1st Time Setting up MIDI Workstation

Posted on

Junior Wright
Member Since: May 22, 2005

Iā€™m setting up a MIDI workstation for the first time. I am having some trouble with my M-Audio Quattro USB Audio Interface. The ASIO driver software has the following options;

Latency : Very Low, Low, Medium, High, Very High
Input/Output Options;
0 in, 2 out, 24bit, 96/88.2kHz
2 in, 0 out, 24bit, 96/88.2kHz
2 in, 4 out, 24bit, 48/44.1/22.05/11.025kHz
4 in, 2 out, 24bit, 48/44.1/22.05/11.025kHz
4 in, 4 out, 16bit, 48/44.1/22.05/11.025kHz

I would like to use the 4 in, 4 out option, but when I do I get distortion when trying to monitor my audio. By trial and error I have discovered the following;

If ASIO Driver Setting is (4 in, 4 out, 16bit, 48/44.1/22.05/11.025kHz) then existing 44.1kHz ā€“ 16bit audio files have to be converted to 33kHz ā€“ 16 bit audio to be able to play through Behringer monitors without distortion.

If ASIO Driver Setting is (0 in, 2 out, 24bit, 96/88.2kHz) then existing 44.1kHz ā€“ 16bit audio can be played through Behringer monitors without distortion.

Details on my hardware/software are below. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Pete


COMPUTER
Dell Inspiron 8100
Pentium III 866mhz
512mb ram

18GB Hard drive, 12GB free
38GB Firewire Drive, 36GB free

PCMCIA 2.0 USB port

Windows XP

USB AUDIO INTERFACE
M-Audio Quattro, 24bit/96kHz
1 MIDI in/1 MIDI out
4 audio in/4 audio out
AC powered

ASIO Driver
Firmware Version 1.05
Driver Version 5.10.00.3515
Panel Version 2.0.0.2

KEYBOARD
Casio CTK-411
49 keys

MONITORS
Behringer B2030A Truth Active Monitors

SOFTWARE
Adobe Audition 1.5
Cubase SE 1.07A

AMPS
Pignose Hog20
Crate VC-508
MICS
Hohner BluesBlaster

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...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002


May 23, 2005 03:53 am

thats weird. i bet noize'll know...

Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002


May 23, 2005 08:02 am

I am a midi idiot and have no idea about it for the most part, so I can't help but I don't recall seeing you post before so I'm doin the welcome wagon thing. Welcome to HRC! Also, I didn't check your profile but it would be a good idea to put your gear list like in the post above in your profile.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


May 23, 2005 08:14 am

Well, it appears you have the latest drivers...considering the crackling and stuff starts happening as you enable more inputs and outputs, it would seems to me it's a lack of computer power issue. PIII 866 isn't bad for most any common computing need, audio recording isn't a "common" computing need...I would suggest either try adding more ram or upgrading to a more power computer altogether.

Welcome to HRC.

...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002


May 23, 2005 08:36 am

see i thought it might be that, but the distortion issue confused me...unless it is just 'glicthy' distortion...

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


May 23, 2005 11:26 am

i'm gonna take a stab and ask if you are using your stock soundcard with the delta?

could be the sound generated by your computer is runnin' at 24 bit 48khz sample rate (got a dvd player in there? and is sending it to your delta which is trying to run it at a lower resolution....

that's the only thing i can think of anyway...

let us know what you find

wyd

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


May 23, 2005 11:29 am

It might also be noted for others who may be experiencing this type of problem that, if a "high end" Sound Blaster is being used and this is happening, Creative Labs recently got in some hot water for stating that their products were 24 bit when they really were not...and have offered to refund users of their bogus products on their next purchase up to $62.50 (can I get a collective Ooooooooooo).

This happened in March, details: www.theinquirer.net/?article=22019

Junior Wright
Member
Since: May 22, 2005


May 23, 2005 11:52 am

"whosyourdaddy00" wrote "i'm gonna take a stab and ask if you are using your stock soundcard with the delta?"

If I use the output 1&2 on the Quattro USB to the monitors, then I'm not using the soundcard in the laptop. right? In fact when the Quattro makes the USB connection on boot-up, the internal sound card becomes inoperable.

I printed the "Tuning Windows XP" article from the Recording Tips section, and there are definitely some things I do to free some RAM. 512 is the maximum that can be installed in the Inspiron 8100.

I did quite abit of research before getting the Quattro, but being a newbie, I thought 4in/4out meant 4in/4out. Now I see there is more to it than that.

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


May 23, 2005 12:16 pm

hmmm man, i know nothing about laptops...i'd like to hear the distortion...is there any way you can e-mail me a .wav file of it?

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


May 23, 2005 02:26 pm

Hmmm, you may have the 815 chipset from Intel, which maxes out at 512...that article could provide some good tips to free up resources. In addition, which may not be in the article (been a while since I wrote it) make sure you don't have tons of crap down by the clock in the lower right corner. When working with audio, make sure to disable any paranoiaware like anti-virus, firewalls, anti-spyware and that type of thing, system utilities, instant messangers and the like...also, with all that disabled, make sure you are not online either ;-)

Junior Wright
Member
Since: May 22, 2005


May 24, 2005 07:04 am

I sent an e-mail to the M-Audio support site. They had me do a complete re-install. It did not fix the problem.

I made the changes suggested in the "Tuning Windows XP" article. It didn't fix the problem either.

I don't think it is a memory or resource issue. The audio file I'm playing, that is getting the distortion, pops, and clicks, is only about 30 seconds long. When I was using the internal soundcard, before I bought the Quattro, I was mixing 5 or 6 tracks at a time with Adobe Audition.

If I import a MIDI file into Cubase, with the Quattro set at 4 in/4out, I get the same distortion. If I set it to 0 in/2 out, I don't get the distortion.

Any other ideas?

Thanks, Pete





Junior Wright
Member
Since: May 22, 2005


May 24, 2005 07:12 am

I'm also not understanding why converting the audio files from 44.1kHz to 33kHz eliminates the distortion. Seems like that might be a key to the problem.

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


May 24, 2005 11:26 am

pops and clicks usually = buffer settings in both your driver settings and your recording application...sould be under audio options...try changing them.....i start at 64..then do 128, 256, 512, 1028.....sometimes it behaves predictable, sometimes not....generally the fewer tracks and processes (effects) you have the lower the buffer needs to be.

hope that helps

wyd

Junior Wright
Member
Since: May 22, 2005


May 25, 2005 08:12 am

I got it figured out. The tech support rep had me check for IRQ conflicts(I thought IRQ's were gone in XP?) by disabling connections in Device Manager. This yielded some inconsistent results, but I finally discoverd if I boot up with my network connection plugged in, I get the distortion on the 4 in/4 out setting. If I boot up with the network connection unplugged, I don't get the distortion on the 4in/4 out setting. Apparently there is some conflict with the network port.

Thank-you for all the suggestions. Maybe this will help someone else out.


Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


May 25, 2005 11:15 am

STUMPED THE CHUMPS!

glad you're up and runnin' now.!

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