51 Reply by carstenw (edited by carstenw 2009-05-09 14:20:25)

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

I got a another reply from Steinberg. At the moment I have no time to translate. Could it be done by another member here ?


nach ihrem Video ist dies auch nicht das im RME Forum beschriebene Problem.

Versuchen Sie bitte zun?chst, ob das L?schen der Voreinstellungen von Cubase 4 Abhilfe schafft:

?ffnen Sie den Anwendungsdaten-Ordner: C:\Benutzer\<ihr Benutzername>\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg

(Wenn Ihnen dieses Verzeichnis nicht angezeigt wird, w?hlen Sie im Explorer-Men? unter "Extras" den Eintrag "Ordneroptionen...".
Im erscheinenden Kontrollfeld klicken Sie auf die Karteikarte "Ansicht" und aktivieren unter "Versteckte Dateien und Ordner" die Option "Alle Dateien und Ordner anzeigen".)
Im darin befindlichen Steinberg-Verzeichnis l?schen Sie alle Cubase-Ordner.
Wenn Sie weniger rigoros vorgehen (und beispielsweise Ihre selbstkonfigurierten Tastatur-Kommandos oder Farben nicht verlieren) m?chten, k?nnen Sie den bzw. die Cubase-Ordner auch einfach umbenennen (z.B. in "XCubase 4").
Da Cubase so keine Voreinstellungen finden kann, legt das Programm beim n?chsten Start ein neues und frisches Verzeichnis f?r die Voreinstellungen an. Wichtig ist, dass Sie auch Cubase-SX-Ordner zumindest unkenntlich machen, da sich Cubase 4 sonst an diesen Voreinstellungen orientiert. Sollte das Problem dadurch nicht gel?st sein, k?nnen Sie den neuen Ordner l?schen und dem unbenannten wieder seinen alten Namen geben, um die urspr?ngliche Situation wieder herzustellen.

Regards

Carsten

PS I use Cubase 5

  • Jeff
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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Hi Carsten,

They say the video does not show the problem described on the RME forum, and you should try deleting your Cubase preference files to see if this solves your problem. The rest is the instructions found here: http://knowledgebase.steinberg.net/119_1.html

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2009-04-27
  • Posts: 13

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Had the crash again today while having a very short deadline to deliver a jingle. This is causing much trouble. Is there any chance that RME contacts Steinberg so that they can find a solution after all?

  • From: Denmark
  • Registered: 2007-05-12
  • Posts: 25

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Carsten's video shows the same problem as I have. It usually occurs when running Toontrack Superior 2 in Cubase 5.02, particularly Superior 2.1. So I have reverted to Superior 2.02 which is a lot more stable, but nevertheless caused the same problem 3 times yesterday (from morning to night). I have had the same thing occur with Superior 2 running in Toontrack's Solo. The three times yesterday it happened when muting a drum.  But I have also had it as in Carsten's video, just occurring by itself after a couple of bars.

  • Registered: 2009-04-27
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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Hi, I had a reply from Steinberg and they insist that this is an RME problem. I doubt that this is  an 100% RME issue. Yes, RME may be related but I believe Cubase has to do with it as well.

The video shows what happens in my case as well, especially the one with the RME card. However in my case Cubase does not crash and it mostly happens when recording midi instead of playing it back.

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

StudioAnalysis wrote:

Hi, I had a reply from Steinberg and they insist that this is an RME problem. I doubt that this is  an 100% RME issue. Yes, RME may be related but I believe Cubase has to do with it as well.

The video shows what happens in my case as well, especially the one with the RME card. However in my case Cubase does not crash and it mostly happens when recording midi instead of playing it back.

I wrote to Steinberg that I do not only have the problem with the RME card. I have it also with my Terratec card. Maybe I should try my on board card *arghhh* and make a video.

