PC noise when recording - I'm totally stumped

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:06 pm

Solution: An M-Audio-recommended PCI Firewire card solved this problem for me. The VIA chipset firewire on my Asus board was the cause of all the noise.

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Original post
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Wondered if anyone here can help me, I've been struggling to figure this out all day. When I try to record, I get nasty crackling along with the audio signal. I uploaded a brief example if that will help identify the problem - sorry it's quiet, I was trying to make the point that nothing's clipping!

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=826488

The crackling is louder when the input signal is louder, it tails off with note decay and there is no noise if the input is silent. It's almost as if the input signal is like a "carrier" for some interference from somewhere. I also tried monitoring through my card's direct out and there's no crackle there, it only shows up on a recorded track. I'm also not asking much of my computer - just one track recording at 44,100, no tracks playing back.

I'm pretty sure it's an issue with my PC rather than my audio interface (M-Audio firewire 1814) because I tried recording through my mobo's onboard line input and got the same crackling.

Things I've tried so far:

Disabling mobo's onboard audio and LAN.
Physically unplugging all peripherals except audio interface, mouse, keyboard and monitor.
Checking/changing PCI latency (seems my audio interface is the only device using the PCI bus anyway).
Different cables.
Different instruments (a Warwick bass, a Stingray).
Different recording software (PT M-Powered / Audacity / Windows Sound Recorder!).
Checking/changing sample rates/bit rates, and buffer sizes (up to 4096 samples and still no change).
Latest drivers/firmware for the M-Audio interface.

The only thing left to try that I've found on my Google travels is a different Firewire chipset (mine's VIA, M-Audio recommend Texas Instruments) but given that I get this crackling from the onboard audio on my motherboard too I don't think that will help.

PC consists of:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Asus P5B-E motherboard
- Intel P965 chipset
- VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Controller
- Attansic L1 Ethernet Adapter
nVidia 8800GTS graphics (PCI-E)
Western Digital 250Gb SATA drives (x2)
Lite-On SATA DVD-RW (x2)

It's all in an insulated Antec P182 case, with a posh-looking Corsair 620W modular PSU, I deliberately bought very quiet high-capacity fans.

Any suggestions? This is the first time I've tried to record on this PC, and I don't have another firewire-equipped PC available to try this box through.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:20 pm

Hmmm... sounds like you have already done a lot to track this down.

If you zoom in on a recorded waveform, can you "see" the crackling? In other words, can you tell if it is an issue with recording or just playback?

Along the same lines, can you play back other (pre-recorded) sounds, and/or CD's cleanly?

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:36 pm

Hi. Thanks for the reply.

It's definitely noise on the recording, not during playback. It's not hugely visible on the waveform but it is there, and the crackly noises are identical each time I play it back.

I can play back other tracks, CDs and so on fine - it's only stuff I record on this PC that is affected.

3:30am... been trying to resolve this for 12 hours so I'm going to bed! Hope someone has a bright idea I can borrow tomorrow. Smile

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:39 pm

It also crackles when you record via the onboard audio input?

Very strange.

Assuming it's on, is there a way to turn this noise filter thing off (from the Asus website)?

Noise Filter
Eliminate background noise while recording
This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises like computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming audio stream while recording.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:02 pm

Texas Instruments firewire chipset is the recommended way to go. M-audio said it, and many will support it here and at other stops on the 'net.

I personally have had issues with Via board chipsets over the years so I already hold a grudge Smile

.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:54 pm

Hang on Space,

The problem is also prevalent in the onboard audio input (which being onboard, is not FW)!

Chipset shouldn't matter in this instance - the computer should be able to record audio into software via the onboard hardware regardless.

I've never had such problems with chipsets, including Via, outside of IRQ conflicts - which in and of themselves do not correlate to chipset issues - move card to a new slot, problem solved...

The noise filter feature specifically states that it works "while recording".
His issue only happens "while recording".

Perhaps he'll have more info when he wakes up...?

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:59 am

Are you overclocking anything?
MIC and MIC cable been changed?

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:27 am

I noticed that the inputs are marked line/inst but there is no "instrument" setting. There is only a switch for mic/line. Is it at all possible that you are plugging direct but need some sort of DI box before the input?

