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[Audiothrill]

Since the installation of build .38 there is some crackling noise in the ASIO playback from time to time, similar to static noise. It appears on different file types (m4a/ wav/ mp3) but not on all music (rather not in simple or melodious sound) and not allways with the same strength.

When it appears, it is more frequent, when drums or heavy piano accords are played. Changing to DSP during playback, results in heavy crackling noise. The use of DSP intensifies the noise and then using the start or stop button there is a heavier crackle too. When a track is affected, the noise is reproduced at the same moment on consecutive replays.

It appears during Asio playback on different sound devices. On a few tests through WASAPI, I could not reproduce the noise, TV playback is affected too.

[Audiothrill]

P.S. After reinstalling build .35, the noise has gone.

[Alex B]

Thanks for your report. I think I noticed something similar on one of my computers (Win 7 & Terratec DMX 6Fire 24/96 ASIO), but I didn't have time to investigate the issue. I just switched to a different output mode and the problem disappeared.

In general, it would be good to post also the details of your audio device, audio device drivers, OS version and the exact playback settings.

However, the JRiver developers have found something that might be causing the problem. A fix will probably be in the next public build. Please try it when it becomes available.

[Audiothrill]

Thanks. The system is Vista Home Premium 64k, the sound devices are Project - USB Box on the "Aqvox ASIO" driver as standard device and Ayre QB-9 on "ASIO4all" for MC exclusive use.

The problem seems not to be related to a specific sound device, as it appears on both devices.

In general I use the Grover input plug-in, only m4a comes over JR video engine (see thread "MC 15 crashes on...").

On DSP I use the sound enhancement mainly for TV playback, the other options are off.

The Ayre prefers 24-Bit, so I leave everything on 24-Bit for standard. 

[Matt]

Like Alex said, this should be fixed in build 40 and later:
Fixed: ASIO playback for 32-bit integer style cards had a possible overflow (only applies to last few builds).

It should be available later this week.

Thanks.

[Chili-Jam]

Same problem here for M-Audio Firewire with ASIO on Win XP playing FLAC.
Sound crackles when song uses full bandwith of 16 bit.

I thought that MC had bit perfect playback.
Are you normalizing anything or how can MC be responsible for an overflow?
 ?

[HiFiTubes]

Thanks Matt, I was just going to report this glitch on my system using Lynx ASIO.

[Audiothrill]

Just loaded 15.0.44 and the problem appears solved. The actual sound is simply great.

I'd say well done and thanks a lot!

[HiFiTubes]

Just loaded 15.0.44 and the problem appears solved. The actual sound is simply great.

I'd say well done and thanks a lot!

Thank goodness.....!

[HiFiTubes]

I'm still having issues, anyone else?

[mojave]

Yes, I'm have some crackling as well. It happens when I browse the library or move between menu commands in Theater View. I also recently updated by soundcard drivers, so I'm not sure if it is the drivers or MC15.

[HiFiTubes]

EXACTLY! I'm getting the same thing when I switch views.

Can't test other modes with the Lynx (I can't route to my two of 16 outputs manually as their are no offset controls but will look into it), and ASIO4ALL isn't working with the Lynx.

Maxed out the Lynx buffer manually and MC seems to force it when I lower it.

Tried it with local files on my Vertex 2 SSD but I am also getting it over Library Server on LAN with 320kbps streaming.

The problem is really bad using ASIO for video of LAN; I'm connected at 150mbps with strong signal strength.
I just wish the different buffer settings would make some kind of difference, and I'm maxed out of course with the Lynx.

[Audiothrill]

Vista x64 on Ayre QB-9, build .46, Kernel streaming. The best overall sound quality ever, with all file types, but fine crackles on changing views too.

[JimH]

Please try the settings here:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/DAC_Settings

Ayre has a page here:
http://www.ayre.com/usb-jriver_setup_xp.htm

If you find a problem with Kernel Streaming, please try WASAPI.

[gappie]

i also heard the crackles on my system (xp sp3 with a RME fireface 800). the crackles where gone when i disabled "play files from memory instead of disc".
i justed enabled it again, and then i get the small crackles when switching views. it does not happen when i load other programms besides mc.

not sure if this has something to do with the posts above. 

 
gab

[HiFiTubes]

i also heard the crackles on my system (xp sp3 with a RME fireface 800). the crackles where gone when i disabled "play files from memory instead of disc".
i justed enabled it again, and then i get the small crackles when switching views. it does not happen when i load other programms besides mc.

not sure if this has something to do with the posts above. 

 
gab

I have Play From Memory disabled as per Matt's suggestion for better streaming over Library Server; both local and LS playback suffers these glitches. I'm a little confused how these bugs seep into the builds; ASIO has been around a long time and MC usually executes this very well.

