Audio interface seems to hate motherboard

  • Thread starter Thread starter JimmyS1969
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JimmyS1969

JimmyS1969

MOODerator
I wonder if anyone has some ideas here..

My latest system build has random 1 second audio dropouts. Sometimes it happen after a minute. Sometimes not for an hour. Average maybe once every 20 min.

DPC and LatencyMon show nothing when it happens. I have tried every driver update (MS and MOBO), BIOS flash, and removed everything not related to recording.

This even happens without running my DAW (Cubase). Just playing an MP3 through the interface has dropouts. It does not happen with built in audio card. Only with Steinberg UR824. It seems others in the UR series interfaces have this same issue with this particular line of motherboards (ASRock Z97 Extreme).

I found this out in conversation @ Steinberg forum thread HERE.

Still waiting on Steinberg support for some hope but thought I would present the issue here as well and see if any of you fine members have some thoughts.

I really hate to rebuild with a new MOBO or spend another $800 on a different interface if something else can be done.


Thanks in advance! :)
 
Is this a new issue or has it been happening since you plugged the interface in? Which OS are you using? Any installations or upgrades (I'm thinking Windows 10!) that happened before the issue appeared?
 
It has happened since I first built the thing. Even had an in home session with a computer tech. Wasted money there...

W7 Professional 64-bit OEM.

Interfaces worked fine on my last build before it died. Different mobo.
 
Is it plugged in a front or rear USB port? Have you tried the opposite ports (i.e. plug it in the back if it's plugged in the front)? I have some issue with my front ports that I don't get with the rear. I assume you've tried all your USB ports, though? Try a USB2 if it's in a USB3, for example.
 
jonny deep said:
Is it plugged in a front or rear USB port? Have you tried the opposite ports (i.e. plug it in the back if it's plugged in the front)? I have some issue with my front ports that I don't get with the rear. I assume you've tried all your USB ports, though? Try a USB2 if it's in a USB3, for example.
Click to expand...

Yep. And nothing else running on the same USB controllers either. Even tried a PCIe USB2 controller.

I just can't figure it out man.
 
I may just have to buy another interface and see if the mobo/interface combo is actually the issue.
 
jimmys69 said:
Yep. And nothing else running on the same USB controllers either. Even tried a PCIe USB2 controller.

I just can't figure it out man.
Click to expand...

This here makes me suspect the interface. Once you go through the PCIe card, you are now interacting with a different chipset and using the MB's PCIe drivers and not the onboard MB USB. That should have taken care of it. On your old system, where in using 32 or 64?

Mostly it is caused by a WLAN or ETHERNET driver that isn't updated, so if you can't update him, just disable it when you're using the UR22.Furthermore,
Click to expand...

This was posted in the thread link, worth a try. I did notice that many talk about Windows issues, I find that hard to agree with since no other interfaces seem to have that problem.

One more thing to note, make sure you are not using a 3.0 port. That I have heard causes issues with many interfaces. My Tascam won't even recognize with a 3.0 port. I'm sure you tried it, just double checking.
 
I was 64 bit on the old system as well. It was W7 64 Home though.

I already transferred my waves licenses to USB stick and have internet shut off.


Gotta go to work and make some money so I can deal with this crap...
 
Jimmy, just reading your first post I was starting to think USB, as I've had a lot of similar issues and been doing a lot of troubleshooting along those lines. Even with my new interface, I would occasionally get a blip/glitch (thankfully nowhere near the frequency of issues with my prior Tascam interface). I ended up getting a 4 port USB3 PCIe card, put all my USB devices except keyboard and mouse on that, and my Scarlett interface on a usb2 port in the back. Since then the computer has been 99.99% stable. I realize this ended up being a dead end for you, but not knowing exactly how you did the troubleshooting/process of elimination, figure I'd at least explain my process.

I've also had similar symptoms unrelated to my most recent issues from a bad memory stick, so be sure to run an offline memory diagnostic like Memtest 86+. [even though mine passed, as soon as I replaced my emmory with new those issues went away, maybe you'll get lucky and your memory will fail and you can return it for replacement since it's a new build]

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool
 
Thanks Pinky,

I am quite sure this is USB related. How to get it right however....???

I did receive response from Steinberg support and they are looking into the issue.

Meanwhile, I have a newer USB2.0 PCIe card on the way that I will try. I also have 2 USB3.0 4 port cards sitting around that I may just try for every other device just for shits n giggles. I already have 6+2 'front' USB3 ports from the mobo. Only 2+2 'front' USB2. Maybe a chipset or driver issue or whatever. I have no friggen clue.

I do know the Steinberg UR series did not like USB3.0 on my last PC and don't from what I have heard from others. Sure that hasn't changed.

Also, I have no idea how to even run that Memtest thing. Though the build is way past the warranty I am sure. I have been fighting this issue for over 6 months. Maybe more.
 
It might not yield anything...but next time you get the glitch, see if anything turns up in your Win 7 Event Viewer.
Maybe there's an internal system process that causes a momentary glitch...or see if any services are coming on at that moment in Task Manager that may be set to system/auto...which might cause the hiccup.

I think you are right...it's most likely some MOBO driver/interface incompatibility....but hard to pin down.

I know when I recently switched from XP to Win 7 x64...I had some problems with my interfaces, but not the audio glitching, rather the three interfaces were randomly being loaded as interface 1, 2, 3...so all my settings in the DAW would have to change each time I rebooted.
It was driver related and I managed to find a workaround. It seems Win 7 doesn't like dealing with 3 simultaneous interfaces as easily as XP did.

