Digital crackles when playback un anti DAW - Not a buffer size problem !

Hi everyone

I try to resolve an issue :

I just got a Tascam US-20x20.
I tried it on pro tools 12 and reaper and I get the same problem :

A lot of digital crackles !
In pro tools they appear while recording and playback but in repear they appear only during the playback.
In reaper, the audio is not altered. I didnt look if they are in PT but i think this is only a playback problem.

I disabled all windows built in audio devices in my system.
I changed buffer size to all available values and it didnt helped.
My tascam firmware is up to date.
I tried to change the USB3 port where i plug my audio device.

Still crackles!!!

My config :

Lenovo Y50-70
i5 CPU
8 GB RAM
Windows 10 up to date

Thanx so much for your help
 
Try changing to a non-USB3 port. Even though you said not a buffer, Tascam has a driver tool to change it, just check. Make sure you have the ASIO selected. Check the unit on another computer since Reaper and drivers can be downloaded rather quick and easy.

If this doesn't help, then the unit may have a problem.

I have had issues withe mine from time to time. Usually removing/reinstalling the Tascam driver helps. Recently, I need to keep the unit turned off while in boot up mode, then once OS is up and running, then turning on the unit.

Things to try for cheap.
 
Thanx so much for your help !

I tried everything you told me except testing the unit on another computer.

There are less but still crackles...

I dont understand because i think an i5 with 8gb RAM can manage an audio interface used with a DAW easily.

If anyone have the same experience im really interessed !

Thanx guys
 
Thanx so much for your help !

I tried everything you told me except testing the unit on another computer.

There are less but still crackles...

I dont understand because i think an i5 with 8gb RAM can manage an audio interface used with a DAW easily.

If anyone have the same experience im really interessed !

Thanx guys

Is the unit still under warranty? If it is new, you may have a defective product, this product just works. Do make sure you have the latest drivers, go to Tascam's website if you haven't already. I don't believe you can have the same problem with two different computers, so there is something gong on in the chain you haven't changed. I read on the Tascam site they are at V 3.00.

You might want to try testing the unit with the Windows drivers. Just switch audio in windows back on and choose it as your output. Then play regular media files through something like Media player or what ever you use to play MP3s and Wave files.
 
Thanx again.

Not under warranty, this is a second hand unit.
I have all the latest Tascam drivers.
This morning, I spent 2 hours working on Reaper making recording. I plugged the unit with a USB 2.0 cable on USB 2.0 port of my computer and no crackles at all.
I don't know if the problem is totally resolved but it seems to.

But I'm really annoyed because I bought this unit precisely because this is a USB 3.0 unit!
So I don't understand... My computer is enough fast to manage all this stuff...

Thanx again DM60, and to others : feel free to post if you had the same issue.

Cheers
 
There has been an issue with certain manufacturers' usb 3.0 ports. Not the computer mfg, the supplier of ports. It seems to affect audio recording most of all. There were several names mentioned, the one i remember was the Motorola. Sometimes using a powered USB hub alleviates the problem, again, not all powered usb hubs are the same and most interface mfg's say not to do this but whatever works i say. Ilok wont work with a lot of these ports also
 
There has been an issue with certain manufacturers' usb 3.0 ports. Not the computer mfg, the supplier of ports. It seems to affect audio recording most of all. There were several names mentioned, the one i remember was the Motorola. Sometimes using a powered USB hub alleviates the problem, again, not all powered usb hubs are the same and most interface mfg's say not to do this but whatever works i say. Ilok wont work with a lot of these ports also

Thanx Gtoboy.
I hope this is not my USB 3.0 port which is the problem.
I will try to uninstall/reinstall the Windows USB 3.0 drivers, maybe it will work.
 
I will say that, USB 2 will be plenty fast. If it works with 2, I would use it on 2. I have had no problem getting my recordings (and I think most people here) on 2.0. USB 3 will give you more through put, but the data for audio is more than what 2.0 can handle, so 3.0 will gain you very little if anything.

I can only speculate the reason interfaces didn't rush to 3.0 due to no gain in performance.
 
I remember reading a post about the Intel USB 3.0 port having some issues. I think they tried a Renesas based card and things worked well. Unfortunately that was some time ago, and I can't find the thread anymore. I remember the Renases chip because I was looking at cards with that chipset and jotted it down.

