Sound Card problems!

james hill · Post by **james hill** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 2:12 pm

I've just recently installed an E-MU 0404 sound card into my PC whilst previously having to make do with the bog standard thing my computer came with when i bought it. Although it sounds so much better i'm noticing that i'm occasionally getting what sounds like a cd skippings whilst using Ableton. I also use Nomads Blue tubes for EQ in Ableton and these seem to clip even though the cpu load indicator is only showing about 30%

As i'm a novice is there something on the settings for the sound card or in Ableton that i should adjust to improve the situation?

My general system is

Pentium 4 519k 3.06ghz

1024 DDR2-SDRAM

7200rpm hard drive

E-MU 0404

Thanks guys!!!!

audiostatic · Post by **audiostatic** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:09 pm

i would say look at your ASIO Buffer Size in the Audio card set-up inside Ableton Live

Use the slider to adjust the ASIO buffer size for the device currently highlighted. Smaller buffer sizemeans lower latency. Once you hear crackles or audio becomes distorted, you need to increase the buffer size. ASIO buffer size directly relates to audio latency. Thus, you want to get a rather small value here.

Tek23 · Post by **Tek23** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:53 pm

first off i use a MAC
i'm an abletonaholic
BUT

i always hear to try the asio4all driver for pc

http://www.asio4all.com/

you should only experience dropouts at 30% if you use an extremly small buffer size

tsod · Post by **tsod** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:57 pm

Tek23 wrote: i always hear to try the asio4all driver for pc

yes, but an emu should be equipped with asio's already

Robot Criminal · Post by **Robot Criminal** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:25 pm

they say asio4all is the best ASIO driver out there

http://www.asio4all.com/

and if u have your older soundcard installed on motherboard (not PCI) then it's smart to disable it from BIOS.

james hill · Post by **james hill** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:59 pm

Yeah the card has asio drivers and i have adjusted the buffer size in Ableton and things outside of using the blue tube eq's seem fine. Unfortunately like i said the blue tube eq's still click and i cant think why. They sound so dam good otherwise!!!

james hill · Post by **james hill** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:01 pm

How do i disable the old sound card from BIOS!? That might be the problem

kevin h · Post by **kevin h** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:09 pm

one of the function keys before windoze loads, F1, F2 or F12 or something like that, if you boot into safe mode youve pressed the wrong key