Subject:Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Posted by: wedge13

Date:6/2/2003 2:31:27 AM

Hi All,
I'm having a bit of a difficult time with this one. To start with, the symptom is only present when I'm using SF 6.0e - I can record just fine with SF 5.0f .

SYMPTOM: 16-bit recording is just peachy. Clean, clear, what I hear coming out is exactly what I put in. Switching to 24-bit mode however changes everything. For ex. I can put SF 6.0e in Record Mode with no signal - just record mode with no input signal. On playback there is a clearly recognizable digital timing waveform that looks similiar to this: _--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_ etc...


Now here's the curve ball: I can record without this problem, in 24-bit mode using SF 5.0f . So-o-o-o... while I am sort of convinced that there is are some serious RF shielding issues inside my expensive DAW chassis, I'm completely befuddled as to why SF 5 is ok but SF 6 isn't. How about you?

Has anyone else experienced anything remotely similiar to this??

SPECS: EPOX 8KHA+ MoBo, ATHLON 1800+ PROC, 512MB RAM, ~30GB free HD space, Matrox AGP video, LynxONE sound card (24-bit analog Pro card), W2K Pro OS w/SP2. All patches and updates, DirectX 8.1, etc... installed. I am an IT consultant so most of the regular stuff has been covered already. But how about that SF 5 GOOD, SF 6 BAD thing, eh???

All responses welcome. H-E-L-P !!

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: Sonic

Date:6/2/2003 10:07:22 AM

I've been using a Lynx ONE for a few years now and haven't seen anything like this before. Anything hooked up to the Lynx Digital In?

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: wedge13

Date:6/2/2003 10:27:42 AM

I have the Line Out from a Line6 AXSYS 212 modeling amp hooked to the Lynx' analog IN. All cables are of good quality and fully intact. The interesting thing, is that I can disconnect everything from the Lynx' analog IN, and this noise signal will still be there during a *no input signal* 24-bit recording pass.

Yet another interesting thing, is that I can also reproduce this symptom by switching to my mobo's embedded audio circuitry (which uses Avance 97' drivers). When I first encountered this anomaly, I just thought that it could be a 24-bit limitation in my mobo's DAC's, hence the upgrade to a LynxONE (always a good idea in general, no matter what the circumstances).

The fact that I can record 24-bit clean in SF 5.0f, but get this mysterious digital noise when recording in SF 6.0e only (!!), makes me wonder. The only thing that makes any sense to me at this point, is if SF 5.0f were NOT really recording in 24 bit mode, but only appearing to be doing so. Then it would make sense that I was getting a clean '24-bit' signal, albeit in 16-bit mode.

Thanks for responding.

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: Sonic

Date:6/2/2003 10:57:58 AM

Easy enough to check in 5.0, verify 24-bit pref and device prefs, then record silence and see if the noise floor is reasonable 24-bit values (e.g. misc values well below -90 dB).

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: wedge13

Date:6/2/2003 11:34:43 PM

My previous statements still hold true: I am indeed recording at 24-bit depth cleanly in SF 5.0f, but not in SF 6.0e.

For now I suppose I'll just record using SF 5, and edit using SF 6. Not very elegant but the show must go on.

Any further suggestions are always welcome.

But you know ... it sure would be nice to hear from Sonic Foundry support on this one.

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: Sonic

Date:6/3/2003 9:53:12 AM

Strange, I know for a fact that waveio didn't change between 5 and 6. Any other cards on the system? Is the SoundMapper set to the Lynx, and/or is the Lynx explicitly selected in the record dialog (the device combo was new to 6.0)?

Also, the forums are intended for user interaction, not official tech support. You can contact tech support directly here.

J.

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: wedge13

Date:6/3/2003 11:48:35 PM

Hi Sonic,

I've checked everything for the umpeenth time and still can't locate any 'smoking gun'. One interesting thing is that the noise has mutated somewhat. While everything is still crystal clear in SF 5.0f 24-bit record mode, I am no longer getting the _--_--_-- repetitive signal. It is now what I would describe as similiar to what others have posted here: periodic clicks throughout the recorded signal. It's a little more bearable but still completely undesireable. I first noticed this after I disabled my display hardware acceleration. Of course, attempting to prove that this is what caused it (by re-enabling the acceleration) didn't change the periodic clicks back to the repetitive signal.

For what it's worth, here is a short list of my IRQ config:
ISA 0 System Timer
ISA 1 Standard 101/102 Keyboard
ISA 3 Com2
ISA 4 Com1
ISA 6 Standard Floppy
ISA 8 CMOS/RT Clock
ISA 9 Microsoft ACPI
ISA 10 MPU-401 Midi
ISA 11 Lynx
ISA 12 PS/2 Mouse
ISA 13 Mumeric Data Processor
ISA 14 Primary IDE Cntrlr
ISA 15 Secondary IDE Cntrlr
PCI 5 LynxONE
PCI 11 Avance AC'97 Audio for VIA
PCI 11 Linksys LNE100TX Fast Etnernet Adapter
PCI 11 VIA USB Univ Host Cntrlr
PCI 11 VIA USB Univ Host Cntrlr
PCI 11 VIA USB Univ Host Cntrlr

To answer your question, I have these additional cards installed:
Matrox Productiva G100 AGP display adapter

The mobo uses a VIA chipset, and has an Athlon 1800+ with 512MB RAM

All hardware considerations aside, I still keep coming back to the fact that SF 5 is fine, but SF 6 is not.

By the way, I understand that Tech Support has a different link. I made that comment in the context of having seen quite a few 'unofficial' Sonic employees replying within these forums (usually identified with a small red SF logo icon).

Thanks - Thom

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: Sonic

Date:6/4/2003 9:27:13 AM

OK, lets assume it isn't hardware. Perhaps a side-by-side comparison of settings between 5/6 is in order, particularly wave and MIDI/Sync prefs. Are the Lynx MIDI ports hooked up to anything? Listening or generating MTC or have MIDI triggers enabled?

Any gremlins sighted near your machine <g>?

J.

Subject:RE: Digital noise in SF 6.0e 24-bit record only

Reply by: wedge13

Date:6/4/2003 2:21:26 PM

Roger that good buddy. I'll get back to you later this week on the side-by-side comp. But wouldn't you know it - I actually have to go to work now so I can keep funding my audio addiction, and, uh... paying for lesser priority items such as a mortgage, utils, food, new shoes for the kiddies, etc.

Gremlins eh? You know that's not such a long shot. I always tell my clients who have been cursed with a really bizarre computer glitch, that they should try to treat their systems the same as people. That way things will make more sense to them, and they might get a little work done. You know - it's like your boss (the computer) is having a bad day, so they're gonna need tons more TLC or else they'll probably fire the next poor soul with bad news (or toss your once-in-a-lifetime-solo-performance track into the bottomless bit-bucket). It doesn't help that the blasted things seem to have a sixth sense of when there is a technical person around. Of course they run flawleesly then!

Cheers - Thom