Cracks, buzz and other with Focusrite Clarett 4 Pre and thunderbolt on Mac.

M

Marais

New member
Hello,

I've been recording for about one year with this soundcard.
Equipment :
Stereo Pair - Neumann KM 184 (fantom power provided by card)
Stereo Pair - AKG 414S (fantom power provided by card)

MacBook PRO 12 inch running Mac OS High Sierra
Logic Pro X latest version

Of course the thunderbolt connection has to go through an adaptor to use the newest USB C ports on my new Mac Book Pro.

Well first day of recording as usual smooth.

We started the second day's session two days later.

When I replugged in the microphones (I had left the cables in place) and the thunderbolt and other connections I had cracking or hum on lines 3 and 4 (the KM 184s).

I unplugged the mics, turned off the fantom power and even the soundcard. All seemed OK. But then not while the music was being recorded (at least not audible) the cracking and hum came back at the end of the piece in the fading sound. Not all the time but sometimes, unpredictable and in only channels 3 and 4 (I repeat the Neumann mics).

I did get a "no hardware connected" message when I fired up and then realized I had not pushed the Thunderbolt connection in as far as I needed to in the Mac.
Afterwards yes.

So any brilliant ideas?
Mine are :
1 - Maybe the cables were damaged in between the two sessions
2 - I should have rebooted all after plugging the thunderbolt cable in correctly
3 - I overloaded the RAM by preparing about 40 tracks instead of recording just 4 at a time and then adding as needed.

I've googled this and updated my driver (Focusrite Control) although not sure it was necessary and I might have had the most up to date one already. I have NOT yet installed the latest fix to High Sierra.

Thanks to all for any suggestions or help, it is making me CRAZY!!!
 
"Hia know nooothing" about macs and such but I suggest a well constructed email to Focusrite would be your best first step.
There used to be a F'rite tech on the forum..Wher'ed 'e go? (BTW, 40 tracks does not seem in the least demanding of any decently modern PC or mac?)

Dave.
 
Hi there,
'Hot plugging' an interface could cause hiccups or glitches. I'd probably do a full restart before anything else.

If the problem persists after that, try to prove it to hardware or software.
Have your four microphones live and see what's what, then try again having moved microphones and cables 1+2 to 3+4, and vice versa.

If the issue follows the microphones, swap cables 1+2 for 3+4, so know you have your original setup but with the microphone pairs swapped.
See what you can learn from that.

Failing that, is there anything unique to the neumann tracks in your software? Any plugin that's only on those tracks?
Do all your testing with a brand new blank session (just four plain tracks) to rule that out too.

If you're getting nowhere, please attach a clip demonstrating the noise. :)
 
Thank you a million Steenamaroo!

I actually did the following :

- restart the computer
- restart the sound card
- unplug all the 4 microphones on both ends and then replug them in
- check the thunderbolt cable was properly plugged into the USB "C" adaptor and that it was plugged correctly into the Mac.
No plugins on any of the inputs.

It was a new session.

I only recently updated the Focusrite Control driver and have not recorded since.

That being said there were NO problems on day 1 and this started the minute I fired up the machines three days later. Same microphones, same layout.

Here is the audio of one of the many instances :
Allemande by Jonathan Dunford | Free Listening on SoundCloud
 

Attachments

  • Capture d’e?cran 2017-04-29 a? 18.35.03.jpg
    Capture d’e?cran 2017-04-29 a? 18.35.03.jpg
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I have asked before? Why can I do nothing with those Sound Cloud posts and why do they take up so much space?

Dave.
 
Hey Dave,

I used soundcloud as I couldn't find an easy way to share my clip. If you have a more efficient way please let me know...
 
Do you still use I.E, Dave?

That's odd, Marias.
It sounds like some sort of digital glitch, but it's isolated to only two microphones?

Just clarifying some more - If you were to hit record with four microphones plugged in then wait for the glitch,
would it appear as a recorded glitch on only two of the recorded tracks?

If that's the case, I'd be wondering if the microphones are near anything that would be causing intermittent interference.
 
Indeed it was only the two Neumann mics which were one meter distance on stands from the harpsichord. I thought maybe that I left my cell near the Focusrite and on might have been the source of the disturbance. I put it elsewhere and turned it on Airplane mode.

That being said the first day I did not charge my Samsung phone near the card at all. The second day yes.

Is this maybe the source of interference?

Could any of you listen to the clip?

Weird really weird...
 
