Serious spikes and artifacts happening when recording or mix

[EveryMan]

I've had a chance to do a little recording, and some really big spikes or artifacts are making their way into my already recorded riffs, i.e. the songs done, it's perfect, then I save it as a .wav file, and I hear this massive pop and a big dropout in a couple parts of the tune... my machine's fairly new, and I thought it was set up optimally...
I've tried fiddling with the Line 6 audio-midi stuff, but don't want to screw with it too much just yet w/out more info...

Any advice? Is what I'm running below optimal??

Stats:

Media Center, Windows XP
SP2
Core 2 Duo 2.40Ghz E6600 (supposedly has the best chip-set in it...)
4 GB Ram, DDR2-667mhz dual-channel SDRAM
500GB RAID 0, SATA HDDs performance
Sound Blaster Audigy X-Fi, 24bit Xtreme

Line 6 Device: Line 6 PODxt Live
Driver version: 3.2.7.0

Line 6 Audio Driver Format:
Sample rate - 48000 hz
Bit depth - 24 bit

ASIO Settings:
Buffer size - 256
Bit depth - 32 bit

USB Audio Streaming:
Buffer size - Extra Small (up 1 from lowest setting)


Any help would be great, and thanks...
Chris

[GuitarSlinger]

Have you tried increasing your buffer size?

[randy]

His buffer sizes looks just fine considering his computer's specifications. If the buffer was set too low then popping would more likely manifest itself during recording versus during the final mix down. I use the same settings on my computer, and it's decently slower than his.

Chris, can you please post one of the songs to RiffCast and then reply here with the permalink URL? I'd like to hear the pops as they might help us zero in on their cause. I'd also like to know if you get the same pops when mixing down to either of the Ogg formats?

Thanks,

[EveryMan]

thanks, Randy, no problem... here's the Permalink URL:

http://www.sonomawireworks.com/riffcaster/post.php?/5271


I use Audacity to further edit and analyze my tunes, and the 1st artifact/spike appears at or between running time (5:42.3665 - 5:42.3670)...

A big dropout appears at or around time (5:42.60 - 5:43.00)...

The 2nd smaller artifact appears at or around time (7:02.27720 - 7:02.27775)...


I got these time markers from an .OGG file I created just before I downloaded the RiffCast file, but they should be close...

I also made the mistake earlier of saving the file right after I mixed to both .wav or .ogg -- so now these artifacts are now part of the saved tune --- and weirdly, they actually seem to be getting bigger in nature, like the spike event is becoming more severe every time I mix to a file, which has been maybe a dozen times now... it's both very strange and quite a bummer, lemme tell ya...

but anyway, thanks for taking a look at the file, and let me know if you find anything halfway conclusive...

your help is very appreciated, Randy, and thanks again...
Chris

[randy]

Hi Chris,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was on a short vacation and am just catching up here in the forums.

I listened to the RiffCast above and I can hear the artifacts that you're referring though I can't tell for sure why they've come about.

"I also made the mistake earlier of saving the file right after I mixed to both .wav or .ogg -- so now these artifacts are now part of the saved tune --- and weirdly, they actually seem to be getting bigger in nature, like the spike event is becoming more severe every time I mix to a file, which has been maybe a dozen times now... it's both very strange and quite a bummer, lemme tell ya..."

So what you're saying is that the glitches can be heard when playing back the raw song in RiffWorks and that it gets worse with each subsequent mix down? Is this the only song this is happening to, or is this a common occurrence?

[DaFreak]

I have popping events too after mixdown and during playback of the riffs after which they occur. Most of the time they are due to effects, especially when using modulator effects (flanger, panning, etc...). My strategy is just to change the effects until the popping no longer occurs (of course this limits you in the use of the effects), which often means just dropping the modulator effect. I don't know if this is helpful, but for me it is often the only choice.

[flexkill]

I bet you a million dollars it's something to do with your Creative X-Fi sound card! Creative is the absolute worst when it comes to pops and cracks from anywhere from games(what X-Fi is supposed to be for really), video audio, or Audio creation.

They have the worst customer support ever and their drivers are pure crap!

I have a Creative X-Fi Music Xtreme...and it blows....same pops and crackles as about a million other people who own the cards have.

Check their forums.....about a 100 page complaint thread on sound pops and crackles.

I am currently looking for a good replacement card. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news....but I would get a different card Bro...Good luck.

[GuitarSlinger]

Very true but if he is using his line6 asio driver then his soundcard is completely bypassed and the line6 device is his soundcard.

[scott]

I've got a Creative X-Fi card in my system and I never use it. All of my sound settings are set to default to my TonePort UX2. I've just finished a 10 day correspondence session with the Creative Support Dept. over what they now admit to be a permanent incompatability issue between the X-Fi drivers and the Line 6 drivers. The Creative front-end application (called VolPanel.exe) for their audio creation software closes with an error message anytime I unplug and replug my TonePort. I also suspect that the Creative drivers are the main reason I can't use my TASCAM US-428. Together they really screwed my system up to the point of fatal blue screen errors and having to rely on restore points to get things back!
I have to admit to never having had the popping and crackling issues but maybe that's because I never use the Creative card.

[Wedgebill]

What does an artifact sound like ?

Uncle Bill

[flexkill]

Very true but if he is using his line6 asio driver then his soundcard is completely bypassed and the line6 device is his soundcard.

Well the creative card still can make artifact noise even by using the Line6 ASIO ....trust me on this one.

[jisg]

Could it be the Ol' PCI card dilemma?
I didn't see what chipset is being used on the very detailed specs.

[mickeymix]

What does an artifact sound like ?

Uncle Bill

That would be the sound of yourself my good man.........breaking an early morning wind!

[blue4u]

It's more than likely a bad USB port, connection or plug issue and/or the sound card that is creating the noise and peaks. I don't think it's the software. If anything I have to BOOST recordings to get the levels up from RiffWork's export to wav settings.

I had pops and white noise issues using the TonePort. I could never use two inputs simultaneously without intermittent noise. I sold it on eBay. Later I found that it was the usb port creating the problem. I haven't had a SINGLE problem since I switched to a firewire interface. That should tell you something! I think USB is a horrible solution for audio and rears its ugly head sooner or later. But some will disagree.

Rich

[jisg]

That's what I meant about the USB PCI card. It has been a known problem with certain chipsets and a standard USB card. Line6's tech support solution based on Intel's information circulated in an international memo ( they emailed me a copy ) was to get a cheap $7 - $10 PCI USB card installed and the noise IS ELIMINATED. The problem was not restricted to Intel. It fixed many peoples woes including mine, when I bought a new PC.