Edit: nevermind. I see that the mic preamps double as Direct Injection inputs.

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:10 am

bent wrote:

Hang on Space,

The problem is also prevalent in the onboard audio input (which being onboard, is not FW)!

Chipset shouldn't matter in this instance - the computer should be able to record audio into software via the onboard hardware regardless.

I've never had such problems with chipsets, including Via, outside of IRQ conflicts - which in and of themselves do not correlate to chipset issues - move card to a new slot, problem solved...

The noise filter feature specifically states that it works "while recording".
His issue only happens "while recording".

Perhaps he'll have more info when he wakes up...?

Via has had issues in the past few years, it is well documented.

Now when the audio was being recorded using the onboard audio port, was the firewire port being used as well, plugged in? It matters.

So the manufacture of >his< card, M-Audio, recommended a TI...I would pay attention to that. It only means that the M-audio will most likely not be able to talk properly with the
Via chipset.

They just don't play well together. Hell mack, whats a new card, 5, 6 bucks? Small price to pay.

Have a good day.

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:23 am

bent wrote:

Assuming it's on, is there a way to turn this noise filter thing off (from the Asus website)?

Noise Filter ...

Ooh, nice find, but I've just trawled the BIOS settings and read my motherboard manual cover to cover and can't find any mention of it! There's nothing in the BIOS, no option in the SoundMAX panel, nothing I can find in Windows to switch it off. I will persevere with it though.

EricUndead wrote:

Are you overclocking anything?
MIC and MIC cable been changed?

I've never overclocked anything. I was using an instrument, not a mic, but yeah I've tried different cables and instruments.

Space wrote:

bent wrote:

Hang on Space,

The problem is also prevalent in the onboard audio input (which being onboard, is not FW)! ...

Via has had issues in the past few years, it is well documented.

Now when the audio was being recorded using the onboard audio port, was the firewire port being used as well, plugged in? It matters.

Hmm. I tried again and I've found that the noise through the onboard inputs is different - more like a constant hum. I hadn't noticed that before. The noise through the FW box on the other hand almost sounds like a very subtle bit crusher effect that just crackles in at random.

If I can find a FW card for sale in York today with a TI chipset I'll buy it, but I hate that vacant look you get on the faces of sales assistants when you ask them questions like that...

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:32 am

"What's firewire?" they say.

I went into Maplin Electronics (note to Google: Maplin Electronics are overpriced and clueless) and asked if they had any "powered speakers". The guy didn't seem very clear on what a powered speaker might be and referred me to the catalogue.
God knows what would've happened if I'd said "active speakers".

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:11 am

Well York came up empty - looks like an internet job.

Will report back in a few days. Thanks for the advice so far everybody.

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:03 pm

I would first try to test recording without any instruments attached
And recording with only a cable attached

Way back I had a problem with an usb-modem being the cause of a similar problem.

The trick in finding the problem is to remove / disable everything and add stuff one at a time

Cheers

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:53 pm

Sadly I already stripped the damn thing and couldn't get rid of the crackles. New FW card should be here in the post tomorrow anyway, hopefully that will sort it out. According to M-Audio:

Quote:

If you are experiencing problems with your M-Audio FireWire device such as pops, clicks, dropouts, buzzing, or distortion; or if you are having problems installing your M-Audio FireWire device, we suggesting connecting your M-Audio device to a FireWire expansion card with a Texas Instruments chipset. This generally remedies most problems experienced with built-in FireWire ports or with FireWire expansion cards using a different chipset

I've ordered a model that they specifically recommend, so if that doesn't work it might be new motherboard time.

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:48 pm

I'm having a problem just like what you describe but with different gear, a Diamond Xtreme sound card with SPDF Input and Cubase Le. I can record fine if the sound source is coming from an internal file or internet source such as youtube, but the sound card input produces a track with the sound source along with crackling and distortion etc... I'm suspecting there is some hidden setting buried somewhere in Windows (XP Pro) that I need to keep hunting for as I am getting the same effect if I use a different soundcard (Creativ Extigy)

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