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Audio dropouts

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Roglu

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Audio dropouts

PostFri Aug 26, 2022 3:38 pm

- These sound dropouts occur very irregularly
- I think it's a midi thing because - when I'm about Hauptwerk I don't hear these dropouts in the wave recording, only if I play them back via Hauptwerk - there are also no CPU and audio Spikes
- these dropouts only occur with stereo Sets
- Sample rate setting 48kHz, buffer 512
- I use Windows, HW runs with real-time priority, HW starts with administrator rights

Who can help me?

Warm greetings Roglu

[url]Audio sample:[/url] https://edu4at-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/ ... Q?e=bKuUhT
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mdyde

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 3:27 am

Hello Roglu,

Roglu wrote:- I think it's a midi thing because - when I'm about Hauptwerk I don't hear these dropouts in the wave recording, only if I play them back via Hauptwer


Do you mean that you only get the audio glitches when using Hauptwerk's built-in MIDI player to play a MIDI file? Or also sometimes if you're playing it live (from a MIDI console)? Assuming the latter, I'd suggest:

- Make sure you aren't over-filling the PC's RAM. As a test, see whether the problem occurs with small sample sets, such as St. Anne's.

- Work the through the steps in the "Section VII | Performance tuning | Other operating system and computer optimizations and diagnostics" section of the main Hauptwerk user guide (which starts on page 308 of the current v7.0 version). In particular:

- Make sure that all available Windows updates are applied.

- Make sure all available firmware and driver updates for the audio interface and PC's motherboard (BIOS updates) are applied.

- Make sure that no other applications are running (e.g. in the background) which might try to use your audio interface for their sound output. Similarly, make sure that all Windows sounds are disabled, and ideally that Windows isn't set to use your audio interface as its sound output device.

- Make sure that all Windows power saving options are disabled, and especially the option relating to putting USB devices to sleep.

- Make sure that Windows drive indexing and Superfetch/sysmain are disabled.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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Roglu

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 6:04 am

Many thanks for the answer.

I've gone through all of your suggestions with no result.
I will probably do without stereo sets. (I wanted to buy an OAM set).
There are no audio dropouts with any of my multi-channel sets.

Greetings Roglu
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mdyde

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 6:14 am

Thanks, Roglu.

Do you mean that you do still get the audio glitches even with St. Anne's? (Small -- e.g. stereo, as opposed to surround -- sample sets should tax the computer less, so should be less likely to cause problems -- not more.)

Assuming so, please also try:

- Make sure that no other applications are running.

- Start Resplendence LatencyMon ( https://resplendence.com/latencymon ) running.

- Launch Hauptwerk ('as Administrator', given that you mention that you're using its 'real-time priority' general preference) and load St. Anne's.

- Reproduce the audio glitch problem.

- Now look in LatencyMon to see whether it has reported any problems. If so, it will often give a strong clue as to their source (such as a particular driver).
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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larason2

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 8:14 am

What audio interface are you using? This sounds a lot like an interface or driver problem to me.
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Roglu

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 9:53 am

I am using MOTU UltraLite AVB, have the latest software.
I installed St Anne's. The audio dropouts also occur with this set.
When I start Latencymon the CPU is in the red zone. I send the report from Latencymon.

Report: https://edu4at-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/ ... A?e=tigMV7

Roglu
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mdyde

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 10:09 am

Thanks, Roglu.

The last screenshot of LatencyMon in your PDF indicates that it didn't find any hardware/driver latency problems whilst it was running, so assuming that you still experienced the audio glitches whilst it was actually running then you can probably rule out hardware/driver latency problems. Hence my guess would be that the issue is somewhere within the audio interface or driver, e.g. perhaps interrupted USB connections.

As well as making sure that the latest PC motherboard BIOS is installed, and that the latest MOTU driver is installed, please also make certain that you have the latest firmware installed within the MOTU UltraLite AVB. I don't have one of those myself, but within the MOTU 16A (which is AVB) the option to do that is within MOTU's driver control panel software, and I expect it's the same for an UltraLite AVB,

Also try disconnecting all other USB devices from the PC (including USB hubs if applicable), and connecting just the UltraLite AVB and your iLok dongle, with them both connected to USB ports directly on the PC (not via a hub).
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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evertjan

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 10:31 am

The reported CPU speed in the PDF is 360 MHz. Base speed of the AMD 3700X is 3.6 GHz
That means that the processor runs on a variable speed.

Disable in the BIOS the AMD Precision Boost (X-Boost) and AMD Cool N Quiet, which mostly can be found in the menu Overclocking' or 'Advanced CPU settings'.