Having the 16x08, my system only does 2.0, so theres no way for me to test anything.

Update, I found the thread. It was on a Cakewalk / Sonor forum. Tascam Noise issue

Hope it helps a little.
 
I will say that, USB 2 will be plenty fast. If it works with 2, I would use it on 2. I have had no problem getting my recordings (and I think most people here) on 2.0. USB 3 will give you more through put, but the data for audio is more than what 2.0 can handle, so 3.0 will gain you very little if anything.

I can only speculate the reason interfaces didn't rush to 3.0 due to no gain in performance.

Thanx guys for you help.
UPDATE : I worked about one hour on Reaper via USB 2.0 and the crackles had appeared. Less crackles but crackles anyway :(

I will continue to seek, it makes me crazy!

Thanx again
 
I remember reading a post about the Intel USB 3.0 port having some issues. I think they tried a Renesas based card and things worked well. Unfortunately that was some time ago, and I can't find the thread anymore. I remember the Renases chip because I was looking at cards with that chipset and jotted it down.

Having the 16x08, my system only does 2.0, so theres no way for me to test anything.

Update, I found the thread. It was on a Cakewalk / Sonor forum. Tascam Noise issue

Hope it helps a little.

Yes but I forgot to mention that this is a laptop.
PCIe cards for laptops, it's complicated...

Thanx anyway!
 
Thanx guys for you help.
UPDATE : I worked about one hour on Reaper via USB 2.0 and the crackles had appeared. Less crackles but crackles anyway :(

I will continue to seek, it makes me crazy!

Thanx again

You did raise your buffer rates up? Depending on my things, I usually keep my buffers at 256. There is some lag, but more of a chorus effect and not too bad. I thing 128 and lower becomes difficult to achieve on most computers.
 
You did raise your buffer rates up? Depending on my things, I usually keep my buffers at 256. There is some lag, but more of a chorus effect and not too bad. I thing 128 and lower becomes difficult to achieve on most computers.

Yes, when I record stuff, I'm always at 256 buffer size
 
Hi everyone,

First of all : thanx so much for your help!

I'm progressing on the issue. I started over this weekend.

I realized that there was an important OS update stuck in Windows Update...

So I've uninstalled the Tascam Driver and I've disconnected the unit from my laptop and I made the update, and checked the OS was running well.

Then, I followed each step of this and rebooted the computer : 20 ways to optimize your Windows 10 PC for music production

Then, I've installed the last Tascam driver without pluging the unit.
Reboot again.

And only after the OS was up and running, I plugged the unit and powered it on.

Now, I have worked a couple of hours on my DAW and no crackles/pops/clicks at all!

I hope this will carry on like this, but I'm really optimistic :thumbup:

I will let you know if the problem is not resolved but I think it's ok.
I don't know precisely which step was successful but maybe this is all these steps together which made the job!

Thanx again, and I hope this will be helpful for someone else.

Cheers 8-)
 
Cracks, pops and clicks are almost always due to driver related issues.
The only other thing to suggest is using decent cables for the connectivity.
The laptop is fine though and I’ve used less with good performance.
Lastly, make sure you test with all lights, monitors etc off as these can result in interference.

Sounds like you may have resolved so good luck!



Hi everyone,

First of all : thanx so much for your help!

I'm progressing on the issue. I started over this weekend.

I realized that there was an important OS update stuck in Windows Update...

So I've uninstalled the Tascam Driver and I've disconnected the unit from my laptop and I made the update, and checked the OS was running well.

Then, I followed each step of this and rebooted the computer : 20 ways to optimize your Windows 10 PC for music production

Then, I've installed the last Tascam driver without pluging the unit.
Reboot again.

And only after the OS was up and running, I plugged the unit and powered it on.

Now, I have worked a couple of hours on my DAW and no crackles/pops/clicks at all!

I hope this will carry on like this, but I'm really optimistic :thumbup:

I will let you know if the problem is not resolved but I think it's ok.
I don't know precisely which step was successful but maybe this is all these steps together which made the job!

Thanx again, and I hope this will be helpful for someone else.

Cheers 8-)
 
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