CPU spikes? NO! ***sigh*** yes.

[jeam25]

Originally Posted by thepontif

I have 16GB of RAM

So after having done as many of the optimizations as possible, given that I don't have another interface or a disk image that's pre-RME, after installing AISO4ALL I've actually affected a marked change in behavior...not MY behavior...Pro Tools's behavior.

All below is at 128 sample buffer at 88.2kHz in a 35 track session with a mix session's worth of plugs, including several instances of Melodyne and several tracks with elastic audio enabled, which in the past has been no problem.

The first time a hit play with AISO4ALL as the device of choice in PT setup, it played back but it stuttered really badly.

Hit stop, hit play, stuttered for a few seconds and then played back smooth.

Hit stop, hit play, stuttered and wouldn't stop stuttering

Hit stop, hit play, played back clean and has every time since, including after reboot.

Playback has been THROUGH the RME, but apparently using the generic USB codec...question mark?

I'd swear it sounds better that way than it did using the RME driver at higher buffer sizes. But that's totally subjective. Probably just due to being relieved to hear a clean signal for once.

And NO CPU spikes. Not even close. It's not working hard at all.

This is all good and I can mix this way, but I need all of my ins for obvious reasons if I'm gonna record a band, and all my outs for headphone distro. So I have to get the RME driver to work.

Thoughts from the experts? Do I need to get RME involved at this point?

Well i think you should contact RME about this imho .

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by jeam25

Well i think you should contact RME about this imho .

I can't even believe this, but not 5 minutes after I posted last, I hit play in PT with AISO as the device and NOW it has begun to spike and drop out and do crazy stuff. It's not even playing and the system usage meter is spiking intermittently. But windows task manager is not registering anything above about 25% CPU usage.

Back to the drawing board. I've got to get my hands on another interface.

I hate this kind of crap because things never happen for no reason...ever. It's just no logical. It's just finding the reason.

I'll leave y'all alone and post more when I know more.
Thanks for help so far.

[Darryl Ramm]

Let's use the proper terms to start with. Driver not codec. And what actual mode is the UCX in? Class Compliant or USB2? Did you check the firmware is up to date?

You have absolutely no motherboard or sound card audio that you can try with ASIO4ALL?

But you likely have enough information to know it's an interface issue and if needed to get help from RME support, or just get a different interface. Shows the power of being aggressive when troubleshooting.

[jeam25]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

You have absolutely no motherboard or sound card audio that you can try with ASIO4ALL?

That would be excellent !

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Let's use the proper terms to start with. Driver not codec. And what actual mode is the UCX in? Class Compliant or USB2? Did you check the firmware is up to date?

You have absolutely no motherboard or sound card audio that you can try with ASIO4ALL?

But you likely have enough information to know it's an interface issue and if needed to get help from RME support, or just get a different interface. Shows the power of being aggressive when troubleshooting.

Sorry, driver.

Actually I do have on-board sound that's disabled in the BIOS. I'll try that.

Even more developments. Switching back and forth between drivers, occasionally I'm getting clean audio from the ASIO4ALL and from the stock RME driver, now. So I did a front panel reset on the UFX and low and behold the problem returned. But still is intermittent.

Pointing more and more toward and interface problem.

Not being so familiar with digital cabling, can a USB just go bad without being physically broken?

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Let's use the proper terms to start with. Driver not codec. And what actual mode is the UCX in? Class Compliant or USB2? Did you check the firmware is up to date?

You have absolutely no motherboard or sound card audio that you can try with ASIO4ALL?

But you likely have enough information to know it's an interface issue and if needed to get help from RME support, or just get a different interface. Shows the power of being aggressive when troubleshooting.

Not sure what mode the UFXis in (will check but not sure how), and the firmware and drivers are up to date. Was the first thing I tried.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by thepontif

Not being so familiar with digital cabling, can a USB just go bad without being physically broken?

Much more likely a software issue, including driver, firmware, OS mangled, etc. or possible a bad interface.

You can try a different USB port and cable but get other stuff done. What exact OS, exact driver and exact firmware version do you have... "up to date" is not that reassuring.

[thepontif]

USB 2.0 mode

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by thepontif

USB 2.0 mode

Then I'm not sure if it's using a class compliant driver. It was not clear at all what you meant by "generic", but guess? you had meant class compliant.

My understanding was the USB2 mode in the UCX is not class complaint, and if so then ASIO4ALL would have to be using a WDM driver (presumably included in the installer from RME). Anyhow well past time to test with another interface.

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Then I'm not sure if it's using a class compliant driver. It was not clear at all what you meant by "generic", but guess? you had meant class compliant.

My understanding was the USB2 mode in the UCX is not class complaint, and if so then ASIO4ALL would have to be using a WDM driver (presumably included in the installer from RME). Anyhow well past time to test with another interface.

Yeah. The intermittency of it certainly suggest and interface problem, so maybe I’ll just buy a cheapie.