Recording keeps cutting out in Cubase...might need a new preamp

[Metaphoria]

TL;DR: Bought a VTB-1 preamp in 2007, need to replace it, looking for suggestions on what to replace it with

Back in 2007, I bought the hardware for my studio, which consisted of a VTB-1 preamp, a CAD M177 microphone, and an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard.

Fast forward to 2014, my 7 year old hardware is starting to show it's age. Every time I try and record anything in Cubase, the audio will just cut out randomly, and as soon as it cuts out, Cubase stops recording audio data, even if I hear the audio cut back in immediately.

I had hoped it was just a bad cord, but a brand new cord didn't fix the problem. So, I narrowed it down to the preamp or the mic. I figured it was the mic, since it's so delicate...I've actually broken it probably 3 or 4 times, but it was an easy fix. So I tried a different mic...it now cuts out only rarely, and only for a half second or so, but Cubase still stops recording the second it cuts out.

Since I have so many cords running into my preamp, it's gotten knocked off the top of my computer tower a few times. It's a pretty sturdy unit, but I think it's suffered one too many blows. I'm guessing I should probably just buy a new preamp, but I'm not really sure where to start. I just use the mic to record vocals and acoustic guitar, and the line in for my electric, so I don't need anything too fancy. I can't remember what I paid for the VTB-1 back in 2007. What would be a good replacement these days?

Also, is there some kind of setting in Cubase that could be causing this? Is there a way to "force" it to keep recording even if the audio cuts out?

 

[witzendoz]

You could test the VTB-1 by plugging a iPod or something into the HiZ input and plugging the line out into a monitor (or amp & speaker) play music through it for a few hours and see if it cuts out?

Or have you got a different mic that you can try out to see if the signal is cutting out?

May be a software issue and nothing to do with the VTB-1 or the Mic?

Alan.

 

[rob aylestone]

Cables in the path to the interface do NOT impact on recording. Cubase will just record silence. If cubase loses the link to the audio interface it will stop recording. You seem to have more than one fault. You need to work backwards. Remove everything from the m-audio device. Does it record silence reliably? Then connect any reliable source you have available -cd, iPod etc and record that. Reliable? If the computer stops recording then it's not a cable fault, it's internal. First step is to always check there is not a new driver available, it solves many issues. Once you have the card interfacing properly and reliably, then look for cable issues.

You mentioned that things fall off the computer. Are you certain these haven't tugged the card many times and it's become half out of it's socket. I'd take the case off, remove the card and reinsert it a few times. If wiggling cables makes cubase stop, then a loose card could be the real problem.