That said...I was also getting some loop/stutter occasionally when using the ASIO option...then when I switch to WDM it plays fine. I found out that too was Win 7 not liking all three interfaces on. So now I disable two of the drivers when I don't need all three interfaces...which is most of the time (I only need all three during transfers and mixes...and I can go to WDM mode for that.)

Anyway..I feel your pain, and it may require a bit of an exorcism before you find the cause and remedy.

Don't you just love "upgrades". :D
Good luck!
 
miroslav said:
It might not yield anything...but next time you get the glitch, see if anything turns up in your Win 7 Event Viewer.
Maybe there's an internal system process that causes a momentary glitch...or see if any services are coming on at that moment in Task Manager that may be set to system/auto...which might cause the hiccup.

I think you are right...it's most likely some MOBO driver/interface incompatibility....but hard to pin down.

I know when I recently switched from XP to Win 7 x64...I had some problems with my interfaces, but not the audio glitching, rather the three interfaces were randomly being loaded as interface 1, 2, 3...so all my settings in the DAW would have to change each time I rebooted.
It was driver related and I managed to find a workaround. It seems Win 7 doesn't like dealing with 3 simultaneous interfaces as easily as XP did.

That said...I was also getting some loop/stutter occasionally when using the ASIO option...then when I switch to WDM it plays fine. I found out that too was Win 7 not liking all three interfaces on. So now I disable two of the drivers when I don't need all three interfaces...which is most of the time (I only need all three during transfers and mixes...and I can go to WDM mode for that.)

Anyway..I feel your pain, and it may require a bit of an exorcism before you find the cause and remedy.

Don't you just love "upgrades". :D
Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks Miro.

I have been there and done that with every possible testing software and internal processing meters. Nothing shows up when this happens. And to make it worse, sometimes it don't happen for an hour so I get exited that it is fixed! Only to find that it happens again...

The only real upgrade that I did on this build is the motherboard and the version of W7 OS. Home OEM to Pro OEM. And the SSD OS drive also.

The interfaces are the same. HDD drives and processor are all the same. Well, new ones of the same model. The new mobo had built in ability for 3 monitors without use of added graphics card. Something that seemed to give me occasional grief with Cubase on my last system (simple GUI issues). Hoped that integrated video card in mobo would cause less problems. Well, that part does really well now but I have more important ones now it seems as the most important thing is clean audio. I don't have that and I am about to lose my mind...

I may need an 'exorcist'! Wait, was that a political or religious statement? LOL!
 
I figured you already checked for everything in the obvious places.

Hmmmmmmm....

Could it be the video....?
 
miroslav said:
Could it be the video....?
Click to expand...

Who friggen knows? That is why I asked. There is nothing to be found as of yet as far as resolve to the issue.

Just two expensive PC things that don't get along.

Maybe I should have just gone with a Mac...

'Steeno to reply here'. :)

He will likely give me an 'I told you so'...
 
Ok, well Pinky and DM60 were both correct in some ways.

I found another PCIe USB2 contoller card that worked perfectly without audio dropout for 11 hours. All seemed good. But then...

Something ugly reared it's head as a issue with the ASRock board I am using. Once I unplugged the power supply it will now only boot randomly.

For those interested, HERE is a thread about the issue.


I am done and moving on with a new ASUS motherboard. I don't have time for this kind of BS.


Thanks for all of the insight guys! I just hope I can get back to recording and quit spending time troubleshooting.
 
Dang, that sucks man. I think that you're doing the right thing by going to another brand of mobo. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Can you get a refund since its essentially a faulty product? That Reddit thread seemed to suggest that replacing the cmos battery might fix the issue. But still...I say screw unreliable products and hooray for rock solid performing products. I have a gigabyte z97 series that's good but noisy, and an Asus z97 series that's been a rock star.
 
Sometime it is just better to replace and move on. I can only think, maybe you could have had a faulty PS that was causing maybe power drops. If this happens with the new MB, then that would be the first suspect. But chasing this stuff down just kills creativity and motivation for sure.
 
Tadpui said:
Dang, that sucks man. I think that you're doing the right thing by going to another brand of mobo. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Can you get a refund since its essentially a faulty product? That Reddit thread seemed to suggest that replacing the cmos battery might fix the issue. But still...I say screw unreliable products and hooray for rock solid performing products. I have a gigabyte z97 series that's good but noisy, and an Asus z97 series that's been a rock star.
Click to expand...

I think it best as well. I should have known early on when the first mobo (same ASRock board) in my build was defective. It apparently also fried the new power supply and also another PS that a local PC repair shop used to test it.

MicroCenter replaced both of them. Then the dropout issues occurred... In hindsight I should have ran away at that point.

I likely could get a refund, but stupidly not sure what I did with the receipt... :eek:


The cool thing is that these guys at the repair shop I am using now are being quite amazing at wanting to help here. They have in the past loaned me 3 PCIe cards for free to try and now installing a ASUS Z97 Alpha mobo and stress test it for me. They are willing to allow me to try different options until I get a solid system. No charge other than the cost of the hardware if I like it. Well, they did charge me $95 to rebuild my PC when I gave up the first time with the defective mobo. No charge for the second mobo install and nothing since. I tipped them $50. You just don't get friendly service like that anywhere. Props to the 'ma and pa' type service center I found. :)

Hoping this ASUS x97 is a 'rock star' for me as well Tadpui! :)
 
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