[Audiothrill]

Hi JimH

For my impression Kernel streaming gives better sound than WASAPI and I would rather have the few glitches on changing views (or stopping playback) than reduce the entire sound to WASAPI level.

Then if somebody asked me, if there are crackles, I would say yes, there are - few and on a nearby acceptable level, but yes!

For the rest I have never been so much in peace with my computer audio output as since the last builds.

Thanks for the links - I wonder why the Ayre people recommend WASAPI now for MC, while Kernel Streaming is available.

[HiFiTubes]

Good to hear. I'm in the opposite camp. This unreliability has me flustered, as the problem is exacerbated by Library Server for me. I don't have time to copy what I want to listen over to my SSD, and then still get intermittent errors. I'll just stay busy with other projects till the fix is out.

 

Hi JimH

For my impression Kernel streaming gives better sound than WASAPI and I would rather have the few glitches on changing views (or stopping playback) than reduce the entire sound to WASAPI level.

Then if somebody asked me, if there are crackles, I would say yes, there are - few and on a nearby acceptable level, but yes!

For the rest I have never been so much in peace with my computer audio output as since the last builds.

Thanks for the links - I wonder why the Ayre people recommend WASAPI now for MC, while Kernel Streaming is available.

[JimH]

WASAPI is the best choice when it's available.  Please try it.

[HiFiTubes]

Lynx tech support had my uncheck the double-buffer in Lynx settings.

This resulted in instant static-ridden playback. Tried in Foobar and played for for a number of songs until I came back in the room and the same had ocurred.

Not sure what he was expecting to happen when I disabled this setting.

Cool feature in Foobar that lets you send a test signal to the ASIO offsets; sure was handy. Mine are 12/13 and another set that are higher I think.

There is a mixer besides the main ASIO mixer and I may be able to route the WASAPI or Kernel using that to test; not sure yet.

[HiFiTubes]

Guess I will stick with WASAPI as ASIO is still unreliable in MC .49...

[JimH]

ASIO is fine in MC.  Maybe the driver?  Did you try ASIO4ALL?

[HiFiTubes]

Please try .58 and report what sample rate you are using when you hear the subtle dropouts and artifacts.

Local disk playback or library server.

[HiFiTubes]

Reporting this as a bug after rolling back to .35.

[JimH]

Which ASIO driver are you using?  If not ASIO4ALL, please try it.

[HiFiTubes]

I can not use ASIO4ALL with Lynx card. Will try again to be 100% sure.

[Q]

Hi All,

First post here. I am also hearing quite profound crackling, popping, noise in ASIO. I am using an M-Audio Transit for a bridge to a PS Audio DLIII and then into a Virtue 2.0. The source is a Western hard drive USB into a powered hub and then into a DELL 610. I am using 15.0.58. Has this problem been addressed or isolated in later versions? Thanks.

[Matt]

Hi All,

First post here. I am also hearing quite profound crackling, popping, noise in ASIO. I am using an M-Audio Transit for a bridge to a PS Audio DLIII and then into a Virtue 2.0. The source is a Western hard drive USB into a powered hub and then into a DELL 610. I am using 15.0.58. Has this problem been addressed or isolated in later versions? Thanks.

It would be good to update to the latest version, but I don't think it's a bug if you're using Media Center 58.

Most likely there is some configuration issue.  Try enabling the 'Use large hardware buffers' option and increasing the buffering slider in the ASIO settings to 1.0 seconds.

You might also try the Transit on other USB ports / hubs if the crackles continue.

[HiFiTubes]

Try rolling back to pre .38.

Worked for me, as reported. 

[Q]

Hi,

Well I already had the buffer set at large machine and the time was .99 sec. I cranked the time up bit by bit and have arrived at a nearly crackle free 5 sec. Still not perfect but much better. Switched the Transit to different USB ports without any difference. Seems to be buffer related. This seems odd. Looking forward to any comments. Thanks for your help thus far. Performance is better by 80%.

[Matt]

Hi,

Well I already had the buffer set at large machine and the time was .99 sec. I cranked the time up bit by bit and have arrived at a nearly crackle free 5 sec. Still not perfect but much better. Switched the Transit to different USB ports without any difference. Seems to be buffer related. This seems odd. Looking forward to any comments. Thanks for your help thus far. Performance is better by 80%.

I'm a little puzzled, because a good machine should be hiccup free with about 0.2 seconds of buffering or more.

