Focusrite 2i2 and Rapidcomposer

[kolderns]

I just downloaded Rapidcomposer on Windows 10. I followed the tutorial and when I try to play anything it's slow and cracks and pops. What do I need to do to get this working on Windows 10 with Focusrite 2i2?

[Boone777]

Have you checked the latency settings in RC ?

[bvbolli]

Hi,

i had some problems after the Windows 10 Creators Update with my Scarlett 2i2 and i tried different driver versions for the 2i2.
The driver, i am using now is from the Focusrite Beta site and is Version V4.26.0.
The file to install the driver is named "FocusriteUSBInstaller 4.26.0.183.exe".
With this all my music software is running fine - only RapidComposer shows a strange behaviour.
Playing produces cracks an pops like the o.p. said.
But I noticed, when i open the Asio Control Panel from the Settings -> Audio in RC, Audio is 100% ok!
As soon as i close the Asio Control Panel, audio is bad again.
And another thing i noticed with the driver V4.26.0 is, that it does not like the Windows Quick start. So configure your Windows to do a normal boot.
Attila, could you imagine, why there is this strange behaviour with the Asio Control Panel and Play in RC?
If you want, i can make video of it.

Olaf

[musicdevelopments]

I also use a Scarlett 2i2 for a long time with driver v2.5.128.1. (The drivers are one of the worst in the industry, just like the support which refused to send me the latest driver when I asked. )
I am using Windows10 and luckily so far I had no issues with RapidComposer and Scarlett 2i2.
I think you should try to change the latency settings, as Boone777 suggested.
A good idea is to start RapidComposer with the Alt key held down as described on
http://www.musicdevelopments.com/wiki/d ... leshooting
RC will start without audio, and you can set up audio under Settings / Audio.
This way RC will use the default values for buffer size and sampling rate.

It is very strange that the audio is good when the control panel is open. At the moment I can't find an explanation for that. I'll investigate.

Thanks,
Attila

[bvbolli]

Hi Attila,

i just downloaded the new beta of RapidComposer and a new driver for the Scarlet 2i2.
Same strange behaviour with the Asio Control Panel.

In case you want to investigate it further, this is the Website, where i got the driver:
http://beta.focusrite.com/

The driver, i am using now, is the first one the site:
Focusrite USB2 Drivers 4.36.0

Olaf

[kolderns]

It is very strange that the audio is good when the control panel is open. At the moment I can't find an explanation for that. I'll investigate.

Thanks,
Attila

I just tested mine to see if it behaved like bvbolli's did. I opened RC and the phrase editor and played one of the phrases on repeat. Cracks, pops and missing notes. I then opened the control panel. The cracks went away and all the notes played. I then closed control panel and it went back to cracks and missing notes.

The audio is fine in Reaper or other apps.

[musicdevelopments]

I experienced the same with driver 4.36.0.415!
Somehow this driver behaves differently than previous drivers.
I never had any issues with v2.5.128.1.
I am investigating this.
Attila

[musicdevelopments]

I see, this Focusrite USB driver v4.36.0.415 is a piece of crap as I expected. I'll get back to v2.5.128.1 ASAP.
The problem is that the time between rendering 2 buffers varies greatly, it is sometimes 0.1 msec when I set the buffer period to 10 msec! This is very unfortunate when using double buffering as in RapidComposer because the program is not able to provide the requested samples so quickly, so an underflow occurs.
Rendering a small audio buffer takes 1.2-1.4 msec in RapidComposer. This is a lot, I know it should be optimized, but RC is more complex than a DAW where a track is a series of MIDI events.
I'll see if I can improve audio with such buggy drivers.
Thanks,
Attila

[bvbolli]

Hi Attila,

thanks for looking into it!

I was using driver V2.5.1 also for a long time but after the Windows 10 Creators Update i had difficulties with it in many audio apps!
So i was testing all the drivers from the Focusrite Beta site and this driver works with all other audio apps except RapidComposer.
I even have done a clean install of Windows 10 with the Microsoft Media Creator.
It would be nice of you with your background Knowledge, to tell Focusrite what crap the driver is.

Olaf

[bvbolli]

Hi Attila,

what i forgot to ask,
As the audio is ok, when the Asio Control Panel is open, is the driver then changing its bad timing behaviour? As the driver is a beta driver, one should really tell Focusrite about it.

Olaf

[musicdevelopments]

I am not certain why the sound becomes perfect when the ASIO control panel is open, probably because of a thread priority change.

However I have good news: I made improvements in audio rendering (much faster wake-up of the rendering thread and faster rendering =0.4 msec), so RapidComposer seems to work well now with the new driver, even with 2.6 msec buffers (256 samples @ 96kHz). If you don't mind using a beta version, I'll upload a new update tomorrow. [EDIT: v3.3b8 is available now with the fix]

Thanks for reporting this problem. I'll still go back to the old driver because during listening to music with Groove Music I can hear clicks sometimes.

Thanks,
Attila

[bvbolli]

Hi Attila,

thanks so much!
With the new beta Version the play and audio is now perfect!!!

Olaf

[musicdevelopments]

Happy to hear that!
Thanks for the feedback.
Attila