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  #11  
Old 10-29-2021, 04:38 PM
kw88keys kw88keys is offline
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

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Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm View Post
Just to be clear you say 8 in 8 out, but do you need ADAT or S/PDIF etc. And is that 8 mic preamps or line in do for some? How many (independent) headphone outputs needed in the box?

I would start by encouraging you to get off Firewire, it's ancient. You are likely much better served with the choices available with modern USB interfaces. What USB and other (Thunderbolt?) connectivity do you have on your PC? Can you describe the PC or post a Sandra report.

Is hardware monitoring in the interface important to you? i.e. do you rely on "low-latency monitoring" in the 002 rack today? Or do you run with small enough IO buffer size with the 002 to software monitor? And want to do that in the new interface?

The other thing you can do is look at some vendors like Motu, Focusrite, Presonus, and just see what they have on offer. Browsing Sweetwater is a good place to start. I like UAD stuff as well but it's above your price range here, and I'm hesitant to point people there unless they already are UAD plugin users/understand that trap

If you want 8 great mic preamps you might want to be willing to increase that price range a bit. But define "quality is key"... and OTOH there are great value for money options out there like the Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre USB-C. 8 mic preamps and 10 line outs and ADAT for <$1k. And the preamps will be better than your 002 (or I'll eat my hat).

Hello Darryl,
Wow!...Thank you for the in-depth answer - You apparently very much know you stuff!! After your response, my world has changed - NO MORE FIREWIRE. I do indeed have a USB-C connector on my computer (Sandra report in the string earlier). I never use S/PDIF and use 4 XLR mic connectors max and the rest are TRS connectors to connect an Alesis mixer and TS for direct in for bass and outboard gear such as pedal boards and a TC Helicon vocalizer. I also connect a couple of external pre-amps but would be happy to discard these if I had excellent pre-amps on the interface. As for latency, I normally run at 128 samples in my PT hardware buffer and find that quite acceptable. I just want to make sure that I buy something that plays nice with Windows and ProTools 2020X. My needs are really pretty simple compared to someone like you and other heavy hitters. Thanks again. I know time is valuable and your help is VERY much appreciated.
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  #12  
Old 10-29-2021, 06:29 PM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is online now
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

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Hello Darryl,
Wow!...Thank you for the in-depth answer - You apparently very much know you stuff!! After your response, my world has changed - NO MORE FIREWIRE. I do indeed have a USB-C connector on my computer (Sandra report in the string earlier). I never use S/PDIF and use 4 XLR mic connectors max and the rest are TRS connectors to connect an Alesis mixer and TS for direct in for bass and outboard gear such as pedal boards and a TC Helicon vocalizer. I also connect a couple of external pre-amps but would be happy to discard these if I had excellent pre-amps on the interface. As for latency, I normally run at 128 samples in my PT hardware buffer and find that quite acceptable. I just want to make sure that I buy something that plays nice with Windows and ProTools 2020X. My needs are really pretty simple compared to someone like you and other heavy hitters. Thanks again. I know time is valuable and your help is VERY much appreciated.

Oh I missed the whole first page with Sandra report. So let's go there... As Dave has mentioned before, it's concerning that Sandra reports you have bad DIMMs. And so the first thing I would look to see is if the DIMMs you are using on the motherboard manufacturer's vendor qualification list. Not something similar, or close, but the exact make and model number of DIMM with the exact same timings. With all installed DIMMs the same... in your case the DIMMs you have do *not* seem to be on the VQL for that motherboard and processor, heck there is not a single DIMM qualified with the timing reported by Sandra. https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/m..._X570_0722.pdf I would get this sorted out before going any further. Get VQL DIMMs installed and get Sandra reporting no errors.

Memory is fickle, seeing Sandra errors reported like this does not mean Pro Tools will have problems, and not seeing any errors does not guarantee much, but you just should not be using DIMMs not on the VQL. Turn off all overclocking, Pro Tools can have problems you don't see in other apps. And since you have this basic stuff wrong I'd be checking carefully _everything_ else is done OK, make sure every last optimization for Pro Tools is done. All those BIOS, cstate etc. settings. Test for problems with all plugin files removed, with and without clustered multithreading (aka AMD hyperthreading), etc. lots of standard troubleshooting steps.

---

Uh *my* needs are pretty simple, a couple of analog and AES/EBU and S/PDIF IO for recording guitar/guitar processors.

As you look at interfaces don't just look at "USB-C" connector type, look at all USB-2, USB-3.x that your computer actually supports. USB-C really only becomes important for bus powered devices with higher power-need devices, lots of other things you can get to via an adapter if needed or you have USB-A ports on the motherboard. And similarly Focusrite provide a USB-A to USB-C adapter cable with the interface I mentioned, so you typically don't actually need USB-C on the computer.

