• Registered: 2009-05-04
  • Posts: 3

Topic: random click issue

Hi, I'm new to madi but have been using the hammerfall since its launch and never looked back.

I have a random click issue with my new live concert recording setup that I hope someone can give me some advise.

The setup consists of the following:-

carillon PC using Nuendo
ADI 648
4 x Octomic II
Madi PCIe
100m drum opticfibre

wired in the following way:

optical link from pcie to adi 648
adat link from 4 octomic II adi 648
word clock from adi 648 to all 4 octomic daisychained through T connectors terminating at the last octomic.

My sync and audio lights are all green without flickering. PCIe Card Set to Autosync.

I also get random clicks on playback without connecting any of the other devices setting the pcie card to master

I would really appreciate some help on this.

many thanks

Colin

  • roon
  • AD/DA expert
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  • From: Tasmania
  • Registered: 2008-08-06
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

Hi Colin,
can you see the click in the input of total mix?

roon's Website

  • Registered: 2009-03-02
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

you *may* be creating a word clock loop.  If your madi is bidirectional, that is, both optical madi runs on your spool are connected to both the madi card and the adi (a standard run), then you are sending WC to the adi and receiving WC from it.  Try making the MADI card master and setting the adi to clock from madi.  The rme gear refreshes the clock anyway before it hits your octamics. The rest of your word clock setup should be fine. Worth a shot.

Peace.

  • Registered: 2009-05-04
  • Posts: 3

Re: random click issue

thanks bm, I'll try that out next time I'm onsite with the set up.

meanwhile in answer to roon, I do get random pops on the input stage of total mix on various channels. What can I do from here roon?

many thanks

Colin

5 Reply by roon (edited by roon 2009-05-05 22:27:56)

  • roon
  • AD/DA expert
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  • From: Tasmania
  • Registered: 2008-08-06
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

colinchiclana wrote:

I do get random pops on the input stage of total mix on various channels. What can I do from here roon?

many thanks

Colin

I would love to know!  I have a similar setup to you and have similar issues. 

I heard some pops so i went hunting for the source.

I turned off the ADI 648 feeding the madi input signal to the madi card, and the random pops on random channels where still present.  I checked to see if i could see them at the input of total mix, and certainly i could. No pattern, no rhyme, no rhythm.

I am sorry that i can not offer assistance to solve this, but it is nice to know that I am not alone.

Hope all your recordings are in 192 - without pops and click Colin smile

regards,
Johann.

roon's Website

  • Registered: 2009-05-04
  • Posts: 3

Re: random click issue

Johann,  Its so hard these days to get a system that works straight out of the box. I really thought that after never having any problems with the hammerfall I would'nt get this type of problem.

I bought a Carillon pc, its been giving me problems since I took it out of the box .. and now I dont know whether its the pc or the sound card thats giving me problems. Only a couple of hours ago one of the hard disks has competely failed to boot!! What pc do you run?

Lets hope we find a solution soon!

Colin

  • roon
  • AD/DA expert
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  • From: Tasmania
  • Registered: 2008-08-06
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

Hello again Colin,

i run many asus p5k pro motherboard with qc66oo chips..

i use the madi card as master clock for the entire system ... which is synced across madi and adat to many other devices....no word clock cable.

i am looking into some of the extra settings in the Hammerfall DSP Settings dialogue window.

There is a section there called "Safe mode".

I read the manual to see what they are all about, but as i am a musician and not an electrical engineer, i had absolutely no idea what "frequency" , "input" and "sync align" did.

However .. i checked the boxes to see what happened//
the result... no clicks today.
obviously i will keep a close ear on it.
Clicks never happened all the time anyway. only sometimes,  Which is painful for all concerned.

would there be someone so kind as to enlighten me what these options do, if you have the time please?

roon's Website

  • Registered: 2009-03-02
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

Safe mode is a redundancy thing.  If no madi stream is available at the desired madi input (opti, or bnc) the card will automatically switch to the other input if it detects a valid madi stream.

  • roon
  • AD/DA expert
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  • From: Tasmania
  • Registered: 2008-08-06
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

thanks brian

roon's Website

  • Registered: 2009-03-02
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

No problem Roon. I assume you are using the HDSP pci version since on the HDSPe pcie version, the terminology changed to "auto select", which is more intuitive.  Is your WC input on the 648 terminated?

11 Reply by roon (edited by roon 2009-05-10 02:05:46)

  • roon
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  • From: Tasmania
  • Registered: 2008-08-06
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

yes i have 4 pci 9652's and pci madi.  THey are not 12 months old .
all sync is performed thru adat and madi. Word clock cables are redundant!

roon's Website

  • Registered: 2009-03-02
  • Posts: 80

Re: random click issue

IMO, WC is the way to go.  Adat is probably the weakest clock source.  I would use the WC and make sure the WC In on the 648 is term. Send WC out from the 648 to the rest.

Good Luck,
Brian