• Registered: 2011-03-19
  • Posts: 90

Topic: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

I use Babyface with latest firmware & drivers on Windows 7 x64 (i7 CPU, 6 GB RAM). I bought a MIDI controller (E-MU Xboard 49) and I get the crackling sounds when I use any of its controls.

Please take a look at the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEHQRbnoQWY

My latency settings:
http://shrani.si/f/1f/Cn/DsBzkLD/512.jpg

Before I had no problems when recording anything at all (guitars with heavy VSTs for example) and it was set to 96 samples. With 128 or 256 samples the crackling is still heard, only when I set it to 512 it really disappears.

Is that normal (so much latency)? What can be done?

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2011-04-15
  • Posts: 67

Re: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

Are you using Ableton Live?

  • Registered: 2011-03-19
  • Posts: 90

Re: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

No, I use Mixcraft and Reaper.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2011-04-15
  • Posts: 67

Re: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

In Ableton Live I remember having either Remote or Track input enabled and it caused clicking in the audio path when enabled.  When I disabled support for one of those the clicking stopped.

I'd recommend trying to disable the midi input stuff you aren't in need of and see if that works.  Ableton still used all my note and CC information perfectly fine, it just ignored my transport controls.  For some reason enabling transport support over my FF400 midi in's caused glitching...

Hope that helps

  • Registered: 2011-03-19
  • Posts: 90

Re: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

Unfortunatelly not much. I only have enabled the Babyface MIDI input 1 and the clicking/crackling is still present. How much ms latency is 128 samples anyway?

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2011-04-15
  • Posts: 67

Re: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

Bellzemos wrote:

Unfortunatelly not much. I only have enabled the Babyface MIDI input 1 and the clicking/crackling is still present.

I don't mean the actual input, I mean what is passed through to software through the midi port.  If you disable transport controls in your software in may work.

Bellzemos wrote:

How much ms latency is 128 samples anyway?

It all depends on your system, but 128 should be pretty low.  If your computer can handle 64 that's about as low as you can go.  But this may cause clicks if your computer can't keep up.

  • Registered: 2011-03-19
  • Posts: 90

Re: Crackling when using a MIDI controller

My system is pretty OK, but I see that Babyface latency can be set to as low as 48 samples. And thank you for your help.