1 Topic by sami sanpakkila (edited by sami sanpakkila 2023-08-30 13:03:08)

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Topic: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

Hi,

I'm having a problem with the Fireface 800 and Davinci Resolve 18.5 editing program mainly when I try to play back audio outside of Resolve. For example if I jump to Youtube to check something or preview an audio file in the Mac finder I get bit crushing noise on everything.

If I just stick to working inside Resolve and don't venture to play audio outside of it at any point or immediately if I quit Resolve the audio starts to work everywhere else as expected. Also if I change system output to monitor speakers instead of Fireface 800 there are no problems.

Routing the audio from inside Resolve to channels 3 & 4 in instead of the same 1&2 channels as the browser or finder uses helps a bit I think... but it doesn't completely fix the issue.

It's as if there's a conflict of bit rate somewhere but all my settings are 48kHz everywhere as far as I can tell. In Resolve, Total mix, Fireface settings... I've tried all the Resolve audio output settings but nothing seems to make much of a difference.

I'm using Mac Studio Max 1 with Ventura 13.4 (22F66) and RME Fireface 800 audio interface. I've been using this setup for over a year with no problems in Premiere Pro, Reaper and all other possible programs with no issues.

Any advice if there's a settings I'm missing would be most appreciated!

  • waedi
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
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Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

Did you try play around with the buffer size numbers in DVR ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

waedi wrote:

Did you try play around with the buffer size numbers in DVR ?

Yes I've tried most of the settings, but it's really hard to say if they make a difference. At least none of the settings get completely rid of the problem.

Sami

4 Reply by oli77sch (edited by oli77sch 2023-08-30 21:14:39)

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

So the issue is related to DVR as it seems.
Do you have any other devices connected to the FF800 over ADAT / SPDIF / AES?
Or is some video equipment involved in your setup?
How are the clock / sync settings of the FF800 look like?

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2

5 Reply by sami sanpakkila (edited by sami sanpakkila 2023-08-30 22:10:19)

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

oli77sch wrote:

So the issue is related to DVR as it seems.
Do you have any other devices connected to the FF800 over ADAT / SPDIF / AES?
Or is some video equipment involved in your setup?
How are the clock / sync settings of the FF800 look like?

I have no other devices connected to RME Fireface. No special video devices, a Lacie 20TB Raid via Thunderbolt, second BENQ monitor via HDMI and a few hard drives connected to Mac Studio and a Studio Display.

Below are screenshots of all my settings. I've tried to fiddle with most of the settings without much success.

https://i.ibb.co/cgxrcg1/Screenshot-2023-08-30-at-12-48-45.png
https://i.ibb.co/v4kXn96/Screenshot-2023-08-30-at-13-00-21.png
https://i.ibb.co/0MbXT7B/Screenshot-2023-08-31-at-0-00-39.png

  • waedi
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
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Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

The Playback buffer size is set to 4096, if you select 128 ?

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

Can you select the Fireface as audio engine in DVR settings instead of 'system audio'?

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

waedi wrote:

The Playback buffer size is set to 4096, if you select 128 ?

I've tried most of the settings and they don't really remedy the issue, they might change how often the bit crush occurs but hard to say...

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

oli77sch wrote:

Can you select the Fireface as audio engine in DVR settings instead of 'system audio'?

No, that's not possible. I can change the Input and Output device to Fireface 800 but that doesn't fix the problem.

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

It’s probably unrelated, but what are that 'USB audio codec 1 & 2' in the Audio-Midi-Setup?

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

oli77sch wrote:

It’s probably unrelated, but what are that 'USB audio codec 1 & 2' in the Audio-Midi-Setup?

I don't know... It could be a Mac OS thing? Or maybe something to do with some equipment I have like Wireless GO II that I plug in from time to time to unload audio. But not sure... At the moment I have no other audio devices currently plugged in to the Mac Studio.

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

I disabled all VST plugins inside Resolve and also changed the Monitor output audio output to Fireface channels 3&4 and turned down the "trim" to -1.0db. I can still hear the problem on/off but it's extremely rare now...

So these setting changes help with the problem but don't really completely fix it. It's a bit difficult to say for certain cause it's so time consuming to test. But I guess if it stays like this it's "good enough" for my purposes.

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

Hi,

I'm still having this problem with the latest Sonoma update. I've noticed that it's not just one program but any program that is CPU and GPU intensive (Premiere, Resolve etc.) and is under a load it makes the other programs audio crackle and glitch. 

Any idea where to look for solutions on this issue?

14 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

sami sanpakkila wrote:

Fireface 800 and Davinci Resolve 18.5...

...I'm using Mac Studio Max 1 with Ventura 13.4 (22F66) and RME Fireface 800 audio interface. I've been using this setup for over a year with no problems in Premiere Pro, Reaper and all other possible programs with no issues.

I find this statement confusing. This exact setup worked for one year and suddenly it doesn't? Without any changes? Seems quite unlikely. Something must have changed.

Or did you just start to use Resolve?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

Hi Matthias

Yes, at first I only noticed the issue with Resolve, I have used Resolve for years but maybe not as much as at the time of writing my first post.

First major update I've done since starting to use this set-up was a week ago when I updated to Sonoma OS in hopes that would solve the issue but it did not.

I'm not at all sure what could cause the issue but like I said, now it is not only restricted to being a problem with Resolve but I hear it when using Premiere Pro as well.

Sami

16 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

You use the usual dongle parade to make it work? Did you try a different TB port?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Bit crushing noise with Fireface 800 and DaviResolve 18.5 on my set up

MC wrote:

You use the usual dongle parade to make it work? Did you try a different TB port?

Hi,

Yes, official Apple Firewire to Thunderbolt 2 and TB2 to TB3 adapters. I tested yesterday and today with different TB ports and it made no difference.

I want to stress that this is not a major flaw and when I only use one program it is not present. I've narrowed it down to hearing it the most when I do CPU and GPU heavy stuff like render edits and while waiting venture outside of the program to browse videos on Youtube (which you probably shouldn't do anyways).