Sound Distortion Issues with Pro Tools 8

[SupposedGhosts]

Hello,

Been having some troubles with my newly installed Pro Tools rig. Things are ok in general except for an extremely distorted sound quality. It sounds like the system is running at a lower sample rate or bit rate and cutting huge chunks of sound out. Muting tracks leaves a strange, rattling, distorted noise when nothing is playing.

I have a hunch that it's something to do with my laptop setup. Is that a viable option? Other suggestions?

My rig:
Pro Tools 8
MBox Mini
Snow Leopard 10.6 OSX
2 GB of RAM on my system (my hunch for what's wrong, might it also be my sound card?)
30 GB of Hard Drive Space (running most of the audio off a USB linked external)

Anything else I can specify that might help?

[plastikman]

You should not be using a USB drive. Connect the external drive via firewire.

Originally Posted by SupposedGhosts

Anything else I can specify that might help?

It would help to be a bit more specific with your setup/gear. You mentioned laptop, what kind of laptop and what are the specs?

You say PT8, what version is it? PT8.? 8.0.0? 8.0.2? 8.1?

Same with OS 10.6. Is it 10.6? 10.6.2? 10.6.6?

Same with MBox Mini. MBox 2 Mini, or MBox 3 Mini?

The RAM could be an issue if you are running an intensive session, i.e. lots of VIs, tracks, etc.

[SupposedGhosts]

Laptop is a 2007 Macbook Pro
- 2.2 Ghz Intel Core Duo
- 2 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 SDRAM

OSX is the original install of Snow Leopard, so 10.6

My copy of Pro Tools is listed as 8.0.4 in the manual I got with the install, but the outside packaging only says 8.0. So I'm not sure, but I think I'm running 8.0.4.

Mbox 3 Mini

This particular project is running about 30 tracks. Think that would be enough to make an impact on the RAM?

[plastikman]

Originally Posted by SupposedGhosts

Laptop is a 2007 Macbook Pro
- 2.2 Ghz Intel Core Duo
- 2 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 SDRAM

OSX is the original install of Snow Leopard, so 10.6

My copy of Pro Tools is listed as 8.0.4 in the manual I got with the install, but the outside packaging only says 8.0. So I'm not sure, but I think I'm running 8.0.4.

Mbox 3 Mini

This particular project is running about 30 tracks. Think that would be enough to make an impact on the RAM?

It could, depending how many plug ins are in use.

Pro Tools version is shown in the startup box, or you can right click on the Pro Tools icon you use to launch the app and select 'Get Info'; it will show which version there.

I don't have an MBox 3 so some other users may know a more specific cause of your problem, but you should still change your external hard drive connection from USB to firewire. That will improve system performance.

[SupposedGhosts]

Ok...updates. After sitting down with my professor and trying a few different things, it seems that the problem is coming from my computer itself. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Pro Tools and the MBox drivers several times over now, with no luck.

Sound is still distorted, even when running just one track of audio.

I've also reset parameter RAM and reconfigured my settings several times over (with the help of Avid's support line).

Does anyone think uninstalling and reinstalling Snow Leopard would do anything? Any other suggestions?

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by SupposedGhosts

Does anyone think uninstalling and reinstalling Snow Leopard would do anything?

Very unlikely.
Noise and distortion from a otherwise working PT application, I would be looking for hardware failure.

Do you have Digi Core Audio manager installed? If so you can select the mbox as output for all mac audio in system preferences. Do you get the same distortion from f.ex iTunes? (You have to quit PT.)

Is the Noise and distortion present in headphones also?

[SupposedGhosts]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

Very unlikely.
Noise and distortion from a otherwise working PT application, I would be looking for hardware failure.

Do you have Digi Core Audio manager installed? If so you can select the mbox as output for all mac audio in system preferences. Do you get the same distortion from f.ex iTunes? (You have to quit PT.)

Is the Noise and distortion present in headphones also?

core audio's installed
noise is present in headphones and yes, I do get the same distortion issues in my itunes and other audio.
Have tried other interfaces and gotten the same issues.

Someone speculated that it might in fact be my laptop USB port that's malfunctioning. Yikes. Think that's valid?

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by SupposedGhosts

Have tried other interfaces and gotten the same issues.

Well, that rules out interface malfunction.

Originally Posted by SupposedGhosts

I've uninstalled and reinstalled Pro Tools and the MBox drivers several times over now, with no luck.
Sound is still distorted, even when running just one track of audio.
I've also reset parameter RAM and reconfigured my settings several times over (with the help of Avid's support line).

And I would say that most likely rules out the software setup.

Originally Posted by SupposedGhosts

Someone speculated that it might in fact be my laptop USB port that's malfunctioning. Yikes. Think that's valid?

Could be. Have you tried a different cable?

[Ben Jenssen]

I did a search for "usb cable" and immediately found other people who solved problems with bad sound by switching cables:

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t...ight=usb+cable

[SupposedGhosts]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

Well, that rules out interface malfunction.

And I would say that most likely rules out the software setup.

Could be. Have you tried a different cable?

I tried several different cables, all to no avail. It's starting to look like the problem really is emanating from my USB port, which scares me a fair amount. Not sure if I have the cash/time to take that in for repair.

I'll keep posting with hope that possibly there are some other ideas floating around out there. Been searching the site for suggestions to no avail.