• Registered: 2024-06-07
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

I recently bought a digiface USB and I am running it with a Scarlett Focusrite 18i20. I am having issues with consistent audio dropouts and stutters. I am using the internal clock of the digiface usb and the 18i20 is set to use it's adat clock. The sample rate is set to 48000 on both devices and the buffersize on both devices is 64. I have an i9 13900k processor which should be able to run it. I have seen many forums online of people having issues with i9s stuttering, so I wondering if you had any ways of optimizing the digiface USB to work with my processor or if you know other causes for the issue. I have all the drivers up to date, my computer is up to date as well. I have been working on this for a couple months now, and I know it is my computer because my brother has a digiface USB and he uses it with no stutters, but he has an i7. He can also use my setup with no issues. I have tried restricting the "Madiface settings" process and the "Total mix FX" process to run only on my p cores using process lasso. I don't know if I much of trust it, but when I use "Latency Mon" it says that I have high DPC Latency which could cause audio stutters. I am mainly just looking for suggestions and solutions. Thanks!

2 Reply by tonpalt (edited by tonpalt 2024-06-09 11:47:22)

  • From: Valencia, Spain
  • Registered: 2024-04-18
  • Posts: 62

Re: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

Hello. I do not have experience with Digiface USB nor Intel i9-13900k

nathan.nybo wrote:

I have seen many forums online of people having issues with i9s stuttering, so I wondering if you had any ways of optimizing the digiface USB to work with my processor or if you know other causes for the issue.

i9s stuttering issues may come from different reasons regardless using same CPU model, you should start from now requesting Pro support from Intel, Microsoft, motherboard manufacturer (if it's a custom PC build) or OEM brand (Dell, HP, Lenovo, PC Specialist, etc.).

nathan.nybo wrote:

I have all the drivers up to date, my computer is up to date as well. I have been working on this for a couple months now, and I know it is my computer because my brother has a digiface USB and he uses it with no stutters, but he has an i7. He can also use my setup with no issues.

This information is decisive, if it is not possible to install your brother's i7 on your PC and compare (not recommended if voiding any hardware warranty) better let the Pro's help you.

I, as user, can only advise updating to the latest BIOS version available, look in the PC or motherboard User Manual how to clear CMOS and Windows clean installation ...


EDIT: I suppose you have been looking for a solution for a long time and have read a lot of advice but I'm posting this because  usefulness of DISM and SFC tools for Windows, I hope this helps

Please open Windows CMD/Terminal/PowerShell as Administrator and run

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

and after run

sfc /scannow

And if you use Windows 11 you can now reset keeping files, applications and settings. After, in my case, I'd to reinstall RME and Focusrite drivers but the process was successful, to do so:

Windows Settings→Windows Update→Advanced Options→Recovery→Fix problems with Windows Update→Reinstall now

UCX II FW106/34/104 v1.253 TM1.97 - PC Win11 23H2 / Fedora WS 41 - Reaper 7.27
  • Kubrak
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2023-08-03
  • Posts: 549

Re: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

Nathan, if I understand well, you have the both Digiface and Scarlett connected via USB to your computer. Do you use USB hub or different USB sockets? It would be way better to use separate USB sockets. And try which USB socket works best for Digiface.

Also you should use Laso also for program (DAW/player) that is the source of music. The best would be to switch e-cores at all at least before you find the source of problems.

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,196

Re: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

nathan.nybo wrote:

I am using the internal clock of the digiface usb and the 18i20 is set to use it's adat clock.

There is nothing like an "ADAT clock".
The Digiface USB is clock master, the Scarlett is clock slave and gets the clock from its ADAT Input from the Digiface USB.

nathan.nybo wrote:

The sample rate is set to 48000 on both devices and the buffersize on both devices is 64.

The sample rate is only set on the Digiface USB (clock master), either in the driver or set by the application/DAW.
The Scarlett as clock slave "learns" the clock from the master via its ADAT Input.

nathan.nybo wrote:

I have an i9 13900k processor which should be able to run it. I have seen many forums online of people having issues with i9s stuttering, so I wondering if you had any ways of optimizing the digiface USB to work with my processor or if you know other causes for the issue.

The forum is full of information with troubleshooting and tuning tips.

nathan.nybo wrote:

I have all the drivers up to date, my computer is up to date as well. I have been working on this for a couple months now, and I know it is my computer because my brother has a digiface USB and he uses it with no stutters, but he has an i7.

You need to find the root cause.
1st follow best practices for BIOS, Windows settings.
Measuring with LatencyMon shows you the DPC latency which should be as low as possible.
Important is to measure on an IDLE system with no other Applications running.
LatencyMon induces its own simulated DAW load ...
All this you can read on the internet and also when looking at other cases and even more, how computers work and why low DPC latencies are important, etc ...

nathan.nybo wrote:

He can also use my setup with no issues. I have tried restricting the "Madiface settings" process and the "Total mix FX" process to run only on my p cores using process lasso. I don't know if I much of trust it, but when I use "Latency Mon" it says that I have high DPC Latency which could cause audio stutters.

