Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Following is the text of a message I just sent to my four closest and most accomplished musician friends, all of whom are highly skilled with computers as well. It summarizes my experience since Thursday, May 10, through yesterday, Sunday, May 13. I am eminently open to suggestion.

Quote:

Gentlemen,

I'm at the end of my rope on this. I'm about to put my DAW in the shop for resolution. Here's the deal.

Two soundcards (Roland/Edirol UA4-FX and Presonus AudioBox USB) have briefly produced beautiful sound before degenerating into horribly distorted sound completely unrecognizable as the source. Both cards definitely had Win 7 64-bit drivers. Both had the latest version of the driver. The Roland actually never produced anything but distortion. The Presonus degenerated. I uninstalled, reinstalled, and briefly had good sound before deteriorating again. I was never able to get any MIDI throughput through either card. Using the Onscreen Keyboard in Reason 6 produced the same distorted sound with several devices and patches.

I took the Presonus back to the store, where it tested as being in perfect working order. I then spent an hour with Microsoft Support via chat, to no avail. I will take my MIDI controller keyboard (M-Audio Keystation 49e, which was working before) to the same store to test it as well. I have messages in to Propellerhead, Presonus, and the MIDI school I was supposed to start today. I don't think the problem lies with any of them, but I am trying to cover every base. [I have also checked their forums and FAQs as well as Googling extensively.]

This is looking to me like a Windows issue. It has been suggested that it may somehow be a 32-bit vs. 64-bit issue, but I'm not sure how. The only thing that I can think of is that this version of Windows is only licensed for two processors, and I have four. But everything else works perfectly.

I am hoping that this will resonate with something in your collective experience. If so, or if you think of something I haven't covered, please let me know.

Win 7 Ultimate 64, Gigabyte Z68AP-D3, Intel i5 2500K 3.3 GHz quad CPU, 16 Gb RAM, Zotac GeForce GTX 560 2 Gb GPU.

Thanks,
Richard




"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Go to the gigabyte website, support, find your mobo and see if they have released a BIOS flash update for it. This may well be a mobo controller issue.


--Mac

Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,366
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,366
There are updates posted to the GigaByte site for that board for audio, USB and LAN drivers. All posted within the last 60 days.


Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2024, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Above my pay grade. Going to the shop.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,311
ROG Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,311
Hi Richard.

Just trying to get my head round this one. Does this problem happen with all programs, or is it just with Reason? What happens if you play a wav file through Windows Media Player? Have you got both cards installed at the same time? How have you connected the Keystation 49e?

If you can post this info I might be able to suggest some things you could try.

ROG.

Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Ryszard - Unless you actually have more than two processor sockets, you should be able to access (and be licensed for) all the cores on your computer. A quad core processors shows up as four processors (cores), but counts as a single socket. My reading of the Windows 7 Ultimate license is that it supports only up to two sockets (each of which can have any number of cores). I hope that made sense.


John

Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD
Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA

BB2024/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK

http://www.sus4chord.com
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Quote:

Ryszard - Unless you actually have more than two processor sockets, you should be able to access (and be licensed for) all the cores on your computer. A quad core processors shows up as four processors (cores), but counts as a single socket. My reading of the Windows 7 Ultimate license is that it supports only up to two sockets (each of which can have any number of cores). I hope that made sense.




It does. Thank you.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Quote:

Hi Richard.

Just trying to get my head round this one. Does this problem happen with all programs, or is it just with Reason? What happens if you play a wav file through Windows Media Player? Have you got both cards installed at the same time? How have you connected the Keystation 49e?

If you can post this info I might be able to suggest some things you could try.

ROG.




I was in the midst of writing a reply when the power went out. I took the opportunity to take my keyboard to the music store to test it (it worked, as I thought it would) and the PC to the shop.

However, to answer the questions: Yes, the problem happens with Reason, Windows Media Player, and with streaming media. I was able to play MIDI files in BIAB 2009 through the Microsoft synth. I did not try to play any Real Tracks (didn't think to). I only ever had one card installed at a time. The keyboard can be connected by standard MIDI cable or by USB. I tried both. Neither worked. There is a virtual keyboard inside Reason that produced the same distorted audio as when I tried to play demo songs.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Quote:

There are updates posted to the GigaByte site for that board for audio, USB and LAN drivers. All posted within the last 60 days.




I think we have a winner.

Whether you install it yourself or you take it back to the shop and have it done, I recommend doing that as it may well solve your problems.


--Mac

Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,311
ROG Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,311
Richard.

From what you describe, the way I'd approach it is to first reduce the possible causes, to try to identify the problem. I'd uninstall both interfaces, get rid of all trace of the drivers and unplug the Keystation. Then I'd see if Media player will work with the on-board audio. If it does, it shows that the basic machine is working ok under Windows. If not, I'd reload the audio drivers. If it's still not working, at least you know it's not the interfaces or programs and can look at the GigaByte up-dates.

If you can get media player working, then try each of the audio programs with the on-board audio. If these work, connect the Keystation, which should be class-compliant, via USB and see if that works. If you can get it all to work with on-board audio, the problem is with the interfaces. You say the Presonus has been checked out, so the problem, in this case, could be a driver conflict.

I imagine you've possibly done some of this already, but I'm just thinking how I'd do it from scratch in the hope that something might help.

Good luck with it.

ROG.

Off-Topic
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,153
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,153
Richard,
How many USB devices to you have connected to the computer? It's really possible that you're exceeding the USB bandwidth limitations.

