Topic: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

I've had an ADI-2 Pro FS for a few weeks. No problem until today.
Distortion is happening during a long listening session. At first I thought it was Sonarworks. When I quit Sonarworks (and let Audirvana go straight to the ADI-2) everything was ok for a while. But then it happened again just watching Netflix through Safari.
Restarting the browser didn't help. Pulling the USB plug and then plugging it in again did restore things back to normal.

It sounds similar to a clocking problem - just fuzziness, like a very worn stylus.

I'm troubleshooting here - I realise it may not be the interface, it could be the clocking between the OS/app/USB, or the cable, or something else.

What should I try next to narrow the problem down?

Dominic

MacBook Pro Retina 15" Mid 2015, OS 10.14.15, RME firmware 193/94.
Audirvana 3.5.15, Sonarworks  4.3.2, Safari 12.1.1 (14607.2.6.1.1)

2

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

That's not clocking but a USB performance problem of macOS and/or some apps. Try a different USB connector/port, check which devices are on the same USB bus etc etc. Note that the unit runs with Apple's own driver, so there is nothing we can do.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

3 (edited by jiw 2019-07-14 05:31:11)

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

If you have the cable (and adapter, if required) available, try using the MacBooks's SPDIF optical output from the 3.5 mm jack (shown in macOS as Digital Out or Built-in Output depending on program) and see if that changes anything. That should tell you if the problem is with the USB interface/connection or more general.

Also, you could try to use DIGICheck to have a look at the signal going to the ADI-2 Pro (although that requires some workarounds as with macOS, it can only show signals being recorded by the ADI-2 Pro). Have a look at the block diagrams in the manual (p. 34-40) for the different modes, to see which might work for you.


EDIT: Using the Bit Test (manual p. 91) when the problem seems to occur, might also be enlightening.

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

Does it make a difference if you do not use Sonarworks ?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

DominicPerry wrote:

At first I thought it was Sonarworks. When I quit Sonarworks (and let Audirvana go straight to the ADI-2) everything was ok for a while. But then it happened again just watching Netflix through Safari.

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

JIW: No S/PDIF interface on this Mac, and that's no good anyway, I want to use the ADI-2 Pro FS as DAW interface too - I need inputs and outputs.

RAMSES: I stopped using Sonarworks when I discovered the problem, but it still happened again. I've now removed Sonarworks completely and all the drivers and other files, and rebooted.

MC: I have two USB ports - one is unused and the other has only the RME interface attached - no hubs.

I'll try the other USB port, but apart from that there doesn't seem to be anything else to try. I have nothing else attached to the machine, no Thunderbolt devices, just WiFi running and bluetooth for the Apple mouse.

My Apogee interfaces (which are all USB) don't do this - is that because they have their own USB drivers?

Dominic

7 (edited by DominicPerry 2019-07-14 12:53:10)

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

Bit tests are all over the place. Importing the RME bit test files into Audirvana gives successful bit tests at 16 and 24 bit for 44.1 & 96 & 192. (6 good results). The 32 bit files play with "24 bit passed".

Closing Audirvana and just using Quick Time gives spurious results. I have to manually use AudioMidi Setup to change the bit rate (as expected). Although the interface shows in the 'AudioMidi Setup' app as 32 bit, it will not pass a 32bit test, instead registering BOTH 16 and 24 bit passes using the 32 bit file! (Both results from a single play of the 4 second 32bit file).

The 24 bit file gives a "16 bit pass" and the 16 bit doesn't register. [These are the SAME files that Audirvana works correctly with].

What a mess!

Dominic

8

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

Please read the manual, chapter Bit Test, for information about 32 bit under OS X.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

MC wrote:

Please read the manual, chapter Bit Test, for information about 32 bit under OS X.

Yes, I've read this now, downloaded HQPlayer v4.04 (3.20 isn't available) but couldn't get it to work.
I'm not bothered about the 32 bit bit tests, I was just reporting my findings.
The second USB port seems to be working ok from Audirvana direct to the ADI-2 for the moment. Total play time of about 2 hours so far.

10

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

DominicPerry wrote:

JIW: No S/PDIF interface on this Mac, and that's no good anyway, I want to use the ADI-2 Pro FS as DAW interface too - I need inputs and outputs.

According to Apple's tech specs for the Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015 MacBook Pro there is an output. (Look for audio)
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP719?locale=en_US
Here's one way to use it
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202730

This can still be used for trouble shooting as it allows you to avoid using USB for signal transmission. Then, you could isolate USB as a potential cause.

11

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

DominicPerry wrote:

Bit tests are all over the place. Importing the RME bit test files into Audirvana gives successful bit tests at 16 and 24 bit for 44.1 & 96 & 192. (6 good results). The 32 bit files play with "24 bit passed".

Closing Audirvana and just using Quick Time gives spurious results. I have to manually use AudioMidi Setup to change the bit rate (as expected). Although the interface shows in the 'AudioMidi Setup' app as 32 bit, it will not pass a 32bit test, instead registering BOTH 16 and 24 bit passes using the 32 bit file! (Both results from a single play of the 4 second 32bit file).

The 24 bit file gives a "16 bit pass" and the 16 bit doesn't register. [These are the SAME files that Audirvana works correctly with].

What a mess!

Dominic

QuickTime Player is indeed a bit of a mess for playback (recording is fine though). Try iTunes instead. It passes the bit test for 16 and 24 bits for all sample rates if set correctly in Audio MIDI Setup.

For more, see post #2 from here: https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?pid=143261

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

jiw wrote:
DominicPerry wrote:

JIW: No S/PDIF interface on this Mac, and that's no good anyway, I want to use the ADI-2 Pro FS as DAW interface too - I need inputs and outputs.

According to Apple's tech specs for the Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015 MacBook Pro there is an output. (Look for audio)
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP719?locale=en_US
Here's one way to use it
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202730

This can still be used for trouble shooting as it allows you to avoid using USB for signal transmission. Then, you could isolate USB as a potential cause.

That is absolutely the correct Mac model, but there's no sign that my 3.5mm jack supports optical out. No sign physically, nothing in the System Report and nothing in AudioMidi setup. Odd, I have to say.

Dominic

13 (edited by jiw 2019-07-14 19:04:14)

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

You have to connect the TOSLINK cable first. You might need an adapter like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Minitoslink.png
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TOSLINK#Mini-TOSLINK

Re: Distortion after 30-60 minutes

OK, thanks. The second USB port seems fine at the moment. If it starts to distort again I'll get an adapter and try that. I have toslink cables and converters and all sorts, but no mini Toslink adapter.

Dominic