No audio playback-- EMU Tracker or Cubase problem?

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isaiahmoon

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Hello board--very informative and comprehensive site.

Let me preface by saying that I am new to my own recording, have recorded hundreds of hours in other studios but never at the helm myself.

I recently bought the EMU Tracker Pre audio interface to go with the new laptop with Vista 64. EMU came bundled with the Cubase and Cakewalk software--all in all a pretty good deal. Installation was no problems, everything has loaded correctly (or so it seems). I am running a bass or guitar through the inputs on the EMU interface, into the USB port, and then into either Cubase or Cakewalk. I do not run studio monitors yet, but the EMU interface is set up for direct monitoring, so I am using studio headphones via the direct monitoring jack.

I am getting levels in either program and when recording I can see the levels moving and the wavelength being created as I record. The problem is...I can't hear anything on playback. I have read the manuals and set up as they said, changed the drivers to the EMU ASIO drivers, and made sure that the input and output is selected to audio interface. I also checked to make sure that my computers playback was set to the EMU unit in the audio control panel. But I just don't get any sound on playback, or cannot hear the initial track if I try to record a second track. For that matter, I can't hear the click track in the headphones! I also made sure that the monitoring button in the software was turned OFF, since the EMu unit is set up for direct monitoring. So obviously, there is a break in the output somewhere.

Any ideas? I have read and re-read the manuals and checked forums. Others have had similar problems with no playback audio (which is how I've known to check the steps I have already gone through), but none of the fixes have worked. Is this a problem with the direct monitoring function of the EMU unit, or is it a software problem? Would lining out some studio monitors out of the EMU solve everything (I would have tried this already, except that I don't currently have any monitors. Perhaps after Christmas). Any insight would be much appreciated, as I can confidently say that I have little idea what I am doing.

JW
 
Well it sounds like you know what your doing when it comes to drivers, so I wont go through the process of checking the routings with you.

I would go through the signal path in order. If you have signal in the program, than thats where you should start. First of all work out whether the signal in the program is getting to the soundcard. Maybe plug headphones into the outputs at the back, and if they doesnt produce any sound, then thats your problem.

As a matter of interest, is the output balenced or unbalenced. Maybe worth checking if your monitors want a 2 or 3 pin connection.

One more thing, if your monitoring direct, try monitoring through cubase. It might be worth a shot in case the soundcard has an issue with direct monitoring.
 
Waffleness said:
Well it sounds like you know what your doing when it comes to drivers, so I wont go through the process of checking the routings with you.

I would go through the signal path in order. If you have signal in the program, than thats where you should start. First of all work out whether the signal in the program is getting to the soundcard. Maybe plug headphones into the outputs at the back, and if they doesnt produce any sound, then thats your problem.

As a matter of interest, is the output balenced or unbalenced. Maybe worth checking if your monitors want a 2 or 3 pin connection.

One more thing, if your monitoring direct, try monitoring through cubase. It might be worth a shot in case the soundcard has an issue with direct monitoring.
Click to expand...

Waffleness,

Thanks for the response. There is definitely a signal in the program, I just can't tell where the break is in the output. Very frustrating. I will try to monitor from Cubase...if that works then it will be a workable fix for the time being. Down the road, latency may become a problem (which is why I opted for the direct monitoring function to begin with!), but right now any audio is good audio.

If you have any insight on the correct driver routings, believe me, I will not be offended by suggestions. I set it up via the manuals, but I am by no means an expert on these matters. Any opinion of the ASIO4all driver on the internet that I have been reading about? Supposedly a work-around driver for some of the incompatibilties that are happening.

Thanks again for any help...I can certainly use it!

JW
 
isaiahmoon said:
Waffleness,

Thanks for the response. There is definitely a signal in the program, I just can't tell where the break is in the output. Very frustrating. I will try to monitor from Cubase...if that works then it will be a workable fix for the time being. Down the road, latency may become a problem (which is why I opted for the direct monitoring function to begin with!), but right now any audio is good audio.

If you have any insight on the correct driver routings, believe me, I will not be offended by suggestions. I set it up via the manuals, but I am by no means an expert on these matters. Any opinion of the ASIO4all driver on the internet that I have been reading about? Supposedly a work-around driver for some of the incompatibilties that are happening.

Thanks again for any help...I can certainly use it!

JW
Click to expand...

I use the ASIO4ALL driver, I think its ace. Its basically a little control panel that groups all your audio devices into an easy to handle bundle. I would definately recommend trying it. It certainly can only improve things.

I would install the ASIO4ALL, set the latency settings to about 1/3 of the way up and monitor through cubase. If you can get signal in cubase, set the output to your soundcard of choice with the ASIO4ALL driver in use, you should get something. If you dont then look further upstream.
 
I will try just that tonight, and report back. Thanks again for the help!
 
perhaps i miss read you... but if those are the regular outputs as you seemed to discribe in the first post... then i doubt they are even capable of driving head phones... it is a line level signal at that point... essentialy an unpowered output... make sense???
 
Demented--the output in this case is through the audio interface via a direct monitoring port, and on playback it should be the same level of signal as any other output (or so I am led to believe...).

Here is the update: For about 30 glorious minutes, the output audio was working. Nothing had changed from the day before, I toggled most of the switches and reconfirmed all the routings, and behold...success.

However, after shutting down and restarting, now I get no input levels in cubase or cakewalk from the instrument (a direct-lined bass in this instance). In fact, levels seemed to be picking up, but from the internal microphone on the front of the laptop! All my soundcard default settings are set to the EMU interface....no idea how the disabled microphone is picking up levels.

Any suggestions? Does this sound like a faulty interface, something internal in the computer, the work of magical audio fairies....or some other possibility?
The fact that it worked briefly lets me know that it is possible...just don't know how it got there.

Again, thanks in advance for any help.
 
It sounds like there is a conflict between your onboard audio and the EMU thing, from the fact it was working at 1 point but not the next.

Also - your not unplugging anything are you? When you restart your computer, you dont remove the audio interface or anything? When I move my usb interface around to another USB port it normally has issues with that.

The fact that cubase is picking up signal from your laptop mic, leads me to think you havnt got the correct driver selected. Double check the setup and try and get it looking like when it was all working.

Failing that... I am not sure, because if you had it working once I would avoid major changes. Perhaps remove all the onboard audio card drivers and go into the BIOS on startup and disable the audio card. Then the only place any audio outputs can go is to the EMU. But as I said, if you had it working once, you shouldn't have to change much to get it back again.
 
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