Is the machine slow or is there some other special circumstance?

Thanks.

[JimH]

MC has a benchmark tool under Help.  You could copy and paste the results.

[Matt]

As an example, in my home theater, I use ASIO with buffering set to 0.1 and output 6 channels.  I'm running full Room Correction, Bass Management, JRSS mixing, and volume levelling.

CPU usage is between 0-1% during audio playback and I don't think I've ever heard a hiccup.

[HiFiTubes]

A quick count shows 7 unique users affected by this, but no one has posted back.

Minimizing MC during ASIO playback results in a digital artifact, every single time; a small pop/crackle. Buffer at .75 (or greater), no memory playback, local disk. Windows 7 x64. System is fully optimized for audio playback with a high-end sound card (max Lynx buffer). Using large hardware buffer option in MC. System latency in the green according to DPC Check tool.

Rolled back to .35 and don't have this issue. It would seem some users have an exacerbated version of my problem, like Q. I would suggest minimizing as a test for those who don't think they have a problem.

[Q]

Hi,

I haven't really tried to recreate the sound on minimize. This sound occurs during playback of all resolutions that I currently have (which runs the gamut). I ran the benchmark. Results follow:

=== Running Benchmarks (please do not interrupt) ===
Running 'Math' benchmark...
    Single-threaded integer math... 8.831 seconds
    Single-threaded floating point math... 5.121 seconds
    Multi-threaded integer math... 17.202 seconds
    Multi-threaded mixed math... 10.308 seconds
Score: 458
Running 'Image' benchmark...
    Image creation / destruction... 2.741 seconds
    Flood filling... 5.499 seconds
    Direct copying... 6.568 seconds
    Small renders... 7.099 seconds
    Bilinear rendering... 12.534 seconds
    Bicubic rendering... 13.444 seconds
Score: 459
Running 'Database' benchmark...
    Create database... 1.366 seconds
    Populate database... 4.849 seconds
    Save database... 0.521 seconds
    Reload database... 0.161 seconds
    Search database... 7.204 seconds
    Sort database... 7.624 seconds
    Group database... 7.102 seconds
Score: 746
JRMark (version 15.0.58): 555

As a matter of curiosity I have the same pop and crackle on my Compaq presario V3000 through the headphone jack on the Transit as well. So it has to be either the Transit or the software I believe. I have tried other hard drives and computers with the same results. Thanks for all of your help with this by the way.

[HiFiTubes]

I have done a little more testing and I get artifacts only when switching views or minimizing but only when playing 96kHz audio or higher.

But when I roll back to .35, I just get a one time glitch in playback and can't repeat it with further minimizing etc. Maybe that's a clue.

Playback of 192kHz material sounds fine in .65, just the MC gui changes causing the artifacts kind of a bummer.

[JimH]

I've asked about ASIO4ALL.  There is a link in our wiki.  Did you try it? 

[Q]

Hi,

I don't believe that ASIO4ALL works with the Transit. The Transit has its own ASIO driver(s). I can give it a shot but I think that I have tried it in the past and it didn't work. I am a new user of this product (45 days approx.). The first two weeks of use with the product did not reveal this problem.

[JimH]

Anyone want to loan us a device?

[HiFiTubes]

@ JimH - I was just going to mention that we don't expect you guys to have every piece of gear on the market; obviously that would be great but it's not realistic.

@ Q - My suggestion is to try WASAPI with the transit. I'm seeing high system latency with ASIO on this machine for some reason, even though I have disabled my wireless card and solved a previous issue with latency. WASAPI provides VERY low system latency; only problem is there is a Lynx? bug when trying to use WASAPI and Lynx Speakers device. ASIO would be best but I suspect it may be a driver issue with x64 for their PCI-E version of the Lynx

Download the DPC Latency Check tool; try to post screenshots of WASAPI playback vs. ASIO.

btw - I, too, can't use ASIO4ALL with my card as it throws errors at the Lynx mixer and then MC isn't able to use the Lynx ASIO until I uninstall ASIO4ALL.

thanks!

[HiFiTubes]

These older screenshots are very similar to what I am getting now except ASIO is pretty much in the red with 192kHz material, and WASAPI is actually much lower after I lowered the pre-buffer. I don't get the digital artifacts on minimize with WASAPI, but do with ASIO.

Playback of a 192kHz over LS to the client. Lynx ASIO. Using USB remote to move up and down through album tiles with built thumbnails.




Playback of a 192kHz over LS to the client. WASAPI to Lynx Speakers (which doesn't route properly to external DAC via Lynx mixer). Using USB remote to move up and down through album tiles with built thumbnails.