My $100US way to resolve this issue is to install an M-Audio 2496 card in one of the two available PCI slots. That will give you a stereo input and a stereo output, plus two channels of digital in and out, plus a MIDI connector for in and out. Drivers work with Win 7 64 (although they don't like Skype)

Gary


I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Here's the latest from the bench tech working on my PC:

Quote:

We're still trying to isolate the source of the issue. I don't think it's going to be a software issue, it sounds/looks like it's electromagnetic interference being picked up from somewhere in the PC. I've tried a PCI sound card and the problem still showed up. I tried another Video card to eliminate yours as a potential source and the problem still happened. I've even disconnected the SSD and the HD from power the still got the hiss. I'm going to have to do a bit of research and see if it could be USB related.




Curiouser and curiouser.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,311
ROG Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,311
Richard.

If I was a betting man (which I'm not) I'd be putting money on it being a faulty power supply at this stage.

ROG.

Off-Topic
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
I don't buy that tech's "electromagnetic interference" call. Not. At. All.

Ask if they've even *tried* to update the BIOS...



--Mac

Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
I just did.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Just got off the phone with the technician, who has been working on my machine for two days. He was working through the onboard sound, not the USB sound card I sent with the PC. However, he plugged USB speakers directly into USB and heard massive static, something I had never noticed. Right now the thinking is defective mainboard.

The incredible news is that somehow the technician ran into the pro sound/recording guy at the music store where I bought the Presonus. They got to talking and realized they were both dealing with me. Now we're all on the same page. The technician knows for certain that the Presonus works. because I took it back to the store and had it checked out. He also understands my mission--recording and mixing music--and says that he'll try to have it ready today, assuming they can find another mainboard. (I know there's one at their store across town, but not where my PC is.)

Onward through the fog.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
It's not the system board; they swapped it out for a substantially better one with no change in the noise coming through the USB bus. They also subbed the RAM and the power supply, also with no change. That leaves the CPU and the liquid cooling system. The technician spent three hours with it today but he's off tomorrow, so yet a third person will be fooling with it . . .


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
M
Mac Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Did they try updating the BIOS? .........

Off-Topic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Ryszard Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Probably not. But they tried a new and different model system board, so that could hardly be it, could it? I have, however, sent them a note to that effect.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Off-Topic
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,153
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,153
Here's my suggestion. Hook the Presonus up to something else that has nothing to do with your computer and see if you get the noise you're talking about. If not, then hook up those USB speakers your tech was working with, and see if they have the same massive static that your system shows. If not, that's good. Then it's somewhere in your system.

Since the mainboard, PSU, video card, etc have all been replaced, pull the SSD out and and boot to Linux and see if it still manifests itself. If it does, pull the hard drive cables so there's no power or data going to the hard drive.

I doubt very much if it's the CPU, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was the SSD drive. By the way, any tech that spends two days on this is either working on a whole lot of other stuff, or doesn't know what he's doing. It should not be that difficult to track down by process of elimination where the noise is coming from.

Gary


I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!

The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!

There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.

If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.

We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!

Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.

Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

Video: Volume Automation in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created a video to help you learn more about the Volume Automation options in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows.

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Volume Automation

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#volume-automation

Video: Audio Input Monitoring with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created this short video to explain Audio Input Monitoring within Band-in-a-Box® 2024, and included some tips & troubleshooting details too!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Audio Input Monitoring

3:17: Tips
5:10: Troubleshooting

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#audio-input-monitoring

Video: Enhanced Melodists in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®!

We've enhanced the Melodists feature included in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows!

Access the Melodist feature by pressing F7 in the program to open the new MultiPicker Library and locate the [Melodist] tab.

You can now generate a melody on any track in the program - very handy! Plus, you select how much of the melody you want generated - specify a range, or apply it to the whole track.

See the Melodist in action with our video, Band-in-a-Box® 2024: The Melodist Window.

Learn even more about the enhancements to the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024upgrade/chapter3.htm#enhanced-melodist

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

New with the DAW Plugin Version 6.0, released with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows: the Reaper® Panel!

This new panel offers built-in specific support for the Reaper® DAW API allowing direct transfer of Band-in-a-Box® files to/from Reaper® tracks!

When you run the Plugin from Reaper®, there is a panel to set the following options:
-BB Track(s) to send: This allows you to select the Plugin tracks that will be sent Reaper.
-Destination Reaper Track: This lets you select the destination Reaper track to receive media content from the Plugin.
-At Bar: You can select a bar in Reaper where the Plugin tracks should be placed.
-Start Below Selected Track: This allows you to place the Plugin tracks below the destination Reaper track.
-Overwrite Reaper Track: You can overwrite previous content on the destination Reaper track.
-Move to Project Folder: With this option, you can move the Plugin tracks to the Reaper project folder.
-Send Reaper Instructions Enable this option to send the Reaper Instructions instead of rendering audio tracks, which is faster.
-Render Audio & Instructions: Enable this option to generate audio files and the Reaper instructions.
-Send Tracks After Generating: This allows the Plugin to automatically send tracks to Reaper after generating.
-Send Audio for MIDI Track: Enable this option to send rendered audio for MIDI tracks.
-Send RealCharts with Audio: If this option is enabled, Enable this option to send RealCharts with audio.

Check out this video highlighting the new Reaper®-specific features: Band-in-a-Box® DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Video

The new Band-in-a-Box VST DAW Plugin Verion 6 adds over 20 new features!

Watch the new features video to learn more: Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2024 - DAW Plugin Version 6 New Features

We also list these new features at www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.plugin.htm.

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,392
Posts732,471
Members38,440
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
zagrajbarke, Ernest J, Izzy, BenChaz, Csofi
38,440 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 195
Al-David 124
DC Ron 113
dcuny 87
rsdean 83
Today's Birthdays
CeeDee, SethMould
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5