nothing has changed, audio clicks still there

[dfast326]

I've tried all your suggestions but the audio clicks are still there! I finally got the mic I wanted..AKG414 and did some more buffer settings and the clicks are still there. CEP2.0 is recording the clicks and some of them I can get out but when it's in a part with vocal, it stays. I understand it could be a clock problem but how do I adjust that without screwing up the pc? It's got to be a clocking problem cause there nothing left!!
Sorry about the info, I had posted before but forgot the specs this time!
PC..Dell deminsion 2400 series desktop running Windows XP home edition...using Cool edit pro 2.0 and Cubase 5.1....using M-audio firewire audiophile external interface. I've tried different buffer settings...moved power cables away from everything, I ran the mic straight into the board witch is a Berhringer 18chans.
If I record the mic open with no vocal, it's totally quite, but the minute I do the vocals, the clicks appear! They will be in the vocal and between words. All the specs on the pc are in the GB range so I know it's fast enough. If you need more info, let me know. Denny

[itsplayed]

Tell us more about your setup. What are your system(PC) specs, what soundcard(s) are you using? and what software are you running?

[sabianq]

yea, how many hard drives do you have in your system.

[GZsound]

I still think the clicks are digital clock noise. I have no idea what the control elements are for your M Audio firewire interface. Is there a software control panel for the interface?

If so, the interface must be set to one of several settings. Either it is recieving clock from the computer or it is the "master" clock and the computer is the slave, those settings should be available somewhere, either in switches or in a software control panel that comes with the Firewire interface.

Since I don't have an M Audio Firewire interface, I don't know where you set the unit, but it must have settings somewhere. I presume it does 44.1, 48K, 96K, etc. sample rates, there MUST be somewhere to set the clock.

I believe when I had the same difficulty, I set the computer and my interface to the same sample rate and made my interface the master clock.

[dfast326]

I have only one harddrive but I do use a USB external hard drive for storing wav files only. GZsound, Yes the m-audio does have software and it does give you the choice of clocking to either pc or sound card. I have it set for pc. How do I change it in the pc? I'm running windows XP. I had this problem before with another pc I was using and the only thing they had in comman was the mixer board! That would explain the clicks only when recording vocals. Can a mixer board cause audio clicks if it's going bad? It's a Behringer MX1804X. I have had problems with a couple of channels but I might be grabbing at straws here! Let me know what you think...Denny

[GZsound]

I would suggest you start trying different settings and different configurations to see where the problem is.

I believe you can plug directly into the M Audio Firewire interface..yes? Try that. Try setting the M Audio clock to a different setting instead of "PC"..

In other words, without being in the room with you to check out your board, your interface, your cables, your mic, etc., the task is yours.

I always start eliminating potential sources of difficulty when a problem raises it's ugly head. Try another mic, try not using the board. Try running the analogue output of the mixer into your internal sound card, bypassing the M Audio interface completly. In other words, try everything you can think of and see what happens.

If, for example, you plug a mic into the Firewire interface (If it has mic preamps), and you no longer get the clicks, then it's your board. If you plug the line outputs of the board into your internal sound card (make sure you enable that sound card input in your windows control panel and in CEP), and you don't get clicks anymore, then it is a problem with your Firewire interface...etc.

Pain in the rear, but rather than asking us, who can only make suggestions, you are going to have to bite the bullet and spend some time troubleshooting your system.

Welcome to the wonderful, wacky world of digital recording..!!

[sabianq]

so do you record you samples on to your USB drive while recording? or do you use the only single hard drive in your system to record then when your done transfer your file to the USB drive?

the first thing i would do is get yourself another internal hard drive either EIDE or SATA 7200 rpm min. and use that as your scratch disk.

there is a real problem with the operating system accessing the same hard drive that is being used to record.

the absolute ideal setup is to have one small hard drive (80 gig or so) dedicated to the operating system and applications only.

then have another (seperate) hard drive 100% free for samples.



this helps A LOT.

also read this

http://www.pcmus.com/hardrive.htm

and this:

http://www.pcmus.com/sataraid.htm

"If your pci bus is congested the sound-card suffers from clicks and pops"

[dfast326]

The harddrive in the pc is just for recording and I store the samples in the external HD. I think there is still to much running in the background of WINXP! I don't know how to fix this without messing up windows! I ran a test using another pc and no board, I went straight thru the usb card to pc and the clicks where still there. Thanks for your help, I just don't know what else to do! Denny

[itsplayed]

The harddrive in the pc is just for recording and I store the samples in the external HD. I think there is still to much running in the background of WINXP! I don't know how to fix this without messing up windows! I ran a test using another pc and no board, I went straight thru the usb card to pc and the clicks where still there. Thanks for your help, I just don't know what else to do! Denny

This is probably a chipset issue. Is it a USB soundcard or firewire? You should look into getting an add-in firewire card that sports a Texas Instruments chipset. Another issue that I see with your system is that the 2400 series uses shared ram for video(unusual for desktops)....not good for DAW's! Killing the on-board video and adding a video card will help. How much ram is in your system? By the way, what is Cubase 5.1? Is this Cubase VST? You should also try disabling the on-board ethernet controller while running the music app. and kill any cool and quiet functions you may have. Of course disabling any anti-virus is a must, as well as any messenger service such as MSN messenger.

[sabianq]

The harddrive in the pc is just for recording and I store the samples in the external HD.


uhh...

go out and get your self a second hard drive and install it as a slave on your IDE cable.

then only record to it.

;)

[dfast326]

I finally gave up on trying to fix it myself, my wife took the pc to a place here in Nashville that works on audio gear. They said it would be a easy fix!!! I sure hope so. I'll let ya'all know how it came out but Thanks for all the suggestions.....Denny

[dfast326]

The pro audio shop was no help at all, so I got a new board! A Mackie DFX-12 and eveything sounds better but the audio clicks are still there! It's got to be a clocking issue and m-audio panel has it set for internal but how do I find the settings in the pc?

[sabianq]

why are you so against getting a second hard drive?

you should read this,

http://www.pcmus.com/hardrive.htm

[dfast326]

It's not that I'm against a second harddrive, It's just that I'm in the middle of a recording project and I don't want to mess things up! I already have a external HD for storing wav files. Won't this be the same thing as a 2nd HD?

[itsplayed]

What is the new board you got?