WRONG ... WRONG .... <- depeche mode :-)

  • Registered: 2009-04-27
  • Posts: 13

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Hello Carsten,

Did you try the new drivers from RME? I am not in the studio right now but I will try them as soon as possible. They're worth a shot even if they don't mention anything about the problem in the release notes...

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

StudioAnalysis wrote:

Hello Carsten,

Did you try the new drivers from RME? I am not in the studio right now but I will try them as soon as possible. They're worth a shot even if they don't mention anything about the problem in the release notes...

I installed now "hdsp_wdm_3079".

From Tab "About" :
Driver date : 05/14/2009 Version 3.07.9
Hardware revision : 154



Nothing changed. Same problem alive

Carsten

  • Registered: 2009-03-17
  • Posts: 11

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Installed the new driver. Updated from Cubase 4.1.2 to 4.5.2. Got the stuttering in about 2 minutes.

Uninstalled Cubase 4.5.2 and reinstalled Cubase 4.1.2. No more stuttering. Steinberg stays it must be an RME issue HeadScratch Let's play the blame game with users instead of trying to find a fix...

Maybe next month...

Scott Sibley
Technical Advisor-Toontrack Music
Owner?Engineer?Producer
Rainbow Sounds Recording

60 Reply by carstenw (edited by carstenw 2009-05-21 20:06:16)

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

s_sibs wrote:

... Steinberg stays it must be an RME issue ...

I can't understand why Steinberg says that that is a RME issue. I have the same problems with a Terratec EXX 2496XL. Well documented with videos !!! Also I gave Steinberg the hint that the problem appears with different cards.

Could maybe someone report the fact to steinberg too ? Maybe they didn't get the info in mind. Maybe they sould get the info from other users as well.

Take a view and hear

RME : http://rapidshare.com/files/228521455/rme.AVI

Terratec : http://rapidshare.com/files/228521823/terratec.AVI


Carsten

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

my pc
Intel DP35DP.2x 2 GB DDR2,Nvidia 8600,Cubase 4.5,HDSP pci card,digiface,3x WD hdd
Just working on a humble project with 8 audio tracks,12 vsti tracks,64 buffer .quite a lot samples loaded
Not a single glitch during the last week.
I would say it is neither an RME nor a steinberg issue.As I already mentioned a similar glitch occured a while ago on my system but I forgot when exactly this happened and what I did afterwards

sosho's Website

62 Reply by s_sibs (edited by s_sibs 2009-05-22 12:43:40)

  • Registered: 2009-03-17
  • Posts: 11

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

sosho,

What MIDI input device (keyboard or other) are you using? I have never had this issue happen for me when using audio tracks. Or when using VSTi and using the pencil tool to add MIDI notes or when dragging and dropping MIDI files. Just when using various MIDI devices to input MIDI...M-audio Prokeys88 (USB), Korg PadKontrol (USB), Zendrum ZAP through the Digiface MIDI input.

BTW I'm not saying that this issue has to be an RME or Steinberg problem exclusively. It's just my opinion based on months of research. With this problem happening with so many users that have very different computers (multicore/singlecore, different OS, different amounts of RAM, different video cards, etc) and the only common denominators seem to be Cubase versions higher than 4.1.2 and an RME soundcard, there seems to be very few other places to look for a cause.

I'd be more than happy to flip some setting and have this problem magically disappear. Any ideas?

Scott Sibley
Technical Advisor-Toontrack Music
Owner?Engineer?Producer
Rainbow Sounds Recording
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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Currently I am using a Yamaha KX 88 MIDI out  connected to digiface MIDI input,no USB MIDI input.Still have a MIDEX 8 USB which I will try later.I assume you already tried the preferences cleanup as recommended in post # 52 ?

sosho's Website

  • Registered: 2009-04-27
  • Posts: 13

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

sosho, just keep in mind that this problem does not happen to all users with the same frequency.

For example, s_sibs apparently can reproduce it very easily. In our studio the problem shows itself when someone plays/records midi for a while. Sometimes 40-50 minutes. So there is no easy way to test this I guess because no one can guarantee that this will happen in the first 5 minutes of midi usage...

