Clicks/Pops/Weird Wave Forms

[matt thomas]

I'm not sure what that is. It is kind of hard to hear over the background noise, and I'm just listening on laptop speakers.

Does is make any sizzly noises, like cooking bacon in a frypan?

Pity you don't have another mic to try and see if does the same? Or another interface?

matt

[ritelec]

Not sure.... but yes, it sounds like when I have different settings between my 003/apogee time clock settings.

??? check core audio ???

[cartermoulton]

thanks. yes, it's very much like bacon or a candle flickering. and what, specifically, about my core audio should i be looking for?

[couch11]

Originally Posted by cartermoulton

Hi all,

hope all is well in your world.

Here is my condition:
Focusrite Saffire PRO 14 (Firewire)
Macbook Pro (Lion) (Newest Model)
Plenty of Memory/RAM to go around
Garageband '11
Planet Waves Microphone Cord (purchased less than a month ago)
Rode NT1A

I'm getting clicks and pops, crackling, almost like an electric current in my recordings. It won't be there for a half hour of recording and then it just appears; sometimes it's there from the beginning. I've attached an mp3 of the sound and an image of the waveform the recording of my voice is making. I figured it was a latency/buffer/clock issue, but after unplugging the firewire from my computer and running the Focusrite Pro 14 on its external power source (in other words, no connection to the computer), I can still see the signal light going on and off, indicating that there seems to be something wrong other than the computer. Anyone else had similar problems? Suggestions? I'm trying to record a Christmas EP and time is precious.

best,
carter

Do you have a microphone connected at all. It really sounds like a bad microphone.

[ritelec]

Sorry.......I was wrong and don't want to steer you wrongly.

Core audio I believe is a digi (avid) thing.

Just check again in your Audio Midi Setup and make sure your ins and outs are selected for your focusrite.


There may be confusion between the clock in the mac (if macs have clocks) and Saffire???

Sorry about that.

[ritelec]

Does the click thing repeat 3 times in each interval as I heard on the mp3 or was it coincidence?


Did you get apple care with that mac?
Can you get Tech support from focusrite?
As mentioned. Can you try another mic and chord.
Another firewire wire?
Another interface?

[cartermoulton]

thanks for the quick feedback everybody.

more information:
it seems completely unrelated to the computer (it's still doing it when i have the interface plugged into the wall).


to answer some questions:
Does the click thing repeat 3 times in each interval as I heard on the mp3 or was it coincidence?
.....no, the clicks are very random.

Did you get apple care with that mac?
....yes

Can you get Tech support from focusrite?
....no, they have uk customer support only (they have a rather un-updated support site)

As mentioned. Can you try another mic and chord.
.....i can't at the moment. if it were the mic, what kind of issue might it be? when i jiggle the cord it doesn't seem to effect the blips much/if at all, so i'm narrowing it down to an interface or mic issue. might it be at the point of connection between the cable and mic? the cord seems harder than it should to pull out/press in, although i have no other experience plugging in an NT1a.

Another firewire wire?
.....no

Another interface?
.....no

[couch11]

It really sounds like the mic has gone bad. The way to be sure is to try another mic.

[ritelec]

Do you have recent firmware / driver?


Check sync source?

users guide........page 21ish.


Downloads the latest software and user guides for your Focusrite Product Saffire PRO 14

[ritelec]

for windows but click and pop issues..........


Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 Problem (Clicks - Pops) - Windows 7 Forums

[matt thomas]

well if it's the bacon thing (the only mics it has done this for for me have been rode mics, but that's probably coincidence), it could be moisture on the capsule.

Treat this by leaving the mics in a very warm place (not in front of a fan heater though) overnight, like on top of a hot power amp. Rode even suggested to me to put them the oven for a while at just over 100 degrees centigrade to evaporate the moisture, but do this at your own risk. It worked for me.

The bacon noise isn't just pops, it has little sizzley noises too.

Otherwise I'm guessing the mic is faulty. It would be great if you can plug in another mic and cable to see if you still get the problem. I assume you don't get it with no mic plugged in?

Matt

[cartermoulton]

hi all,

thanks for the relevant tips; i will try warming my mic. i wanted to give one last tidbit of information that may complicate things?

i tried recording again tonight: the clicks/pops/bacon/flickering comes in after about a half hour of solid use (without those). this was the pattern last night as well. does that mean it's more likely the interface?

UPDATE
so i left the interface on as i browsed the internet for about half hour (just because I had given up hope). when i came back to it, this is what i was hearing/seeing.

So, here is what i recorded at 1 am compared to what i recorded at about 11:30 pm.

Something strange is going on; it seems to be getting worse with time that the interface was on?

[pattherocker]

Check all cables. (xlr, usb, ect)

Try different mic

Reinstall drivers

[ritelec]

shure sm-57 about 100 bucks.

They're great on everything.

[pritchardkevin4]

Sounds like a faulty cable to me.

That does NOT sound like a wordclock type issue.


Want me to fedex you one

[ritelec]

Originally Posted by pritchardkevin4

wordclock type issue.
Want me to fedex you one

No No No No.......tutt

I'll pass on that thank you.

[fastlanestoner]

Saffires need the TI chipset in the fw host controller to function properly. if you have that, check that it's not a hardware conflict or dpc latency issue

[cartermoulton]

well, nothing a few hundred dollars can't fix. i tried a new mic cord; same crap. bought a new NT1A and, BOOM I had the best recording session last night. It looks like an issue with the ol' NT1A, maybe a capsule issue?

Thanks for the feedback everybody!

[ritelec]

Good for you.

Glad to hear your up and running.



Nice troubleshooting guys.

[ears2thesky]

I was initially thinking internal wiring, but when you described it as occurring after a 30 min warm-up I'm thinking a component on the PCB itself that farts out after warming up.