• From: traveller
  • Registered: 2009-09-03
  • Posts: 13

Topic: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

something strange about fireface uc, i got it a few days ago. latest drivers and firmware - not so good on a pc. i get clicks and distorsions on 64/96/128/256samples settings. this happens already on 10-15% cpu power on a setting of 128 and 96 samples. does not make any sense. i could maybe think it`s my pc that is crazy, but on the same notebook i get better performace on firewire and expresscard34 soundcards. i can run expresscard34 soundcard on 2,4ms output for a smaller project and 3,9ms on bigger without a problem, and firewire was also no problem around 5ms (TI controllers). those 2 soundcards do not give any problem under 70-80% cpu power. fireface somehow already on 7ms output and 30% cpu gets problems. i`ve tried all kinds of troubleshooting but somehow i can conclude that the drivers need a final tuning? i am shure that this soundcard can get some better parformance and that this usb low latency audio is still new technology. don`t get me wrong, i like the soundcard and believe that all this will get to place with time, just do not get it what to do now. i am not in a rush, i have another 2 soundcards. i can use fireface also like this, i am not making anything live. would it make any sense to downgrade firmware or driver (i don`t think so)? could it be a solution to try to buy an expresscard34 usb port controller with some other chip than ICH8 and wich one you recommend?

TOSHIBA-P200/17"/C2D2,2/4GB/FirefaceUC/win7.64/cubase6/sampleCDs/VSTinstruments/akaiMPKmini
  • From: traveller
  • Registered: 2009-09-03
  • Posts: 13

Re: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

there is also another thing i found: regardless of sample latency setup sometimes around 10-15% cpu power i hear clicks in audio, but usb settings window does not report them - 0/0. am i suppose to conclude something here? also i`ve noticed that sample rate change trick some people reported on the forum does not help here - if i hear clicks, i hear clicks.

TOSHIBA-P200/17"/C2D2,2/4GB/FirefaceUC/win7.64/cubase6/sampleCDs/VSTinstruments/akaiMPKmini
  • From: traveller
  • Registered: 2009-09-03
  • Posts: 13

Re: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

so, i got some working settings here if somebody is interested and has similar problem! took me some time to get this thing to work. i`m a type of a person that thinks feedback is always welcome so i`ll spend a minute here. i`ve adjusted some things  more on the notebook on my audio partition so i have remaining only the following services starting automatically in windows crap:
>dcom server proc launcher
>window manager
>group policy client
>multimedia class scheduler
>plug and play
>rpc
>shell hardware
>soft licencing
>system event notification
>task scheduler
>user prof service
>win audio
>win audio endpoint build
>win time.
+in bios i`ve disabled usb legacy support.
so somewhere here there was a stinker. do not know what, but now the result is obvious, the first sound clicks i get around 55% cpu power and 11 channels running vst omnisphere each channel and 2 effects per channel, playing at the same time(i had to create a test project with a constant cpu usage to make troubleshooting). so this is happening at 96 samples setting and is some very good performance we have here. just for info, my dpc latency checker shows ticks around 1,5ms high every 15 seconds sharp like a clock (even without fireface), so i would conclude my pc performance will remain around here, and that is very good (i could not find any hardware or software that causes this). if somebody can enlighten me with a thought what could it be, i`d appreciate it. after this i can say, problem solved! i`ll report if i find some performance improvement when next drivers come out.

TOSHIBA-P200/17"/C2D2,2/4GB/FirefaceUC/win7.64/cubase6/sampleCDs/VSTinstruments/akaiMPKmini
  • Registered: 2008-01-01
  • Posts: 3,025

Re: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

The 15s thing is the "ACPI compliant battery method" that polls your battery load status. You can disable it via device-manager.

  • Registered: 2007-05-19
  • Posts: 213

Re: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

the Fireface UC will vary particularly on laptops. USB on laptops tend to share more resources (eSata for one)
on a decktop the UC generally slightly outperforms the FF 400/800.

try swithing usb ports for 1
and definately turn off ACPI battery, wifi (we had to physically remove the wifi card on 1 laptop), diable all power mangement (never turn off etc).

Scott
ADK

  • From: traveller
  • Registered: 2009-09-03
  • Posts: 13

Re: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

yes scott, my bluetooth and wifi are disabled in the hardware config and in services, i knew that but thanx anyway. but timur, thanx for the battery, somehow i`ve missed that, i`m not a genious. that was the reason for 15 second ticks, now it`s gone. it`s all flat green on dpc around 0,1ms, perfect. and i have to report you back that i also have a gain of performance and can take cpu power up to 65% without clicks. and not only that - also fireface usb settings window now reports errors on time! great drivers rme! we all know that these windows are not done to make music by default, but after some tweaks the result is fantastic. also the 48sample setting i can now use up to 10 heavy vst channels without a problem.

TOSHIBA-P200/17"/C2D2,2/4GB/FirefaceUC/win7.64/cubase6/sampleCDs/VSTinstruments/akaiMPKmini

7 Reply by MBM (edited by MBM 2010-09-04 09:27:56)

  • MBM
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-08-16
  • Posts: 51

Re: Fireface UC - not so good on a PC

jcschild wrote:

the Fireface UC will vary particularly on laptops. USB on laptops tend to share more resources (eSata for one)
on a decktop the UC generally slightly outperforms the FF 400/800.

And with MB Pro is the same thing? I mean, then what is better for a MB Pro (2010), FF400 or UC?

Thanks and best regards.