Random Robotic Distortion During Recording

[aflalo]

I have seen similar threads on this topic but none are similar to my issue. I am using the Digidesign ASIO driver for Windows so that i can use other DAW software along with ProTools.

My configuration is a Digidesign 003 Rack Factory connected via FireWire to a Windows 7 (32-bit) PC with 16GB RAM, 3x1TB HDD, Dual 2.66GHz processors. Plenty of computing power.

Out of nowhere during recording the sound goes from nice and clean and clear to a robotic distortion. I can still hear what the recording is, but it is unclear and very digital. I do not hear this during monitoring as i am monitoring via Mackie Mixer; nor does the waveform change visually. I notice it upon playback. There is no pattern to when or why it happens, the only time i can reproduce it is when i am trying to record a Skype conversation- and even in that case it only happens 100% on real skype calls vs. the Skype test call.

I have updated all drives, even updated to PT9.0 to see if that would correct the issue(s) and it does not. Any suggestions are welcome. Given that this problem happens with or without PT installed, deleting cache files or preferences has not been a solution, nor has increasing the buffer size. My buffer is 1024 and i have tried it with varying levels as well.

Thanks in advance.

Marc

[albee1952]

All the power in the world won't help if you have incompatible hardware or improper system configuration. Read here and post a Sandra: Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!

[TOM@METRO]

Many of the "robotic" issues have been clock related, check your clock source. And yes... Post a Sandra report as suggested above.

[aflalo]

Here is the Sandra report:

SiSoftware Sandra

Computer
Model : System manufacturer P5K Deluxe
Workgroup : WORKGROUP
Host Name : aflalo-desktop
User : Aflalo

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
Speed : 2.4GHz
Cores per Processor : 4 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Type : Quad-Core
Integrated Data Cache : 4x 32kB, Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way, 64 byte line size
L2 On-board Cache : 2x 4MB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 16-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing

Computer
Mainboard : Asus P5K Deluxe
BIOS : AMI 0404 06/15/2007
Bus(es) : ISA X-Bus PCI PCIe IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : No
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : Yes
Total Memory : 3.25GB DIMM DDR2 DDR3

Chipset
Model : ASUS P35/G33/G31 Processor to I/O Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 267MHz (1GHz)
Total Memory : 22.25GB DIMM DDR2 DDR3
Channels : 2
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 334MHz (668MHz)

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905316-005A04LF 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905316-005A04LF 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905316-005A04LF 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905316-005A04LF 1GB DIMM DDR2 PC2-5300U DDR2-666 (5-5-5-15 3-20-5-3)

Video System
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS (96 SM4.0 1.1GHz, 640MB DDR3 1.58GHz 320-bit, PCIe 1.00 x16)
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS (96 SM4.0 1.1GHz, 640MB DDR3 1.58GHz 320-bit, PCIe 1.00 x16)

Graphics Processor
OpenCL Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS (96SP 12C 1.19GHz, 640MB DDR3 1.58GHz 320-bit)
Compute Shader Processor : NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS (96SP 1.1GHz, 640MB DDR3 1.58GHz 320-bit)

Storage Devices
WDC WD5000AAKS-00A7B0 (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache) : 466GB (C:)
WDC WD5000AAKS-00V1A0 (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache) : 466GB (D:)
WDC WD5001AALS-00L3B2 (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 32MB Cache) : 466GB (E:)
WD 6400AAV External 640.1GB (USB) : 596GB (O:)
HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GSA-H50N (ATA66, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : N/A (F:)

