Clicks and Pops with Focusrite 2i4 (Protools 2018)

[nOrakat]

So I have Protools 2018 with a Focusrite 2i4 second generation audio interface.

For a while I've had this problem with pops and clicks at lower buffer settings.

It turns out (I've just discovered..) that if I go into 'Setup' -> 'Hardware' -> and open up 'Launch Setup App' which opens the Focusrite interface settings, and toggle the 'Safe Mode' checkbox, the clicks and pops go away.

focusrite Safe Mode.png

It doesn't matter whether its on or off for it to work. What only matters is whether I toggle it.

So when I open a project I will get the clicks and pops and then I have to toggle that checkbox at least once per project to make the clicks and pops go away. It would be great if I didn't have to do that.

Does anyone have a clue as to why this might happen?

[sw rec]

Pro Tools Sync source set to “internal?”

[Darryl Ramm]

You are likely just at the totally unstable range of behavior at 32 sample buffer. Try increasing that to where this does not happen, and you never need to use or toggle the saftey buffer on. And if you ever need to run with that on you can see how much it adds to latency.

You should not have an expectation that 32 sample buffers will necessarily work OK, even for the most simple session. And getting close to that may require a light workload, lots of systems optimization, good plugin hygine, disabling network and bluetooth, doing all the BIOS optimizations, doing the CPU affinity optimization, seeing if hyperthreading and dynamic plugin processing helps or hinders (they typically help nowadays), etc. etc. Many folks with these interfaces will be tracking with around a 128 sample buffer.

I also would *not* use ignore errors in Pro Tools, too many risks of pops clicks getting into audio and some not noticed. And ignore errors has a bug where it can introduce latency errors.

You can ask Focusrite as well for tips/guidance. The lowest latency/best stability you are likely to find on USB interfaces on Windows are with RME interfaces, the extra cost there may or may not be worth it to you.

[Darryl Ramm]

Noticing you other posts... GPU related optimizations/driver changes might even start causing this behavior if it was not happening before. At 32 sample buffer you are just so sensitive to the slightest change.