TR-8S sound degradation over time

[agawley]

I just got a TR-8S and am connecting it to Ableton via USB audio with each of the 12 channels coming through as a single audio track

Everything works fine for about 10-15 minutes and then audio quality starts degrading exhibiting significant distortion (like bitcrushing). I can fix it by open the audio pref and changing the buffer size to something else and then back again. That seems to restart the cycle. I've tested exactly the same setup in Garage Band and did not observe any distortion or degradation after 30 minutes of playback.

Some notes:
1. My computer is an M1 Mac Mini
2. I am connecting the TR-8S directly to a USB-C port (no hub)
3. My Ableton set has no plugins, no return tracks and no other tracks
4. My sample rate is set to 48k and buffer to 512
5. I have no problems with other external instruments that are connected through my Scarlett 18i8

[cids]

Which Ableton version?

[agawley]

11.1.6

[cids]

So check with a lower buffer-size: 128 samples

There no plugins on the TR-8S track/return or on the Master that could cause this?

[[jur]]

So check with a lower buffer-size: 128 samples

+1, that's definitely the sweet spot with m1 macs.

[agawley]

No plug ins.

Will check with the lower buffer size. Thanks!

[agawley]

Wow. 128 sample buffer fixed it. I was under the impression that a bigger buffer always improved performance (at the expense of latency). Happy to discover I was wrong!

[[jur]]

I was under the impression that a bigger buffer always improved performance (at the expense of latency). Happy to discover I was wrong!

You weren't wrong, but this doesn't apply anymore with the m1 architecture.