1 (edited by vanceen 2020-01-10 21:00:21)

Topic: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

I'm using Reaper and Vienna Ensemble Pro 7 with a UFX. When I insert VE Pro Audio Inputs into Reaper, the audio that returns to Reaper from VE Pro contains ticks, pops, and sometimes gross distortion.

I've worked with Vienna Symphonic Labs technical service and checked all the settings in VE Pro and Reaper. Nothing seems to make any difference EXCEPT the Buffer Size settings for the UFX. If I take that all the way to 2048 samples, the distortion stops but there are still occasional ticks and pops. Lower Buffer Size settings are worse.

My CPU is an i9-7940X (14 physical cores). My OS is on an SSD, Reaper and VE Pro are on an SSD RAID 0 array (Highpoint). I'm using 64 GB or RAM. Disabling WiFi or Ethernet does nothing, nor does changing from Background priority to Applications priority. This computer never breaks a sweat any other time, I only have this kind of problem with the application I described above.

Performance Monitor in Win 10 shows that the CPU load is 5-6%, and that the load is reasonably spread out through all 28 virtual cores. Disk usage is also well within capacity. LatMon reports that everything is fine.

I doubt that this has anything to do with UFX driver, but I hope someone may have some suggestions based on what I've offered above.

Thanks in advance!

2

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

Did you play with the MMCSS settings in VE Pro (if it has such) or in the UFX Settings dialog? You might also try the 32 channel limitation to check what happens.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

VE Pro doesn't have an MMCSS setting. I did try changing it in the UFX settings and the Reaper settings. I'll look for the 3 channel limitation and give that a try. Thanks.

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

I've tried to find something related to "32 channel limitation" but haven't succeeded.

Can you tell me exactly where this is found? Thanks.

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

Hello!

It can be found at the UFX settings -> "About" Tab -> Limit ASIO to 32 Channels

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

You could also find many tweakings in this thread:

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=29802

It's a long one, but there is lot of info which may be applied to your specific situation!

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

I have limited experience with VEP and none with reaper, but I do know that this sounds like the send and return buffers of VEP are unequal, out of sync. In Cubase asioguard must be off because of this. In reaper I suspect some precalculation  processing or async processing setting causing this. Should be somewhere in audio settings. In a distant past I had to tweak this because of my uad1`s when I tried reaper. If you can not find it have a look on the reaper forum for uad1 settings.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

I don't see any reference to track limitation in the About tab. I'm using USB driver 1.168. I see only boxes for "Lock Registry" and "Enable MMCSS for ASIO", and a dropdown menu for "Sort ASIO devices". Am I missing something?

I'll check out the other suggestions too.

9

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

I see - the UFX has only 30 channels, so a limit to 32 ASIO channels would not help...that option is there for the UFX+.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

I solved the problem.

On Reaper's Audo Buffers page, two of the selections you can make are:

1. Anticipative FX Processing, and
2. Allow live FX processing on [x] CPUs (where X is any number up to the total number of hyperthreading cores).

Disabling BOTH of these selections allows noise-free use of at least six Audio Inputs in VE Ensemble Pro down to low UFX buffer settings (64 samples). Before, I was getting ticks, pops, and crackles on one instance at 2048 samples. More instances is probably possible, I just haven't tried it.

Re: VE Ensemble Pro Audio Inputs with Reaper - clicks and distortion

By the way, I'm glad I found this before my UFX+ arrives (hopefully today)!