In Windows, press the Windows key + R and type powercfg.cpl
Select High Performance
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Roglu

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 3:19 pm

Liebe Leute!
Alle Vorschläge von Martin habe ich schon durchgearbeitet. Leider ohne Ergebnisse.
Im Bios habe ich Cool N Quiet deaktiviert. Precision Boost habe ich im Bios nicht gefunden.
Vielen Dank für den Hinweis Evertjan.
Seither habe ich keine Tonaussetzer mehr. :D
Ich werde morgen noch weitertesten und darüber berichten.

Roglu
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mdyde

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Aug 27, 2022 3:30 pm

Hello Roglu,

Thanks for the update, and glad to hear that Evertjan's tip appears to have solved it so far.

(I've copied an automatic translation below.)

Roglu wrote:Dear people!
I have already worked through all of Martin's suggestions. Unfortunately without results.
I disabled Cool N Quiet in the bios. I couldn't find Precision Boost in the bios.
Thanks for the tip Evertjan.
Since then I haven't had any audio dropouts. :D
I'll test it again tomorrow and report back.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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Roglu

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSun Aug 28, 2022 11:53 am

I only got a little time to test today.
In the BIOS I also disabled AMD Precision Boost. It's definitely gotten better.
I'm now on vacation for a week and will then continue to test and report.
Thanks for your support.
Roglu
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Frans5

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Oct 08, 2022 4:12 am

I am a newcomer and experience from the beginning time and again audio dropouts. Sometimes, after activating HW 7, the 3 midi keybords and pedalboard do not work, sometimes, while playing, a sound dropout. Sometimes, after not playing for a while, total silence. Every time I have to exit HW, and get back again. For background: The PC is brand new, have more much more cpu and ram facilities as requiered. I read "Glitch free" of Brad Robinson. The only advice I did not try from the book, is where settings have to be done in the Bios. (Windows 10). I read the HW 7 manual. Possibly I miss something important. I also tried a new power hub between boards and pc with no success. The keybords are brand new, except for the pedalboard, swell- and crescendo pedals. I hope someone can help me. After two months of struggling I feel really desperate.
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mdyde

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Oct 08, 2022 4:51 am

Hello Frans,

Welcome to the forum, and sorry to hear you've been having problems with getting it all to work reliably on your PC.

Hauptwerk queries audio and MIDI devices when it launches. It doesn't support 'hot-plugging' devices'. If a device (e.g. a USB device) is disconnected, or gets put to sleep by the hardware/OS, or another device is connected, whilst Hauptwerk is actually running then Windows may change its logical devices around, potentially causing any devices that Hauptwerk might be using to stop working until Hauptwerk is restarted. Hence it's important that you don't plug in, or unplug, any devices whilst Hauptwerk is actually running -- you need to exit Hauptwerk before doing any of those things. Likewise it's important that Windows, and the BIOS, don't try to put any devices to sleep whilst Hauptwerk is running them, and that device connections don't get dropped for other reasons (e.g. insufficient/erratic power supply).

If you aren't physically plugging in or unplugging any devices yourself when the problems occur, and given that your MIDI and audio devices are stopping working, and that restarting Hauptwerk solves it, almost certainly the problem will be that device connections are getting dropped, either due to being put to sleep, or due to some other hardware problem (e.g. insufficient/erratic USB power).

- Make sure you don't plug in, or unplug, any devices whilst Hauptwerk is running.

- Make sure that all available Windows updates are applied, and that the latest versions of the drivers and firmware are installed for all of your devices, and especially so for any audio, MIDI, or USB devices, and for the motherboard's drivers. Check on their respective manufacturers' websites for the latest versions. Driver/firmware updates sometimes fix problems with device connections being dropped.

- In the BIOS, make sure that any options for putting hardware to sleep (which may include general power-saving options) are disabled.

- Make sure that Windows is set to use the "High performance" power plan, and the option to put USB devices to sleep is disabled for it, as covered in bullet point 7 in the "Performance tuning | Other operating system and computer optimizations and diagnostics" section in the main Hauptwerk user guide (page 308 in the current v7.0 version).

- If those things don't fix it, and if possible, try connecting USB devices directly to the PC's built-in USB ports (rather than via a hub). If that isn't possible then make sure that any USB hubs being used are good quality (reputable brand) models with their own dedicated mains power supplies, and that they can supply more than sufficient power for the devices connected to them.

If those things still don't solve it, you could try sending a diagnostic file to Francois via a support ticket ( https://www.hauptwerk.com/submit-ticket/ ). I think you need to be logged into your account on the Hauptwerk on-line shop to be able to do that. Francois will then be able to see what audio and MIDI devices you're using, for example. He's an expert in getting PC/Windows to work reliably.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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Frans5

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Oct 08, 2022 5:20 am

Best Martin,
Thank you very much for your reply.
I will let you know how things went.
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mdyde

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Re: Audio dropouts

PostSat Oct 08, 2022 6:06 am

Thanks, Frans, Hope it helps.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.

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