[JimH]

It isn't at all clear that the work you're doing with the Latency Checker has any bearing on the sound problems you're experiencing.   

If WASAPI works, then use it.  The problem may be in the ASIO driver.  That's why I suggested ASIO4ALL.

This wiki topic might be useful:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/DAC_Settings

[HiFiTubes]

It isn't at all clear that the work you're doing with the Latency Checker has any bearing on the sound problems you're experiencing.   

If WASAPI works, then use it.  The problem may be in the ASIO driver.  That's why I suggested ASIO4ALL.

This wiki topic might be useful:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/DAC_Settings

Maybe not, but I don't get the digital artifacts with WASAPI.

I'm trying to test with Foobar and MM later today but they require more setup than MC.

[Q]

Hi,

WASAPI and XP I don't think are possible. I believe that you are suggesting an upgrade to Windows 7 then? Correct?

[JimH]

Hi,

WASAPI and XP I don't think are possible. I believe that you are suggesting an upgrade to Windows 7 then? Correct?

WASAPI doesn't exist on XP.

[Matt]

Hi,

I don't believe that ASIO4ALL works with the Transit. The Transit has its own ASIO driver(s). I can give it a shot but I think that I have tried it in the past and it didn't work. I am a new user of this product (45 days approx.). The first two weeks of use with the product did not reveal this problem.

I'm testing with a Transit right now on Vista x64.

I've enabled every DSP that is included with Media Center, including resampling to 48 KHz.

Even with an ASIO buffering setting of 0.02 seconds (i.e. 20 milliseconds) I can hardly ever get a tick, including when minimizing and restoring the program.  This is 25 times less buffering than the default 0.50 seconds of buffering.

So I'm wondering if some other driver on your system is spending too much time in interrupts.  For example, a wireless network card or video card driver.

One thing to check is that the 'Latency' panel in the M-Audio Transit's settings dialog is set to 4096 when playing.  If you enable 'Use large hardware buffers' in Media Center, this should happen automatically.

Finally, what type of CPU are you using, and how many cores does it have?  It might be helpful if we were able to test on a system more similar.

Thanks.

[Chili-Jam]

I have a M-Audio Transit USB and a M-Audio Firewire Audiophile and have no problems on Windows XP.

Use Asio exclusively for MC. Neither Windows nor any other application should use ASIO when you are running MC.
Be sure to disable all Windows system sounds or whatsoever or redirect them to another soundcard.

[Q]

Hi,

The Dell D610 is an Intel M series Intel Pentium M Processor 740 (1.73GHz, 2MB L2) single core. The Presario I am using is an AMD Turion 64 Dual Core Processor. Both machines are XP. Perhaps both machines have cannibalizing drivers involved. I have no sounds turned on on either machine.

[Matt]

We did some testing on an old P4 with XP and also an Atom-based system.

The P4 worked great with the Transit.

The Atom has some hardware problem with the Transit where the output would switch to noise using ASIO if the video card does anything. (happens with multiple ASIO playback programs, so not a JRiver issue)

I would disable any DSPs (including resampling) and make sure the 'Latency' tab on your Transit is set to the max during playback.  If you still get hiccups, you may just be out of luck with ASIO and that hardware.

[HiFiTubes]

We did some testing on an old P4 with XP and also an Atom-based system.

The P4 worked great with the Transit.

The Atom has some hardware problem with the Transit where the output would switch to noise using ASIO if the video card does anything. (happens with multiple ASIO playback programs, so not a JRiver issue)

I would disable any DSPs (including resampling) and makes rue the 'Latency' tab on your Transit is set to the max during playback.  If you still get hiccups, you may just be out of luck with ASIO and that hardware.

Sorry Matt, my findings don't concur. While I do have an Atom, it seems the problem is with MC.

I just tested playback of a local 192kHz file in Foobar with no hiccups using Lynx ASIO or WASAPI, while min/max MC (in tiles mode at 1920x1080).

Then I switch to playback of MC for the same file, and I can make playback hiccup every time on minimize.

I tested seeking to the end of 20 files in Foobar using their WASAPI 2.2.1 output plugin with no issues or hiccups. MC resulted in LOUD white noise, or out of sync playback when left to crossfade into another song.

I have both Foobar and MC set to 1000ms buffer, with MC set to 6 seconds playback and no memory playback. I have also tried the hardware sync feature at 1/4 and 1/2 second which just makes things worse. Tried various WASAPI settings but 24bit playback is needed for Lynx WASAPI playback so that's all I can use.

I can't see how this is an ATOM issue if Foobar works 100% with the same files and sound hardware.