ProTools Recording Distortion

[HKD126]

As of recently ProTools is now adding heavy distortion to audio being recorded. It happens randomly and frequently.

I am using a core 2 duo macbook pro, running OSX 10.6.8, PT MPowered 8.0.5 and a ProFire 2626. Now, I do use external preamps and converters to record and use the 2626 as just an interface but the distortion will happen when I use only my interface. It happens while I am recording, quite randomly and distorts the audio to be very unintelligible and delayed. The problem is fixed when I close ProTools and open it again but will soon happen again. I have monitored the audio at all stages, after preamps, converters, into computer through software mixer and it will be completely fine up until I get to Protools (even while in input monitoring and not recording audio will distort).

Now this just happened to be a problems as of recently although I have not done any updates or anything... However, trying to trouble shoot I am now on OSX 10.6.8 and profire drivers 2.3.2. The drivers say they are for the right operating system as well. Now I have also done all system optimizations recommended by M-Audio, changed firewire cables to new ones, changed firewire bus, changed from 400 to 800 port, Reinstalled ProTools and all drivers, wiped my computer clean, switched hard drive to different bus, am now recording off a new internal 7200rpm drive with nothing attached to computer except interface, even tested the issue out with a brand new 2626 interface, swapped power supplies with a new one, have taken my computer to Apple and they said everything was fine with it, tried different buffer sizes.... Nothing. Has anyone heard of any glitches? I may just try upgrading to 10 and ditching M Powered... I don't want to spend $600 if not necessary....

Anything you might know would be a great help! Thank you very much!

[csr]

HKD126,

Your post looks very familiar to me...it looks like we use pretty much the identical setup, and I just recently had a similar problem.

I too run a MacBook Pro core 2 duo, 10.6.8, PTMP 8.0.5, and a 2626. All of a sudden I started having an issue where recorded tracks were laden with distortion. Not every time, but the most I could record was about 1 minute. After that, only a reboot would set it back to normal.

In troubleshooting normally I'd just look for what had changed. However, in the last while I had replaced my Audio drive, updated my OS, updated the 2626 drivers, and also some plug-ins... so it was hard to put my finger on it. This is mainly because since these upgrades, all I had been doing was mixing, and some VI tracks--no actual audio recording. As soon as I got to tracking, the issue presented itself.

After a frustrating session (laden with reboots) this week, I had some time today to play around. My new audio drive is FW800, and was connected to the 800 port, while the 2626 was in the FW400 port. I swapped them... put an adapter on the interface and put it in the 800 port, and put a converter cable on the HD and put it in the 400 port. This is completely counter-intuitive... however, the distortion on recorded audio is gone.

Don't know if this would be any help to you, but thought I would post it just in case.








, which I managed to get rid of--although