  • From: Denmark
  • Registered: 2007-05-12
  • Posts: 25

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

It may be a Cubase problem. Nevertheless I cannot run Toontrack Superior 2.1, but have gone  back to Superior 2.02 which is a lot more stable, though not completely. So if it is a Cubase problem then it also depends on the software running in Cubase whether it will elicit stuttering. I have noticed that my problems now largely occur when a plugin handles files. Except when I used Superior 2.1 then it happened during simple playback.

All my stutterings have occured with simple midi playback. I have not recorded anything recently. On the other hand I have a Mackie Control Unit attached with both midi in and out, so maybe that is equivalent to recording/playing back midi?

66 Reply by sosho (edited by sosho 2009-06-01 14:00:47)

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

maybe it is indeed somehow related to "MIDI overflow" (just an idea since I use a very old controller without bells+whistles)
Maybe try just using 1 MIDI keyboard(deactivating MIDI clock,maybe even filtering out aftertouch) and disconnecting any MIDI fader controllers.

sosho's Website

67 Reply by Dom

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

sosho wrote:

maybe it is indeed somehow related to "MIDI overflow" (just an idea since I use a very old controller without bells+whistles)
Maybe try just using 1 MIDI keyboard(deactivating MIDI clock,maybe even filtering out aftertouch) and disconnecting any MIDI fader controllers.

I have already tried that but with no success.

I must say I am very frustrated. Up to now there is no reply from Steinberg and I really don't know whether RME is investigating either(although I suspect something is going on in the background). However this is getting really long and I don't know if the two companies don't come together and fix this if this will ever be fixed.

  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Two things:

1. Did you yet try to use MME Midi instead of DirectMusic in Cubase?

2. Did you consider consulting an IT/audio professional to have a look at your setup?

  • Registered: 2009-04-27
  • Posts: 13

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Timur,

I have tried Windows Midi and Direct Music Midi and Emulated ports with my RME Fireface800. Nothing helped.

Anyone else having any news?

70 Reply by sosho (edited by sosho 2009-06-22 23:34:59)

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

just had the stuttering .on the same project.all I did is added some tracks ,played around with some vsti and added one.
apparently last week I changed the buffersize from 64 to 128
maybe it has to do with memory consumption or an incompatible vsti?

cubase 4.5.2 digiface with PCI card,latest driver

sosho's Website

71 Reply by Dom

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

sosho wrote:

just had the stuttering .on the same project.all I did is added some tracks ,played around with some vsti and added one.
maybe it has to do with memory consumption or an incompatible vsti?

cubase 4.5.2 digiface with PCI card,latest driver

Happens here with Cubase 5.01 as well.

Mutiface II latest drivers, PCMCIA Cardbus.

Does not happen with a borrowed EMU 0404 USB I have at my disposal.

72 Reply by s_sibs (edited by s_sibs 2009-06-22 22:20:05)

  • Registered: 2009-03-17
  • Posts: 11

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Just thought that I just tried the 'deleting your Cubase preference files' that was suggested. I would have tried it sooner but I was in the middle of a project and I didn't want to 'guinea pig' my setup in the middle of it.

I updated from C4.1.2 to C4.5.2. followed the 'deleting your Cubase preference files' from the Cubase knowledge base and fired up Cubase. Cubase rebuilt the preferences and I loaded up S2 and played for 2 minutes...stuttering loop.

Uninstalled Cubase and went back to C4.1.2. Played the rest of the afternoon without the stuttering loop.

I'm so tired of this you can't believe...