Last edited by Darryl Ramm; 10-29-2021 at 06:41 PM.
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  #13  
Old 10-30-2021, 06:33 AM
kw88keys kw88keys is offline
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

Thank you again, Darryl, for the detailed and thorough response. I will indeed look into these compatibility issues with the memory. I must admit, though, that I am hesitant to change anything. This is a new-build computer and the memory components were chosen by someone I've known for a long time with extensive AMD processor and PT experience. He's actually a systems hardware specialist working in implementing systems in hospitals and formerly for GE for the wind turbines worldwide. His builds (4 over the years) have been rock solid.
Also, this computer runs PT at very fast speeds with very low CPU usage. That said, I will explore this further. Incidentally, for the past 5 years of so, I would get this crunchy distortion on audio input recording if I left the system running for over a day or so. I have now changed my firewire cable and it appears to be resolved. Still in the wait and see mode. And again, thanks much for taking your time to respond so thoughtfully and thoroughly. Oh..and BTW, just purchased a PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface from Sweetwater. I hope it connects ok with my USB-C slot on my computer. I'm eager to see how this runs.
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  #14  
Old 10-30-2021, 06:35 AM
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

Even experienced tech may get bad batch memory, or the memory may have taken physical damage in transit. Darryl is right, you should at least try replacing the memory. If it is factory damage, you should get full refund (or swap to new modules).
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  #15  
Old 10-30-2021, 06:46 AM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is online now
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

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Originally Posted by kw88keys View Post
Thank you again, Darryl, for the detailed and thorough response. I will indeed look into these compatibility issues with the memory. I must admit, though, that I am hesitant to change anything. This is a new-build computer and the memory components were chosen by someone I've known for a long time with extensive AMD processor and PT experience. He's actually a systems hardware specialist working in implementing systems in hospitals and formerly for GE for the wind turbines worldwide. His builds (4 over the years) have been rock solid.
Also, this computer runs PT at very fast speeds with very low CPU usage. That said, I will explore this further. Incidentally, for the past 5 years of so, I would get this crunchy distortion on audio input recording if I left the system running for over a day or so. I have now changed my firewire cable and it appears to be resolved. Still in the wait and see mode. And again, thanks much for taking your time to respond so thoughtfully and thoroughly. Oh..and BTW, just purchased a PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface from Sweetwater. I hope it connects ok with my USB-C slot on my computer. I'm eager to see how this runs.
Firewire cables can cause strange things, and problems like this that happen after some period of use can be caused by lots of things, and be hard to show they have been fixed. One additional question is are you careful to make sure your system does not suspend/sleep, you've disable power management etc. as part of the systems optimization?

There is no way to know if any problems you are seeing is related to the memory in the system, but just nobody should be building systems with memory not on a VQL, and certainly not with timing that is not on a VQL. The only correct response when you point this out to them should be "oh we screwed up and will replace that with something on the VQL.".

Last edited by Darryl Ramm; 10-30-2021 at 07:35 AM.
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  #16  
Old 10-30-2021, 07:34 AM
kw88keys kw88keys is offline
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

Points well taken and will follow up! Thanks much.
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  #17  
Old 10-30-2021, 07:39 AM
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

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Firewire cables can cause strange things

Dru dat.


And once you have used that ancient FW400 connector a lot, it eventually gets loose. Bad connections are just as bad as broken cable.


So.. IF you are confident you can do it, take pliers and squeeze the connector a little. And I mean just a little. When the cable has tighter fit to the connetor, it lessens the probability of random problems. But this is a big IF, you need to know what you are doing and how much is enough.
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  #18  
Old 10-30-2021, 07:43 AM
kw88keys kw88keys is offline
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

Thanks much for the tip. I hope to eliminate firewire with the new audio interface (PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3). We'll see how if goes in a few days when it arrives!
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  #19  
Old 10-30-2021, 07:47 AM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is online now
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

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Originally Posted by kw88keys View Post
Oh..and BTW, just purchased a PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface from Sweetwater. I hope it connects ok with my USB-C slot on my computer. I'm eager to see how this runs.
Uh oh. Unfortunately you are confused about Thunderbolt, which is easy to do. I suspect you will want to return the PreSonus Quantum 2626 asap and make sure you get your money back.

USB-C is just a physical connector spec, what a USB-C port delivers you have to always be careful of.

Your ASUS TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) motherboard has a USB-C connector, I believe delivering 3.2 Gen 2 but not Thunderbolt. And I don't think your motherboard has a Thunderbolt header (and no BIOS support?) to allow you to add a Thunderbolt adapter card (but check with ASUS or your system builder). Thunderbolt is Intel developed technology, and AMD processor motherboards had no support for Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt add-in cards (which ASUS do make at least for other motherboards) until fairly recently.

There are lots of nice Thunderbolt interfaces out there, but Thunderbolt on Windows is unfortunately not great at times, so even if your PC had Thunderbolt it's also maybe a good idea to check folks are using any exact Windows Thunderbolt setup with a particular Thunderbolt interface.

All of which I was skipping over by suggesting you look at USB interfaces.
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  #20  
Old 10-30-2021, 07:47 AM
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Default Re: Crunchy distortion with 002 rack

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... new audio interface (PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3)...
Excellent upgrade!
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