Random Audio Distortion During Recording, Playback OK

[jsg]

Hello,

I have a random, intermittent problem when recording audio and hope somebody out there might be able to figure out what's going on. It doesn't matter whether I record from a microphone into the MOTU 1248 (my audio interface) or whether I record one track to another track in Sonar Platinum (latest version), or whether I am recording a soft synth track to another track.

I am hearing distortion that gets into the recording (playback is fine). If I zoom in far to the wave file, I see what appears to be little square waves that should not be there. I record a take, and it's distorted. I record again on same track and it's good for the next 5 or 6 times, and then the distortion comes back, it's unpredictable.

Here is what I have done in terms of troubleshooting:

1. Swap USB cables between DAW and MOTU 1248 audio interface.

2. Change USB port on DAW.

3. Update to latest Windows updates (Win7) and updates to latest MOTU drivers and firmware.

4. Sweetwater technician took remote control of DAW to check if Windows settings are good for audio, they are.

5. Took DAW out of the signal path and replaced with a laptop running same drivers, same OS and same version of Sonar Platinum (latest).

6. Turned off master clock (Antelope OCX-HD) and ran the MOTU 1248 on its internal clock.

7. Experimented with different disc buffer record settings in Sonar up to 2048.

8. Experimented with audio buffer sizes in the 1248, increased to 1024.

None of these things have resolved it. Today, I received a new 1248 as the one I have is still under warranty. I set it up and recorded, expecting resolution. But same problem, intermittent distortion which comes and goes while recording!

This is a very stubborn issue. And an embarrassing one when musicians are in the recording booth and I waste their valuable time with a take that fails.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Jerry
www.jerrygerber.com

[lfm]

First thing I come to think of - Sonar has some setting which source to sync on while recording as well as for playback.

And as precaution to troubleshoot - I would try disable onboard audio interface in bios.
And also disable HD Audio drivers from graphics card, it usually is in there in devices.

And if any wireless network is up I would try turn that off as well.
Certain services for various products can search after updates etc as I noted - suddenly taking cpu.
Some quite intrusive.
So all network down could not hurt to test at least.

And to change usb port - did you try to see to that actually different usb root hub - often one root usb hub for front usb ports and one for back.

Any dongles - Steinberg/Syncrosoft or iLok?
I would use ports other side computer for those if using usb audio.

Some ideas to try...

[Steve Bolivar]

Can you check in the windows event viewer to see if there are any events there that coincide with the distortion events during recording?

Also try running "DPC Latency Checker" and see if that finds anything.

[jsg]

Thanks to both of you for taking the time to reply. I've done all the things suggested, but still have the intermittent distortion issue.

Best,
Jerry
www.jerrygerber.com

[UltraJv]

it could be rf getting in from local cab company, police or radio station. or other electrical noise. try ferrite rings on leads to inputs. Try disconnecting input leads and recording maybe 10 times. If the noise goes, its coming in on the cables.

https://www.techhive.com/article/306359 ... stems.html

[BertKoor]

Things like this are hard to diagnose without having a look & listen..
Could you post an example wav & picture, zoomed in all the way to individual sample level?