Steenamaroo said:
Do you still use I.E, Dave?

That's odd, Marias.
It sounds like some sort of digital glitch, but it's isolated to only two microphones?

Just clarifying some more - If you were to hit record with four microphones plugged in then wait for the glitch,
would it appear as a recorded glitch on only two of the recorded tracks?

If that's the case, I'd be wondering if the microphones are near anything that would be causing intermittent interference.
Click to expand...

Yes, still using IE but I am sure I have downloaded from Sound Cloud on other sites?

Marais, not your fault! Easiest for me is a 320k MP3 clip attached. Then I can just drop it into Samplitude, harken unto it and, if needs be, export it as 16bit .wav to examine in Right Mark Analyser. A "real time" tune I have to setup to record..THEN export it.

Dave.
 
I'm also a webmaster and spent a little time futzing around with the attachments menu etc. Couldn't find any way to upload and also being that this is a sensitive sound issue I wanted to send a small uncompressed (.wav) file. If you know how to add a sound clip tell me how. Beats me...
 
Marais,
When you're replying you can click "Manage Attachments" at the bottom and add files.
If you're in quick-reply view you'll need to click 'Go Advanced' first.

Dave,
I don't know the ins or the outs. I know Nico was made aware a while back, though, and there was some toss-up involved.
I think (you know my memory) that a fix for some other issue caused soundcloud embeds not to display and there was no workaround available?
This was all exclusive to I.E., though.
 
Marais said:
I'm also a webmaster and spent a little time futzing around with the attachments menu etc. Couldn't find any way to upload and also being that this is a sensitive sound issue I wanted to send a small uncompressed (.wav) file. If you know how to add a sound clip tell me how. Beats me...
Click to expand...

Yes, for some reason you cannot attaché even one second of .wav but you can bolt on loads of MP3 even at the top quality of 320k! I do understand you wanting an uncompressed file but, although I have no love for MP3, at the top rate it is pretty good.

The odd thing is, the soundcloud 'thing' on screen does absolutely nothing. I click on the cloud, nothing. Click on "this" or "here", dead as muton. No results, no telling off, zilch.

I Googled "SoundCloud issues with IE 11 and found a thread of fellow sufferers. The SC guy said "sorry but fixed it now". That thread was a year ago. It's gone again mate!

I tried to register with S Cloud. Silly bloody site! Gives you all sorts of options EXCEPT a plain and simple "Email addy...chose Pwd...are you Metal Mickey"...box to fill in!

Dave
 
Steenamaroo said:
Marais,
When you're replying you can click "Manage Attachments" at the bottom and add files.
If you're in quick-reply view you'll need to click 'Go Advanced' first.

Dave,
I don't know the ins or the outs. I know Nico was made aware a while back, though, and there was some toss-up involved.
I think (you know my memory) that a fix for some other issue caused soundcloud embeds not to display and there was no workaround available?
This was all exclusive to I.E., though.
Click to expand...

So, do I understand that "soundcloud embeds not to display" is somehow a problem MY end with IE11? How does that work then?

Not really a problem. If someone really needs my help they can PM me and we can exchange data via email (Yes! Even .wavs!) But this gets ever less common. My capacity to understand the whole "internet/computer" world gets ever less with advancing years. As systems become obsolete or increasingly difficult to use I just stop using them.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
So, do I understand that "soundcloud embeds not to display" is somehow a problem MY end with IE11? How does that work then?
Click to expand...

I don't know that it's anyone's problem.
For whatever reason, Soundcloud embeds on this site don't display, or function, correctly when viewed using I.E.
Sorry, I don't know much more than that, but I know Nico looked into it and couldn't find a solution.
 
Last edited:
I've been trying to upload the mp3 file through the attachement manager for a bit now. No go. I'll try to imagine something else...
 
Marais said:
I've been trying to upload the mp3 file through the attachement manager for a bit now. No go. I'll try to imagine something else...
Click to expand...

Not sure if you can attach files in a PM but you can try that to me if you like. I can then attach it back here (I hope!)

Ok Mr S, their loss!

Dave.
 
I get that buzz clickstatic noise too when the cell phones around...sometimes. thats an easy one to remove from the possible sources list.
 
I think you are right Coolcat. Were you able to listen to the sound clip? Does it sound familiar?
Airplane mode is not enough they must be off. Also any wifi, routers etc...
Same reason they ask us to turn off electronic devices at take-off and landing in planes.
 
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