Scott Sibley
Technical Advisor-Toontrack Music
Owner?Engineer?Producer
Rainbow Sounds Recording

73 Reply by sosho (edited by sosho 2009-06-22 23:29:37)

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

just typed "stuttering" in "search" on the cubase.net forum...
:-O

sosho's Website

74 Reply by s_sibs (edited by s_sibs 2009-06-25 22:05:50)

  • Registered: 2009-03-17
  • Posts: 11

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Just dropping in to say that I downloaded Reaper today and gave it a shot. Played my VSTis all afternoon with this RME Digiface/Reaper combo without any stuttering issues whatsoever.

I'm not sure how much more proof we need that this issue points at Cubase and Cubase alone. I find their lack of a response of any kind to be extremely insulting, to say the least.

I'm going to go to Steinberg headquarters with a torch and a pitchfork...who's with me lol

Scott Sibley
Technical Advisor-Toontrack Music
Owner?Engineer?Producer
Rainbow Sounds Recording

75 Reply by sosho (edited by sosho 2009-06-25 23:22:55)

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

need 2 more afternoons but it seems I am with you (there are other issues as well with  cubase)
reaper works/looks/sounds/etc  pretty good to be honest.unfortunately I am way slow learning a new program.would hate to...have been here before.... 2 afternoons.the steinberg forum is pathetic

sosho's Website

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  • Registered: 2007-05-12
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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

s_sibs wrote:

Just dropping in to say that I downloaded Reaper today and gave it a shot. Played my VSTis all afternoon with this RME Digiface/Reaper combo without any stuttering issues whatsoever.

I'm not sure how much more proof we need that this issue points at Cubase and Cubase alone. I find their lack of a response of any kind to be extremely insulting, to say the least.

I'm going to go to Steinberg headquarters with a torch and a pitchfork...who's with me lol

Cubase and Cubase alone ????

As I have also reported in the Toontrack Forum, I just installed Superior 2.1.1 and got da-da-da-da-da immediately during the first bar of a project. The same project plays for hours without fault with Superior 2.02. So I think this is evidence against this being a Cubase problem only.

Cubase may well have a weak point, a bug even, causing this. But unlike Superior 2.02, Superior 2.1 and Superior 2.1.1 certainly know how to find this weak spot and make Cubase crash.

  • Registered: 2009-03-17
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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

I say this after having this stuttering problem since October 2008. Me and other users have have this stuttering with HalionOne, Ivory, Superior 2.02-Superior 2.1.1, VSL, Prologue, and Kontakt. So, logic would state that if this issue was just linked to Superior 2.1 and 2.1.1 then that would be it. It wouldn't happen for any of the other VSTis that I've had the issue happen with.

There have also been reports of this happening with soundcards other than RME (Terratec, M-Audio, TC Electronics).

So, when logic is brought to bear on this issue, since this problem happens with different VSTis and different soundcards, the only responsible party seems to be Cubase.

I've also posted that this issue doesn't happen for me with any VSTis when I use C4.1.2. Any version higher that 4.1.2 (4.1.3, 4.5.1, 4.5.2) results with the stuttering using different VSTi. Even projects with only that one VSTi loaded.

I also downloaded the latest Reaper and loaded a single S2.1.1 and didn't have this issue at all...ever. Same exact hardware setup as I use with Cubase.

You can blame Superior 2.1 if you want, it's you prerogative. But there are just too many other variables involved that show Cubase is the cause to point the blame at any particular VSTi.

Scott Sibley
Technical Advisor-Toontrack Music
Owner?Engineer?Producer
Rainbow Sounds Recording
  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Hi,

at the Moment I am happy.
I had Cubase 4 and Cubase 5 installed and wanted to try the thing with the preferences. Before I could not imagine that it helps but

let's see ...

Today I started my reference file which always started to loop within the first few seconds and it looped as expected.

Then I removed Cubase 4, also the Cubase 4 preferences ! Then I renamed(!) the Cubase 5 folder to XCubase 5.
Then I started my reference file which always started to loop within the first few seconds. But this time no chance to get loops from

it :-)

Before this success I tried only deleting the content of the Cubase 5 folder. As Cubase 4 was installed and the Cubase 4 preferences

existed, the Cubase 4 preferences where caught from Cubase 5 at startup.

