• From: Aotearoa
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 255

Topic: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

Hello folks

I'm attempting to qualify a HP Zbook 15 G5 for large track count live recording with Madiface XT via USB 3.

It took me a looooong time to find the right combo of UEFI/Windows settings to achieve reliable low DPC's on the ZBook.  Often, "not tweaking" led to the best outcome.  I have carefully documented my steps and imaged the system drive regularly along the way.

One mystery eludes me though.

I cannot get Sequoia to record continuously without LABs (Lost ASIO Buffers) every 5 or so minutes, *except* in the following circumstance:
- I enable 1 stereo WDM device (Phones) in the XT driver, and make that the default Windows audio device.
- I play back an audio file with Windows Media Player while doing the Sequoia test recording (same sample rate).

If I do both those things - Sequoia is LAB free.  If I don't, there are LABs every few minutes.  It's completely unintuitive, but I'm hoping this points to something as a root cause?

Just FYI, there is no combination of the settings in UEFI / Windows / RME driver / Sequoia I have not tried, documented and then rolled back if no improvement. 

The reason I stumbled upon the WDM playback "fix" is I was intending to take a Win Performance Recorder trace and examine for an audio glitch in Media eXperience Analyzer.

Hoping super knowledgeable people like @MC @Timur Born might have some ideas.

Thanks in hope!
Simon

Madiface XT, Madiface, 3x Micstasy, ADI8QS
Sequoia 17, W10 x64
https://bsound.co.nz/tools-nix

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,632

Re: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

Is the signalled LAB just a message or indeed a drop out/lost samples in the recorded signal? If audio ist still ok then I could imagine a timing issue of the LAB detection technique that requires WDM to be active for correct results.

Have you tried the Enable MMCSS for ASIO option?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2009-06-30
  • Posts: 226

Re: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

Hi Simon,
my tests a few ago were as following:

I can record 192 tracks with my PC with certain limitations:
Rec mode must not be "standard". It has to be "recording independent from playback".
I can activate "update object during recording" - it makes no difference on the PC. On my older laptop it does make a difference.
Recording to a SSD. HDD does not work.
I use MMCSS in RME active
and ASIO priority boost in Sequoia not active (basically the same as MMCSS, only activate one of both)

Interesting thing about the WDm driver.
Georg

  • From: Aotearoa
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 255

Re: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

MC wrote:

Is the signalled LAB just a message or indeed a drop out/lost samples in the recorded signal? If audio ist still ok then I could imagine a timing issue of the LAB detection technique that requires WDM to be active for correct results.

Have you tried the Enable MMCSS for ASIO option?

Hi MC

Thanks for your reply.  No it's indeed an audio drop-out.  Sequoia reports 32 samples lost for each error, at 48K.  I'm doing most my testing with 64 tracks at 256 buffer but also occurs at 512 buffer.

Also I've tried every combination of MMCSS on/off with Sequoia's ASIO Priority Boost setting on/off.

Just so weird that everything is solid LAB free with Windows Media Player running!

Simon

Madiface XT, Madiface, 3x Micstasy, ADI8QS
Sequoia 17, W10 x64
https://bsound.co.nz/tools-nix
  • From: Aotearoa
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 255

Re: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

georgob wrote:

Hi Simon,
my tests a few ago were as following:

I can record 192 tracks with my PC with certain limitations:
Rec mode must not be "standard". It has to be "recording independent from playback".
I can activate "update object during recording" - it makes no difference on the PC. On my older laptop it does make a difference.
Recording to a SSD. HDD does not work.
I use MMCSS in RME active
and ASIO priority boost in Sequoia not active (basically the same as MMCSS, only activate one of both)

Interesting thing about the WDm driver.
Georg

Hi Georg

Thanks for your reply!  Yes have tried all combo's of MMCSS and ASIO Priority Boost.  Just ASIO Priority Boost alone seemed to make LABs less frequent but they still came.

All numbers of CPU core's in Sequoia no change (even single core).  HT is off.

Recording to Angelbird AVPro SSD, internal SATA 6GB/sec port.  LAB's also occur with Seagate 7200rpm HDD in place.

I will try "recording independent from playback" and "update object during recording" and report back.  Thanks for that suggestion.

Simon

Madiface XT, Madiface, 3x Micstasy, ADI8QS
Sequoia 17, W10 x64
https://bsound.co.nz/tools-nix
  • Registered: 2009-06-30
  • Posts: 226

Re: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

Simon, did you try recording with Digicheck? Is this clean?
G

7 Reply by Potscrubber (edited by Potscrubber 2022-11-03 14:09:32)

  • From: Aotearoa
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 255

Re: Madiface XT vs Zbook vs Sequoia LABs

Reporting back...

With Sequoia settings "recording independent from playback" and "update object during recording", I still got LAB's**, both with individual settings and together.

With those settings and WMP playing back via WMD devices - again, no LAB's.  Where is the crazy emoji?

Tomorrow I will try Digicheck and Reaper for the record...

best,
Simon

edit: ** I should say: appeared to be less frequent LAB's, but still there.

Madiface XT, Madiface, 3x Micstasy, ADI8QS
Sequoia 17, W10 x64
https://bsound.co.nz/tools-nix