Audio interface records off sync, help !

T

Tom-D

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Jul 9, 2009
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Hello

I can't find the solution of my problem with recording.
I have a 4x3,6 ghz AMD computer with win xp sp3 32 bit, 500gb sata II drive and 3.25 gb ram ddr 2.
My Tone Port UX 2 records my tracks off sync. They are not off sync at the beginning but throughout the whole length. Its especially visible when compared to a second track, I have to cut the whole thing and align to the grids. Its getting on my nerves.
There's got to be something wrong with my computer because I borrowed a Pod Studio UX 2 from my friend and it's the same thing. Even more, I bought today a TC Twin Impact and the same problem... I work in Reaper but tested it on Cubase and Audacity with no luck.
What I noticed is that when I turn on my computer there's like a short burst of pop/crackle going into the speakers. My power strip blown the fuse in my house a couple of times when I was trying to shut it off. Can it be something with the power strip or my electricity ? Or maybe my CPU was overclocked or something (bought it second hand). Ive read that the BIOS battery can be a problem or just an AMD motherboard. Don't know :( .
 
512/16 bit. Buffer size set a single grid above extra small. I tried different settings but then its even worse, the track starts too early or too late and again, off beat throughout.
 
Is this a USB or firewire interface? maybe try switching out the cable or trying a different port on your computer?
 
Maybe the computer needs to be optimized for recording, too many things running in the background eating resources? I would start there, maybe even search around google for similar problems.
 
At 512 you should be able to get through tracking without too much lag, but I would try bringing it down as low as you can go w/out bogging the PC down and track that way. Because to me, it also sounds like a latency issue.
 
You probably need to manually compensate for latency.

Here's how to do it in reaper, but the general idea will translate to other DAWS as well.
http://wiki.cockos.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_Compensate_for_Interface_Latency


In a nutshell:
1. Turn your monitors OFF
2. Run a patch from one of your ouputs to an input
3. Make sure you have a click track/metronome enabled
4. Record the click from your daw back into the project
5. Measure how many samples the recorded track is off from the original click
6. Adjust accordingly
 
Yes, but the track is not off sync in a way that you can just align the first bar to the click. It is offsync throughout the length of the track ! So for example sometimes the beginning starts ok but goes off sync like a bar later, sometimes the beginning is totally off, its like random.
 
Sounds like a clock drift issue. Not the 3:48 PM clock, but the motherboard/soundcard chip that establishes the timing reference for everything else. Maybe overclocking is causing it to trip over itself, skip a few milliseconds here and there. Maybe static electricity spikes from the power line is interfering with the clock somehow.

Here's what I would try:

* Try other sample rates (44.1, 48, etc.) if possible.
* Download/install all the latest drivers for everything
* Download/install the Asio4All driver
* Remove the overclocking if possible
* Get an AC Line Conditioner (fancy power strip) or maybe an APC battery backup

That's all I can think of...
 
@Sloan yes tried it, no solution as of now.
Neptunian, you gave me hope man. I tried installing drivers and different sampling rates. Maybe I shoud bring an electrician to check everything out ? What is an APC battery ? I dont know if the CPU was overclocked because I bought it 2nd hand.
 
By APC I meant a UPS power supply: http://www.apc.com/products/family/?id=29 ... "Models supply battery backup during outages and unsafe voltage fluctuations, as well as provide protection from damaging surges and spikes." Just gotta take the list of possibilities and eliminate them one by one. To quote Sherlock Holmes: "Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth." Of course, leave the most expensive ones for last in case a cheaper/easier factor ends up being the issue. Another idea is a faulty/noisy computer power supply, the one inside the case.
 
Shit, Im not so convinced anymore. I tried running the unit on a different PC in my house (older one on a Celeron) and a laptop (not connected to the electric socket) and its the same thing :( .
 
Tom-D said:
Shit, Im not so convinced anymore. I tried running the unit on a different PC in my house (older one on a Celeron) and a laptop (not connected to the electric socket) and its the same thing :( .
Click to expand...

Maybe it's the interface?
 
Nope, tried a Pod Studio UX 2 and an Impact Twin, same thing.
@Sloan:

http://oi49.tinypic.com/hwzb43.jpg

I did everything exactly as its written in that wiki page. The 1st track is the metronome, the second one is the same signal but with applied 1200 samples to the input. It alignes perfectly. But still, Im not hearing a big difference while looking and listening to 2 recorded tracks. They are offbeat to one another, its even noticable visually :( .
 
Well, these are waves from a super basic single powerchord picking. And its offsync, its clearly visible and very much audible. Now imagine how it sounds when something more complicated gets involed. The notes are coming in too fast or too slow, they are properly aligned only in certain places. The whole thing has to be chopped to bits and aligned. It kills the natural flow of the recording and is very tedious. I REALLY want to fix it :( .
 
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