Hope it helps for you if you do it like me and I hope it would last forever. :-)

Keep you informed

Carsten

79 Reply by carstenw (edited by carstenw 2009-06-29 06:24:22)

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

carstenw wrote:

Hi,

at the Moment I am happy.
I had Cubase 4 and Cubase 5 installed and wanted to try the thing with the preferences. Before I could not imagine that it helps but

let's see ...

Today I started my reference file which always started to loop within the first few seconds and it looped as expected.

Then I removed Cubase 4, also the Cubase 4 preferences ! Then I renamed(!) the Cubase 5 folder to XCubase 5.
Then I started my reference file which always started to loop within the first few seconds. But this time no chance to get loops from

it :-)

Before this success I tried only deleting the content of the Cubase 5 folder. As Cubase 4 was installed and the Cubase 4 preferences

existed, the Cubase 4 preferences where caught from Cubase 5 at startup.

Hope it helps for you if you do it like me and I hope it would last forever. :-)

Keep you informed

Carsten

I am not happy to keep you informed about what happens now. Generally I can say it did not help. :-(

But one characteristic changed. The loop intervall is now longer and the loop starts approx. after 2 Minutes.

After restoring the old Cubase 5 preferences from a backup i got my old behavior back. Stuttering after a few seconds.
argghhhhhhhhhh

I kept Steinberg informed.

Carsten

  • Registered: 2009-04-27
  • Posts: 13

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Any news anyone? I guess we have learned to live with the problem after all...

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

StudioAnalysis wrote:

Any news anyone? I guess we have learned to live with the problem after all...

I think there's nothing new to tell because no help is in accessible near. A lot of things are done ...

Until now my mail to steinberg from 29.06.2009 07:26 is unreflected. What did Jacko say ? They don't really care about us ...

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Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

the problem does not affect my setup as seriously as others but it came back out of the blue once yesterday having recorded about 9 h.the cpu consumption was constantly low(under 15 %).buffers used on hdsp and another rme product were 64 and 128 samples back and forth
maybe it has something to to with memory consumption as it did not happen again as the system was rebooted (maybe memory "somehow rearranged") and no additional things were loaded

sosho's Website

  • Registered: 2009-10-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

Happens here with Cubase 5.2 as well.

Mutiface latest drivers, PCMCIA Cardbus.
im new here. longtime user,    EXACT same problem
Any Ideas?

Abit ip35 quad
midi ex8

  • Registered: 2010-05-01
  • Posts: 5

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

I'm using Cubase 5 and Fireface 800 v2.62   When playing back,the audio drops for a few seconds and comes back again. Never did this before (had it for 3 or 4 years). Also slows down (slightly) the tempo. Any suggestions?

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 30

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

My RME stutterd today again. Maybe I should buy another card. Or a new Computer ?

  • Registered: 2010-12-16
  • Posts: 1

Re: Audio stuttering randomly with Multiface II+PCMCIA Cardbus

I have the exact same issue,, it typically only happens when I have a MIDI track in the project,,, usually Grove Agent One  drum tracks associated with audio tracks.. Not a heavey load at all,, and still,, it  keeps stuttering 2 or 3 times before the song has played through..  its almoist like the CPU swaps out for a second , then MIDI audio drops out and catches back up,, usually the wav audio keeps playng along, but the location marker drops back, then sling shots forward..    I'm using an RME Fireface 800 running Cubase 5 with a P4 2.8 GHz  Cheetah 10K RPM SCSI drive for the Cubase Wave files and an IDE ATA drive for Windows XP..

I've come to the conclusion that I have a ton of mixing to complete and can't afford to be unproductive right now..  I've decided to go back to Cubase 3 for now, but will keep checking ths site and the Cubase user net in case someone hits the nail on the head..  but I'm not holding my breath on this one as I suspect it's going to take some time to isolate the root cause..

Cheers !