Where are the results? Did you measure properly without any other application load?
Did you disable energy saving in the BIOS (C-states, T-/P-States, C1N, etc ....)?
Which energy profile you use under Windows? Is CPU core parking disabled?


nathan.nybo wrote:

I am mainly just looking for suggestions and solutions. Thanks!

Why not reading other threads by looking for terms like "LatencyMon" ...
Then you find all the troubleshooting threads, there you can gain knowledge and check your setup.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2024-06-07
  • Posts: 3

Re: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

Kubrak wrote:

Nathan, if I understand well, you have the both Digiface and Scarlett connected via USB to your computer. Do you use USB hub or different USB sockets? It would be way better to use separate USB sockets. And try which USB socket works best for Digiface.

Also you should use Laso also for program (DAW/player) that is the source of music. The best would be to switch e-cores at all at least before you find the source of problems.

I do have a USB hub plugged in with some of my different midi controllers, but I have the MADIface going straight into my laptop. I have tried "Process Lasso" to lasso different process but I have still having stutters. They are a lot less frequent after installing the studio version of NVIDIA's driver.

  • Registered: 2024-06-07
  • Posts: 3

Re: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

ramses wrote:
nathan.nybo wrote:

I am using the internal clock of the digiface usb and the 18i20 is set to use it's adat clock.

There is nothing like an "ADAT clock".
The Digiface USB is clock master, the Scarlett is clock slave and gets the clock from its ADAT Input from the Digiface USB.

nathan.nybo wrote:

The sample rate is set to 48000 on both devices and the buffersize on both devices is 64.

The sample rate is only set on the Digiface USB (clock master), either in the driver or set by the application/DAW.
The Scarlett as clock slave "learns" the clock from the master via its ADAT Input.

nathan.nybo wrote:

I have an i9 13900k processor which should be able to run it. I have seen many forums online of people having issues with i9s stuttering, so I wondering if you had any ways of optimizing the digiface USB to work with my processor or if you know other causes for the issue.

The forum is full of information with troubleshooting and tuning tips.

nathan.nybo wrote:

I have all the drivers up to date, my computer is up to date as well. I have been working on this for a couple months now, and I know it is my computer because my brother has a digiface USB and he uses it with no stutters, but he has an i7.

You need to find the root cause.
1st follow best practices for BIOS, Windows settings.
Measuring with LatencyMon shows you the DPC latency which should be as low as possible.
Important is to measure on an IDLE system with no other Applications running.
LatencyMon induces its own simulated DAW load ...
All this you can read on the internet and also when looking at other cases and even more, how computers work and why low DPC latencies are important, etc ...

nathan.nybo wrote:

He can also use my setup with no issues. I have tried restricting the "Madiface settings" process and the "Total mix FX" process to run only on my p cores using process lasso. I don't know if I much of trust it, but when I use "Latency Mon" it says that I have high DPC Latency which could cause audio stutters.

Where are the results? Did you measure properly without any other application load?
Did you disable energy saving in the BIOS (C-states, T-/P-States, C1N, etc ....)?
Which energy profile you use under Windows? Is CPU core parking disabled?


nathan.nybo wrote:

I am mainly just looking for suggestions and solutions. Thanks!

Why not reading other threads by looking for terms like "LatencyMon" ...
Then you find all the troubleshooting threads, there you can gain knowledge and check your setup.

I have looked at many of the optimizing threads. I have installed different drivers using NVCleaninstall to put my GPU in MSI mode. I have looked through my BIOS probably close to a dozen times. I have disabled cores on my CPU. I have lassoed different Processes to only be on certain cores on my CPU. I have disabled C-states and parking. I have put my computer into high performance power mode. Many of these fixes seemed to just make my CPU run hotter, and there was no change in the latency. I recently just downloaded the studio version of my NVIDIA driver, and it seems to be running a lot better, but still not perfect. It looks like my Direct X driver is now the culprit as far as latency goes according to LatencyMon.

7 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-06-18 06:57:00)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,196

Re: Audio Stuttering and Dropouts with Digiface USB (i9 13900k 3th gen)

nathan.nybo wrote:
Kubrak wrote:

Nathan, if I understand well, you have the both Digiface and Scarlett connected via USB to your computer. Do you use USB hub or different USB sockets? It would be way better to use separate USB sockets. And try which USB socket works best for Digiface.

Also you should use Laso also for program (DAW/player) that is the source of music. The best would be to switch e-cores at all at least before you find the source of problems.

I do have a USB hub plugged in with some of my different midi controllers, but I have the MADIface going straight into my laptop. I have tried "Process Lasso" to lasso different process but I have still having stutters. They are a lot less frequent after installing the studio version of NVIDIA's driver.

This is the first time that you mention, that you have a laptop ... on a laptop things are more challenging.

Core i9 13900K is a typical desktop CPU, therefore I thought you are running on a Desktop system...

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cp … mp;id=5022

Well, for thermal reasons you have on a laptop usually fewer configuration options to disable energy saving and it also might make no sense, because then the CPU might run too hot and you might get issues if the system has to reduce CPU clock for this reason.

So in a laptop BIOS you have usually no possibility to disable C-/T-/P-States (whatever the CPU offers), also some other options might be missing.

It is also questionable whether it makes sense to disable CPU core parking, because the CPU might become too hot.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14