Logical Storage Devices
System Reserved : 100MB (NTFS)
Production (D:) : 466GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD5000AAKS-00V1A0 (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache)
Data (E:) : 466GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD5001AALS-00L3B2 (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 32MB Cache)
Backup Drive (O:) : 596GB (NTFS) @ WD 6400AAV External 640.1GB (USB)
Hard Disk (C:) : 466GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD5000AAKS-00A7B0 (500.1GB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm, 16MB Cache)
Optical Drive (F:) : N/A @ HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GSA-H50N (ATA66, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : ASUS (ICH9) LPC Interface Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : Winbond W83627DHG
Audio Device : ASUS (ICH9) HD Audio Controller
Audio Codec : Analog Devices AD1988B Sound Chip
Serial Port(s) : 1
Disk Controller : ASUS (ICH9) 4 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 1
Disk Controller : ASUS (ICH9) 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 2
Disk Controller : ASUS JMB36X PCIE-to-SATAII/IDE RAID Controller
USB Controller 1 : ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 2 : ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 3 : ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 4 : ASUS (ICH9) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Controller 5 : ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 6 : ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 7 : ASUS (ICH9) USB Universal Host Controller
USB Controller 8 : ASUS (ICH9) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : ASUS IEEE 1394a Firewire Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel ICH SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Send To Microsoft OneNote 2010 Driver (1200x1200, Colour)
Printer : Amyuni Document Converter 400 (2400x2400, Parallel, Colour)
Printer : Amyuni Document Converter 300 (2400x2400, Parallel, Colour)
Printer : PrimoPDF (4000x4000, Colour)
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Printer : HP Color LaserJet 3600 (600x600, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)
Printer : Brother MFC-465CN (600x600, USB, Colour)

Network Services
Network Adapter : Realtek PCI GBE Family Controller
Network Adapter : Marvell Yukon 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Ethernet, 1Gbps)
Network Adapter : D-Link DGE-530T Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (rev.B) (Ethernet, 100Mbps)
Network Adapter : Cisco Systems VPN Adapter (Ethernet, 1Gbps)

Power Management
Mains (AC) Line Status : On-Line

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 6.01.7600
Platform Compliance : x86

Windows Experience Index
Current System : 5.9

Performance Enhancing Tips
Tip 2546 : Large memory modules should be ECC/Parity.
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the tip.

[aflalo]

I think I may have found a potential cause - the hardware sample rate is set to 48000 (when i look at the ASIO settings) but that changes the moment i launch something within Windows that plays back sound. So for example when i'm recording in 48000 and then launch something that plays back in 44100 it screws it up.

So I guess the question remains how can i lock the 003 Rack to one sample rate so that everything remains consistent. In the windows settings i can only see 16-bit or 32-bit 44,100 not 48,000...

Thanks guys.

[albee1952]

Not sure if this will help, but, try setting Windows to use the onboard sound for all Windows programs. That way, Pro Tools has exclusive use of the 003, and that might allow Pro Tools to "rule" the 003. As for getting other sounds out thru your speakers, there are a few ways to do that. 1 would be to run a stereo mini plug to dual quarter inch cable to the AUX inputs on the 003(hit the Aux to Mon button to listen to all non-Pro Tools sounds). My method uses a Presonus Central Station(which allows for multiple monitors and multiple sources) and I feed the optical SPDIF from the motherboard to the optical input of the Central Station. That sounds best as it bypasses the cheapo onboard D>A converters(IOW, its cleaner and quiet as compared to the mini plug output).

[aflalo]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Not sure if this will help, but, try setting Windows to use the onboard sound for all Windows programs. That way, Pro Tools has exclusive use of the 003, and that might allow Pro Tools to "rule" the 003. As for getting other sounds out thru your speakers, there are a few ways to do that. 1 would be to run a stereo mini plug to dual quarter inch cable to the AUX inputs on the 003(hit the Aux to Mon button to listen to all non-Pro Tools sounds). My method uses a Presonus Central Station(which allows for multiple monitors and multiple sources) and I feed the optical SPDIF from the motherboard to the optical input of the Central Station. That sounds best as it bypasses the cheapo onboard D>A converters(IOW, its cleaner and quiet as compared to the mini plug output).

Thank you for your suggestion - after reading through other forums and playing around I actually set it up this way a couple hours ago. I'm running the onboard soundcard through my Mackie so that i can dub stuff down if needed.

The only remaining issue is determining how, without an external clock sync, i can lock the 003 to a sample rate.

[aflalo]

So, i no longer have robotic distortion as that was definitely the issue that has been resolved, but i continue to occasionally have clicks and pop show up. It normally stops after i stop recording and start again, but i can't reliably record a long interview or something without a backup.

Windows is using the onboard sound card for everything, so the 003 is not conflicted and i'm running at 48000 exclusively...

Any thoughts?