Need help diagnosing a problem

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guitar zero

guitar zero

c = b#
I'm in the middle of recording some guitar tracks through ART MPA Gold Pre to ART VLA Compressor to M-Audio Firewire Solo into a Mac Powerbook G4. Things were going great for a few days, but now when I record I'm getting short bursts (maybe 0.25 seconds)of a really loud high pitched buzz in both channels. I took the compressor out of the chain, and it's still there. I'm thinking I've got a bad preamp. Any other thoughts before I box it up and ship it back? Appreciated.
 
I'm not familiar with the M-audio interface you're using, but does it have a built in preamp? If it does, I'd try again without the ART. If after a good amount of recording time, the sound isn't there, put the ART back in and see if the sound comes back.

That way you know if it's the ART or the M-Audio.
 
Thanks, I hadn't thought about the M-audio pres as being the cause, but it's certainly possible. I'll give it a try.
 
Sounds like a clocking issue to me... Check your master/slave relationship as well as your bit rate and frequency resolution on both the computer and M Audio...

You should be able to monitor at the lineout of the preamp without going through conversion to check the preamp out... before it hits the firewire
 
Just recorded through the M-audio only and it's still there, meaning either the M-Audio has gone bad or it's something really screwy in the Mac. I'm thinking the quickest way to find out is just get a new A/D converter and find out. Any other recs first?
 
Ok MOFU thanks, didn't see your post. I'll try that before I panic.
 
OK, been through every menu and can't find any settings for bit rate or frequency resolution for the computer or the M-Audio. Also, seems odd that if this were a clock issue it would show up now. We've been recording through the M-Audio for two years now with no problems, now all of a sudden I've got clock issues. Is that likely?
 
Also, tried the line out as suggested. With levels pegged out, can barely hear the monitor, while the meters on the computer are clipping.
 
Alright, found the M-Audio settings. The computer sample rate is at 44100 Hz and the M-Audio auto detects that and is set the same. The sync source is set to internal. Is this OK or should it be on external?

Wow, Just noticed I'm having a nice converstation with myself.
 
You'll need to amplify the line out to hear it, but in a pinch it will usually drive a set a cans loud enough to hear the symptoms you're trying to isolate... and if you're saying the Mac is set for internal, and the M-Audio auto detects it... that should work... can you manually set the M-Audio to external or slave?
 
Actually the M-Audio is set to internal. I can't find my computer's setting. Any Mac users that can tell me where to look.
 
Have you tried re-installing your drivers? I would look to see if there are any updates available for download first, then re-install.

That would be the first thing I'd try before calling tech support. Because very likely, that will be one of the first things they'll tell you to do ... so you might as well get that out of the way first. :D
 
guitar zero said:
Actually the M-Audio is set to internal. I can't find my computer's setting. Any Mac users that can tell me where to look.
Click to expand...
Definetely get the latest drivers... and I'd try the M-Audio on external... if everything goes to crap... then you know the Mac's set to external also...

What about bit depth on both... could you find that?

Could be barking up the wrong tree, it's just the first thing I would have checked
 
Actually, already downloaded the newest driver for the M-audio. No change. Tried the M-Audio set to internal and external, no change. Trying now to find a firewire to borrow to see if the problem goes away, or if it's the Mac that's acting up. Thanks for the help.
 
Try connecting the Solo to the computer through the SPDIF and/or line out... I'm assuming your using the firewire port... do you have a sound card in the computer that you can enable? This could help you isolate whether it's a clocking issue, firewire, or the actual audio path through Solo...
 
MOFU, I'm sure there is a sound card, I'll check for other audio inputs, and if I find any, I'll try a different path. I'm not computer savvy enough to begin to know how to do all the things you just suggested. Thanks again for trying to help.
 
OK, found an old snowball USB mic and hooked it up. Works fine, bad sound gone. So I'm thinking the Mac is ok. Probably the M-Audio is defective, or bad firewire cord. Thanks again to all who tried to help.

Zero Out
 
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