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-   -   PT12 & Duet2 Issue (https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=383449)

johnbarnesiii 08-17-2016 02:41 PM

PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
3 Attachment(s)
Hi guys,

I recently upgraded to PT12 on my Mac system. I'm using Apogee Duet 2 as audio interface and have been having an issue intermittently with it:

All of a sudden the sound will turn into a weird robotic, unintelligible, compressed or crunched sounding output. I'm using virtual instruments to test this. Doesn't matter which VI library I use either.

When this happens, I have tried closing the session file then re-opening it. As well I try restarting (and resetting) the Duet 2, and finally I tried quitting PT then re-opening. All of these methods seem to work in temporarily getting the sound to go back to normal. However, if I keep going it inevitably happens again, sometimes it takes a while to happen again but sometimes it happens shortly afterward. I usually have to at least close the session file and re-open and even just this works the majority of the time but not all the time.

So far I have tried trashing the PT prefs but that did not work to fix the issue. Another thing to note is that the Duet 2 seems to work fine with non-PT stuff like iTunes and such. So its definitely a PT+Apogee-specific issue.

One addition which may or may not be related, is that I sometimes get the error that PT ran out of CPU power. However it doesn't make sense bc when I go to my disk usage it says only 10% is being used. I've attached the error message along with a screen shot of my disk usage and system usage in PT. Again this may be a separate issue from the weird Duet 2 sound thing but just thought I'd throw it out there in case there is a connection.

Just wondering if others have experienced this issue and if so, what has worked to resolve it?

Thanks!

Southsidemusic 08-17-2016 02:57 PM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Can you post your computer model, drives, ram and OSX version aswell as PT version? PT12 but which version? How many hard drives? What drive are you recording to and what make and model are the drives you have? Computer specs and as much other info needed.

What version driver for the interface?

Soo much info we need here to start helping.

WarrenG 08-18-2016 12:57 AM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Hi:
I had exactly the same problem, both with the Duet and a Behringer X32 Compact. I found that reselecting the interface (or buffer size) "reset" the problem, but it would come back again.

I even completely reinstalled OSX and PT, but still got the problem.

One time this happened was during a bounce to disk, I let it run through to the end (by which time the sound was completely unintelligible) and the resulting WAV was fine. So the problem had to be with the output from the interface.

In the end I replaced the USB cables and made sure both interfaces were connected directly to the computer and since then I've not had a problem.

Hope this helps!

Becharax 08-18-2016 02:31 AM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
This problem is usually due to low buffer settings ... try a 512 for a test of 1024 and let me know if this works ... then we can see how to sort it out

johnbarnesiii 08-18-2016 11:22 AM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

I'm using an iMac (late 2013, 2.7Ghz Intel Core i5) with 16GB RAM, 1TB internal drive. I'm also using a 4TB external drive by G-Technology. On this drive I store all my PT sessions files, as well as most of my virtual instruments. Some of the less storage-intensive VI's (such as Xpand2) are stored on the internal drive. I'm using PT 12.5.1 and OS 10.11.6. Firmware version for the Duet is 0.1.37.

Please note that I also have a USB 3.0 hub to which both the Duet 2 and my external drive are connected. I'm doing that bc I don't have enough USB inputs on my Mac to cover all of the USB connections. I'm wondering if that could in fact be contributing to the problem? The hub is this powered one by Anker: http://tinyurl.com/glq9xt6. The other thing I just thought of is... I don't recall if the USB cable from the Duet to the hub is 2.0 or 3.0. I assume that might make a difference too? So if the hub is 3.0 do I definitely need a 3.0 cable from the Duet to the hub? Or does the Duet2 even support USB 3.0? Not sure if that's part of it or not??

DJ Bechara, regarding buffer size, I was at 256 i believe during this troubleshooting. I contacted Apogee yesterday and they actually suggested I try going down to 128 or lower, which is weird bc it seems more logical to do what DJ Bechara suggested in going up to 512 or 1024 so I'm a bit confused on that one.

WarrenG thanks for your input. So you're saying if the problem was with the output from the interface, then you're saying that the cable swap and going direct into your computer solved it? And by going direct, you mean bypassing a USB hub??

_JJ_ 08-18-2016 01:28 PM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Like the iLok, your Duet is a USB 2.0 device so the cable that came with it is the one to use.

I believe your iMac has 4 USB 3.0 ports plus two Thunderbolt ports? I would suggest connecting your audio drive directly, hopefully it is a 3.0 device (or better yet a TB drive) so it could take full advantage of that speed.

I would also connect your Duet directly to a 2nd port. Even thought it's 2.0, passing through the hub is just another unknown.

Then your hub could easily handle your iLok, keyboard, trackball, whatever else is not speed dependent.

Southsidemusic 08-18-2016 01:46 PM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Just a FYI if you didn't know this, The ilok key really wants to be in a USB2 port or a USB2 hub to work as advertized. Many people have had issues with the ilok connected in a USB3 port slowing down the system or not working at all and making the rest of the USB devices run bad.

And the USB cable doesn't care if its a USB3 or USB2 connection, there are no speed measurements on USB cables so thats not an issue here.

_JJ_ 08-18-2016 08:10 PM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Good advice about the iLok. I've shrink-wrapped mine to a short USB extension cable, which is 2.0, and that seems to work ok with my MBPro's 3.0 ports...

WarrenG 08-19-2016 12:52 AM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by johnbarnesiii (Post 2376185)
Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

I'm using an iMac (late 2013, 2.7Ghz Intel Core i5) with 16GB RAM, 1TB internal drive. I'm also using a 4TB external drive by G-Technology. On this drive I store all my PT sessions files, as well as most of my virtual instruments. Some of the less storage-intensive VI's (such as Xpand2) are stored on the internal drive. I'm using PT 12.5.1 and OS 10.11.6. Firmware version for the Duet is 0.1.37.

Please note that I also have a USB 3.0 hub to which both the Duet 2 and my external drive are connected. I'm doing that bc I don't have enough USB inputs on my Mac to cover all of the USB connections. I'm wondering if that could in fact be contributing to the problem? The hub is this powered one by Anker: http://tinyurl.com/glq9xt6. The other thing I just thought of is... I don't recall if the USB cable from the Duet to the hub is 2.0 or 3.0. I assume that might make a difference too? So if the hub is 3.0 do I definitely need a 3.0 cable from the Duet to the hub? Or does the Duet2 even support USB 3.0? Not sure if that's part of it or not??

DJ Bechara, regarding buffer size, I was at 256 i believe during this troubleshooting. I contacted Apogee yesterday and they actually suggested I try going down to 128 or lower, which is weird bc it seems more logical to do what DJ Bechara suggested in going up to 512 or 1024 so I'm a bit confused on that one.

WarrenG thanks for your input. So you're saying if the problem was with the output from the interface, then you're saying that the cable swap and going direct into your computer solved it? And by going direct, you mean bypassing a USB hub??

Hi:
Yes, I have both interfaces directly attached to my Mac now, not through any hub. I have new cables on both too. Changing buffer size made no difference for me, I got the problem regardless of whether if was 128 or 1024.

xylie6 08-19-2016 03:55 AM

Re: PT12 & Duet2 Issue
 
I have had similar weird problems with my Quartet. Turned out that changing the USB cable resolved the issue. Not sure why. The new cable was shorter and better quality though. I have also found in the past that using the same USB port on your computer that you originally set up your ILOK could make some difference.


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