#1039265 - 07/12/05 07:19 AM
A greater understanding
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blas
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Registered: 03/06/01
Posts: 517
Loc: St. Louis, MO. USA
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This would be a big help if I can get some thoughts as to "why". This situation has occured multiple times: We start laying tracks in the DAW using Nuendo, but at some point (approx. after reaching 12-20 tracks generally) the new tracks we attempt to introduce come in distorted. It drives me crazy, as we didn't do anything different than with the previous tracks.
Same things happens as often we start a session on our MX-2424, Ethernet them over into the DAW and drop in over dubs from there...same thing starts to happen - distorted input.
Does this sound like the audio cards (Terratec) are the issue or the DAW itself (using SCSI drive)?
What needs to be changed?
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#1039266 - 07/14/05 10:11 PM
Re: A greater understanding
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AudioMaverick
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Registered: 05/19/01
Posts: 1790
Loc: Outskirts of Big Bear, CA,UNIT...
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Hey, Blas...
Are you running Win2K or XP? How much RAM do you have? I am wondering if you are max'ing out the CPU or memory load. Task Manager will let you know pretty quick. Do a *Ctrl+ALt+Del* and choose *Task Manager* from the list. Then monitor the *Performance* tab.
I could also be the bandwidth to the drive. Here is a way to check...
Basic Formula:
. 44100 {Samples per Second}
. 32* {Multiply by the Bits per Channel}
. 8/ {Divide by 8 to Convert Bits to Bytes}
. ======
. 176400 {Bytes per Second for a 32-bit Track}
. 60* {Multiply by 60 Seconds}
. =========
. 10584000 {Bytes per Minute - Unrounded}
. 1.024/ {Round Using Industry 1024/1000 convention}**(see footnote 1)
. =========
. 10335937.5 Bytes per Minute (Standard CD or Single 32-Bit Track)
Divide by 60 seconds * 2 tracks, and you get 86132.8125 Bytes/Second for a single 44.1kHz/16-bit track. 20 tracks would need roughly 1.723MB/Sec though put to keep up. That doesn't seem to be be much bandwidth, to me. I am thinking that this isn't it.
What else do you have running on your system? Maybe, some background process (or more than one) is doing work in the background. Possibly, a combination of your TEMP directory, Pagefile.sys, OS/Application, and/or music files are on the same partition...?
Hope this gets you pointed in the right direction!
I'd check the CPU & RAM, first.
_________________________
"It's all about the... um-m-m, uh-h-h..."
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#1039267 - 07/14/05 11:38 PM
Re: A greater understanding
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blas
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Registered: 03/06/01
Posts: 517
Loc: St. Louis, MO. USA
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AM, You can expect to have your phone ring sometime over the next several days.....ring,ring
St. Louis calling!
Joe
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#1039268 - 07/15/05 05:42 AM
Re: A greater understanding
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Alndln
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 08/15/00
Posts: 6451
Loc: ,NY,UNITED STATES
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Yeah,it's sounds like a drive/bandwidth issue to me,but it is crazy that Nuendo is reacting as you described(new one on me,that's for sure),but then again,knowing Steinbugs psychotic software coding and Copy Protection priority above performance,I'm hardly surprised.
_________________________
"A Robot Playing Trumpet Blows"
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#1039269 - 07/15/05 03:39 PM
Re: A greater understanding
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alfonso
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Registered: 11/06/00
Posts: 1069
Loc: Fregene, Italy.
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What happens if you just import audio files (not originally distorting) and reach the critical number of tracks?
And what happens if you open a new NPR and import the audio file relative to the distorting track?
I don't know the Terratec card at all, but I'm just trying to understand if you have some DAW summing problems...naturally when you monitor the sound while recording it's clean, right?
I use Cubase, and for what I do, it's very rare if I reach more than 8 stereo tracks, but I always record at 32 bits and also use separated out busses for each track, as I never liked Steinberg internal summing. I prefer to mix on my Scope DSP mixer, so I never experimented a high number of tracks in the same bus.
It would be also useful to know, if you re-record the distorting track at a lower level, much lower level, does it distort too?
Does the distorted track distort also whan played solo-ed?
Sorry if I can't be immediatly more helpful, but your problem is intriguing indeed, and I'm curious....
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#1039270 - 07/18/05 07:32 AM
Re: A greater understanding
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blas
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Registered: 03/06/01
Posts: 517
Loc: St. Louis, MO. USA
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FLASH NEWS UPDATE....After long conversation with the wiz guy Audiomaverick, he ran into the source of much problem - the VIA 686 chip. Seems there's a history of issues with it regarding audio work. So with his help, I'm now in the process of building a better DAW.
AM, again a tip of the hat to you for the research and suggestions made.
For now, I'll just track into the MX-2424 then ethernet 'em into the DAW (PITA).
But thanks to all, this is what a great audio community to raise a family can be!
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#1039271 - 07/18/05 11:57 PM
Re: A greater understanding
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AudioMaverick
Platinum Member
Registered: 05/19/01
Posts: 1790
Loc: Outskirts of Big Bear, CA,UNIT...
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Your welcome, Blas... :rolleyes:
I can't wait for your post on how well it runs. No jynxing the parts in transit. But, make sure your PC guru is ready to drop by and assemble it when the delivery truck is scheduled for your place!
I think the old AMD Athalon (1.13GHz) will find another useful thing to do.
For the others, Blas is about to be steering an Athalon 64 3000 on a GIGABYTE GA-K8NS Ultra-939, a Seagate Barracuda 7200, and 1GB of DDR400 RAM. A complete system with XP in a case full of space for just under $500. That should handle 20 tracks!
Friends don't let friends throw money into obsolete PCs! :p
_________________________
"It's all about the... um-m-m, uh-h-h..."
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#1039272 - 07/20/05 11:09 PM
Re: A greater understanding
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blas
Gold Member
Registered: 03/06/01
Posts: 517
Loc: St. Louis, MO. USA
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AM...a friend indeed! By the way, the total is actually just about $700. But I did order the 120 gig drive and the additional DVD burner. Watch for my Nakamichi & Tascam & Sony tape machines hit ebay. And if that doesn't cover cost, I may have to sell my 1/2 inch 8 channel Revox too!
Again thanks, I'll be calling soon (so duck,hide, be asleep, gone)!!
Blas
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