil! Programs love to set themselves to always start when the computer starts, like they're absolutely vital to have running at all times. I look at the startup programs occasionally and uncheck anything I know to be unnecessary. That uninstall utility works great also
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Post by cunningr on Dec 28, 2014 4:22:15 GMT -6
Yeh that would have been a tough one, always have to look at the easy stuff and anything newly changed.
Although spotify is great I use the free version all the time the play list Chicago Blues is excellent.
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 28, 2014 8:14:48 GMT -6
Glad you got that one straightened out. Those kinds of software conflicts seem to be really common with various audio related softwares. Very frustrating.
Bruce
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