Cubase 5, new clicking/pop sounds

[JamesCollins]

Hi
I’m new to this and not very technical. I've looked around various forums and sites, and other posts here at this forum (which seems a lot friendlier than the others) to find an answer but with no luck so I'm sorry if this has been asked 100 times before but:

I have developed a clicking sound when using Cubase 5 that wasn't there when I started using it.

I installed Cubase 5 on my Windows 7 PC and things worked fine, apart from a delay between pressing a key on the piano and the midi input registering on Cubase. Something to do with buffer and latency as far as I could make out.

I eventually found the Control Panel in Devices/Device Setup BUT before I started changing these settings I suddenly had click and pop coming from the speakers. I must have changed something else before I stared changing the Buffer size and Samples. And now I can’t get rid of it.

The clicking sounds (random) happen even when there are no tracks open, no projects open even. But they are only there when Cubase is active. They don’t happen in other programmes.

Any simple instructions on what else might be causing the noise and delay, and how to get rid of both would be more than welcome. The technical things (that I don’t fully understand) are below.

In Device Setup VST Audio System:
If I select ASIO Directx Full Duplex Driver and change Buffer and Offset settings it makes no difference.
If I select Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver (input 20.272 and output 20.272) then there is no delay (yippee!), but still the clicking. I have tried changing the settings (Buffer and Offset) and nothing seems to make a difference to the click.

Under Project/Project Setup the sample rate is at 44.100 kHz, record format 24 bit,

I keep an eye on the CPU and memory usage and it’s fine even with other programmes open. (Between 1.55 Gb and 2.09 memory in use, and CPU never over 10%)
I've not installed any other programmes since installing Cubase.

Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit
Processor: Intel Core Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz 3.29 GHz
RAM: 4.00 GB

Sound: High definition Audio Device (Microsoft) version: 6.1.7600.16385
M-Audi MIDISPORT 2X2
Cubase 5.1.2
Keyboards (same issue with ether): Roland ED PC-70 midi keyboard controller and Roland EP 102e

The speakers are simple Logitech ones plugged direct into the PC, but the clicking wasn't there before, but is now, so I don’t think it is the speakers.

And the clicking sounds are heard on digital recordings too, if I record the piece and make it a WAV file or Mp3

Any ideas?

Big thanks.
James

 

[captainbeyond79]

Hi James,
Pop/clicks definitely sound like a buffer issue. 512k is the recommended buffer because it allows enough memory to keep clean sound, but not so much as to cause latency and delay in playing. Its kind of the standard where you should get no more than 10 ms of latency, barely can tell. In terms of your settings, if you're going to record 24 bit, I recommend also making the jump to 48,000mhz.

I'd stick with 16bit/44 or 24bit/48. Also any devices you're using if you can specify a bit rate, has to to be the same in cubase. For example I have a Zoom H2 and if I plug it into Cubase at 44000 when cubase is 48000 I either get noise or no sound at all. Try setting to 24/48...set buffer to 512. Test it out. If you're still hearing it increase buffer 256 more to 768 and try again. You'll notice as buffer goes up more latency on your midi controller. Hope this helps.

 

[captainbeyond79]

Oh one more thing, try a different ASIO driver. ASIO4all has a nice interface and is easy to tweak/understand with a nice reset button in bottom right. You can expand your audio device and see all the inputs and outputs and which are activated. I feel your pain, I've been fighting with similar issues for years. Windows also has 'system interupts' deferred procedure call. I find if you're able to disable a network card in your computer, that is, taking it offline, can help avoid interupts. Often it's programs that decides in the middle of your recordings to check if your adobe reader needs an update, or hey new java! I use a software called Advanced system care, cheap yearly subscription has a nice feature called turbo boost where it will disable any programs you're not using. So with one click you can disable like 40 programs on your computer at once, stopping service etc. Very convenient to toggle between a recording machine stripped of all running software, and your everyday surf the net use other programs computer.

Take care

 

[JamesCollins]

Wow, thanks for all that useful and easy to understand information. I will set aside some time later to have a go through it all and see if I can solve this problem. I’m not sure how to expand my audio device and see the inputs and outputs, but I will have a hunt around again.

I do remember changing a few things when I was trying to stop the delay between keyboard and recording, and before I did this there was no clicking, so I do wonder if I altered some setting which has also made a difference. Now I use the setting ‘Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver’ and have no delay, so just need to sort the click so will follow your advice.

Thanks again!

J