[Dzjudz]

Okay, guys, I have a problem I hope you can help me with.

Problem: I connect my Cantate to my laptop with USB. Everything works as it should. Sound is perfectly clear and all's good. But problems arise after a while, the time it takes to start having problems varies. Sound works good for a while. But after some time (10 minutes or more, sometimes after several hours) sound suddenly distorts. I get a lot of static through every sound and left and right channels are reversed. This happens with all sounds, Counter-Strike, foobar2000, YouTube, whatever. What causes this and what can I do to fix it? It is very annoying.

To fix it, I have to disconnect and reconnect my amp and restart all affected programs (i.e. counter-strike (steam, even), foobar, firefox)

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[laxx]

ASIO locks the sound device so that nothing else can use it except Foobar (that's your setup). There's no way to use ASIO with Foobar and hear CS sounds.

 

[Dzjudz]

Okay, that's solved, thanks for your help. I'm deleting the question part.

The problem still remains. Weird static and channel reversal at random times.

 

[Dzjudz]

Yowza, I just hurt my ears. I was randomly watching some Youtube vids on my laptop using USB out to my Cantate when the problem occurred: hard static noise. Since I had to turn up the volume because the youtube vid was low volume the static was really loud and it even hurt my ears. I wasn't running any programs, just firefox.

Does anybody know what causes this random 'going to static mode' of my laptop/USB?

Solving this would really help me out.

 

[Dzjudz]

I'm guessing it has something to do with ASIO4all and its off-line settings. So I uninstalled it and am now going to restart my laptop and see if everything's okay now.

Edit: from preliminary results it seems this fixed it. I guess my laptop couldn't handle the latency settings I used.

 

[Dzjudz]

Nope, problem persists. This is too weird. I have to disconnect/reconnect the USB cable to fix it.

 

[Dzjudz]

bump.

 

[Dzjudz]

bump 2, I still have the static problem.

 

[evilking]

Have you tried the Cantate with another computer? That's the first test.

If the static persists on another computer, then the Cantate is to blame. Contact Meier-Audio and send it back.

If it works fine on another computer, then the Cantate is fine and the computer is to blame. Work out the differences between the computers and find/fix the fault.



EK

 

[artizen65]

As I sit here listening to the work rig. I am contemplating you problem as I have the same issue with static on the home PC rig. I have found that mine is application specific. In other words the static depends on what applications I have running in addition to Foobar. I have found that I can run just Foobar for hours on end without any problems. I can also have MIRC up also without and issues. As soon as I run an Adobe or Microsoft office application with the music playing I get static. IE doesn’t cause problems that I have noticed.

I am using FLAC files so the processor is required as well as the stack.

I had a long conversation with an IT friend of mine here at work about WAV files and FLAC files. We both agree that there is no reason that a 16bit WAV file needs to go through the processor. I have not tried the experiment of recording a WAV file or two and playing them with the applications running that cause the problem with FLAC files.

The other thing you might try since you are on a notebook is a PCI USB card. If the card has a distinct IRQ you will have a dedicated buss for your DAC. This may take care of the problem. I don’t think so in your case, but it just might do the trick.

So a good experiment is to play music and then launch an application and see if you get static in the system. Try different applications. I have a feeling it is computer grunge generated by processor hungry applications.

 

[Dzjudz]

Thanks for you reply artizen (and evilking of course), I hadn't seen it (didn't get an e-mail notification). I also think it has something to do with processor hungry applications. It is as if the USB audio gets sidetracked and starts to act abnormally if the processor has to handle something really tough (Photoshop CS3, gaming, having multiple applications open, etc) and never goes back to performing like normal again, unless I turn off my amp and turn it back on, thereby restarting the USB audio driver. I really don't think it has anything to do with my Cantate. It's also not foobar specific, it happens with all sorts of programs. That's why I'm convinced that your hunch about it being because of processor hungry applications is right.

By the way, I'm just using MP3, not FLAC or WAV.

I guess I'll have to live with it.

I could try it on another computer, but that's such a hassle

.

 

[Chris Tch]

I'm having pretty much the same exact problem you are. What laptop do you have?

 

[mADmAN]

same problems with my Fubar II USB DAC. ive already sent the unit back and had it replaced. but even the new unit is getting the same issues after awhile. i use KS..

initial playing is fine....then i start to hear small pops and cracks... then it just turns to pure loud harsh static only. i have to pause what im playing....then play again...at this point its the pops n cracks stage....then cuts out to static again. doesnt matter what application is running.. could be UT2004 could be foobar could be BS player playing a movie....

i suspect its my PC's USB problem (cheapo MSI board) as im also having trouble getting my bluetooth USB dongle to be detected....but my USB keyboard is working fine... tried changing USB slots and same thing.

ive also tried using a PCI USB card....the sound quality is worse and the problem still persists. i am currently using the onboard sound now

gonna try the Fubar II on my rigs at home one of these days when i feel like it. in the meantime.. im hunting for a cheap PCI soundcard with optical out and a new external DAC

 

[Chris Tch]

I have the Fubar II too. Try it on your other computer(s), it might work on them. Mine has the crackling problem, but it never gets worse than that.

 

[Dzjudz]

I have an Acer 5024WLMi (as per my profile, very handy to fill out people).