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[slerch666]

Just upgraded to .90.

I'm having a playback issue now and I'm thinking it is a configuration issue, as .90 wiped out my config.

The audio stutters sometimes after 10 seconds into a song, or it will allow one song to play then starts, or it stutters as soon as you start a playlist and doesn't really let up.

Here's how I'm using JRiver, and maybe you can tell me why I'm having issues:

1) Windows 8 Pro 64 bit
2) 8 GB RAM
3) USB EM 0204 DAC
4) Line out goes to my Denon receiver and plays back as stereo

The way MC18 is configured:

WASAPI EVENT STYLE
Playback format is set to 192 and 24 bit for all audio (the DAC is 192/24 out only)
Playing from memory instead of hard drive
Buffer set from .5 to 1 second, no effect on stuttering


I am NOT using loopback for playback.


Any ideas what might have gotten screwed up for me between builds in my configuration? And I'm sure it's my config as the DirectSound and using the DAC or laptop speakers seems fine. I just prefer going w/ WASAPI as I think it sounds better (even if that may not be truly the case).


EDIT-

Uninstalled completely. Reinstalled. Configured the same as above. Same issue. It seems the magic number is ONE track. I can get through one track before it begins stuttering. If I stop the track completely then restart, it works fine.

Help.


EDIT 2- I have set MC18 to not change to 192 and instead have it sending the original rate of 44. I have it set to change from 16 to 24 bit as otherwise my DAC won't play it and MC errors out. This has had NO effect on this. I still get stuttering on the second track, every time. And it then persists through following tracks.

EDIT3- so I thought DirectSound was working through the DAC. It doesn't. Same problem. Seems like just as MC18 would be spooling the next track it actually starts to stutter, then continues to stutter.

[Matt]

Set the between tracks mode to cross-fade or gapless.  Make sure you play tracks that are all the same sample rate.  Turn off memory playback (it pushes the computer harder at track changes).

Once you do that, nothing happens at the track transition at the output side.  In other words, the output doesn't even know that tracks changed.

Do you still have a problem?

[slerch666]

Just tried it.

Same problem. Now it happens towards the end of a track and doesn't let up.

I've sent logs.

[Matt]

I can't explain this unless there's a hardware issue.  There's just nothing happening at the output side between tracks, and we're not hearing this from anyone else.

Could you try another sound device?

[slerch666]

Sure. Will do it through the laptop's sound card.

ver .78 had no stuttering issues, so I'm finding it hard to believe my hardware suddenly went bad.

[slerch666]

Crap.

Looks like it could be the external 0204. This really stinks, as it sounds great through my setup. Now I will have to try to find something that does this at this price, which is really low considering what it offers.

[slerch666]

I refused to admit defeat.

I figured out what the issue is, despite it never being a problem with previous versions.

I have my laptop connected to a USB dock/port replicator thing. I've always had the 0204 connected to that, never had an issue.

Before giving up, I decided to try it direct from the laptop. And guess what? Works just as expected - no stuttering, from memory, with gaps of 2 seconds and 192/24 out.

I can only assume the USB bus was overloaded with all the other crap coming from the port rep/dock.

Live and learn.

On a side note, anyone have experience with the Aune X1? Looks like my price range and reviews indicate it's nice. Would definitely replace my 0204 if so, given driver support in Win 8 and 7 was wonky. If I didn't know how to pull drivers out of an EXE, I'd have been left with a brick in Win 7 and 8.

[gappie]

with the USB EM 0204 DAC you mean the E-MU 0204. that is the only dac i see.. looks nice.

 
gab

[slerch666]

with the USB EM 0204 DAC you mean the E-MU 0204. that is the only dac i see.. looks nice.

 
gab

Yeah, that's the one. Missed a letter.

It IS nice. Problem is, Creative doesn't see fit to give more than test drivers for Windows 7... and they only offer the drivers on the 0404 download page. If you run the installer and plug the 0204 in, Windows 7 (and tell you there are no drivers for it. You have to use 7ZIP to pull the drivers out then manually load them, even past the error of "this driver doesn't appear to be for your hardware and may be unstable" warning. Of course, it then installs as 0204 so the drivers ARE there. Makes no sense to me.

And the drivers? They've been in Beta mode... since Windows 7 released. So these drivers are 3 years in Beta and Creative ignore requests for updates or information. When I move to a new OS in 3 years, I might be SOL...

[Matt]

I know it looks like this is a hardware problem, but I dug through your log anyway hoping we might learn something.

However, there's not much going on other than simple audio playback.  You are mixing several formats, but that shouldn't matter.

It is possible the I/O burst at the beginning of the track due to memory playback is related to the problem.  Memory playback trades gradual I/O for a quick lump of I/O at the beginning of the track.  The lump normally only lasts a second or so, and since you're playing from the C:\ drive, I wouldn't expect SATA to cause a USB problem.  But sometimes hardware is mysterious.

[slerch666]

No problem Matt. Just seemed weird that it was OK in .78. Though when I think back, .78 was when JRiver was locking up. Might have all been related.

I need to look at other USB DACs as I don't want to have this happen again.

And thanks!

[Hottuna]

I had the same problem with a 1-2 second gap occurring on every song after the first song I played. I tried changing buffer size, gapless and cross fade settings, playing from memory instead of disk, but nothing seemed to solve the problem.

Today I decided to unlink my two zones and the problem went away. 

I have two zones, Player and Headphones.  Player uses the Realtek digital device on my Dell PC and is wired directly into my Yamaha receivers digital input, and the other zone is using the Realtek HD Audio device, which uses the HD audio outputs from the Dell PC, and is wired into my wireless headphones transmitter.

The problem occurred with both MC 17 or 18.  Hopefully this helps someone with a similar situation.  If you want more configuration details, let me know.

Cheers!